Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee, , 4:05:58 to 4:08:20
Examination of comments made by US Congressman Michael McCaul regarding the likelihood of US Virginia-class submarines carrying nuclear weapons during rotations.
Topics: ADF, National security, International law
Speakers: David Shoebridge, Meghan Quinn, Unknown Speaker
>> Um sorry I I missed that previous engagement on the way over here. Um could I ask you about um uh comments that were made um by the former chairman of the US House of Foreign Affairs Committee uh US Congressman Michael McCall who met I think with the prime minister, the defense minister and the foreign minister when he visited here a few months ago. Who would be best placed to answer these questions?
>> Uh you might need to just go for the topic that they that you discussed. Um
well um uh either just before or just after those meetings um Congressman McCall the the former chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee um who is here on a congressional delegation um said that it was logical to assume um there are his words logical to assume that some US Virginia class submarines rotating through HMAS Sterling in Western Australia from 2032 onwards would be carrying nuclear weapons. Um is um is US Congressman McCall
>> So uh you you are talking about a foreign official um providing uh an opinion. Um we you know uh we we have just also had an extensive conversation about the position regarding uh Australia's uh obligations under the treaty of Reratonga. >> I'm aware of that. and also uh the um US position of not confirming or denying the the presence of nuclear weapons on their platforms. Um and so I I have we we well I certainly have nothing further to add to the evidence that we've already provided.
>> Well, did um the congressman make that clear um in his meetings with the defense minister? Um and I point out this is not just any congressman. He was coming here as part of an official delegation to talk amongst other things Orcus. He's the former chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee. Um did he advise the defense minister in discussions with the defense minister that it would be logical to assume that some US Virginia class submarines rotating through HMA Sterling in Western Australia um from 2032 onwards would be carrying nuclear weapons. Did he say that to the defense minister?