High-profile Labor figures have raised concerns over AUKUS.Credit:The Age
United Firefighters Union boss Peter Marshall,who is running for a spot on Labor’s powerful national executive,said the party’s factional system hadstifled debate on totemic issues,arguing a political culture that discouraged debate was counterproductive.
“Whether you are for or against[AUKUS],previously there would have been significant debate about the rights and wrongs,whereas there has been complete silence,” he said.
“People are frightened... Debate makes good policy.”
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Albanese will emphasise the importance of AUKUS in his personal foreword to the party’s national platform,which binds his government on policy positions,defying a push from a section of left-wing activists and some unions seeking to remove a reference to AUKUS from the platform.
Albanese’s foreword states:“We are taking carefully thought-out steps forward with AUKUS to strengthen Australia’s sovereignty and our region’s security.”
The decision to highlight the AUKUS deal in Albanese’s foreword underscores the prime minster’s determination to stare down internal critics of the AUKUS deal and position himself as a centrist leader of a party that is strong on national security.