Chair of the joint standing committee on treaties and member for Wentworth Dave Sharma welcomed the ENNPI and the opportunity to share knowledge and expertise with Australia’s British and American counterparts.

“This agreement will help determine the optimal pathway for acquiring nuclear-powered submarines for the Royal Australian Navy, one of the most important strategic military capabilities for Australia in the decades ahead,” Sharma noted.

“The agreement will allow for the exchange of sensitive and classified naval nuclear propulsion information with a third country for the first time, and provide a mechanism for Australian personnel to access training and education from UK and US counterparts, essential for learning how to safely build, operate and support nuclear-powered submarines.

“With our security environment growing more challenging in the decades ahead, a regionally superior submarine capability is critical to safeguard Australia’s security. This agreement will help facilitate this capability.

“The proposed agreement will not affect Australia’s strong commitment to nuclear non-proliferation.”

As part of the agreement between the three governments, the treaty hopes to enable the countries to “research, develop, design, manufacture, operate, regulate, and dispose of military reactors, and may provide support to facilitate such communication or exchange, to the extent and by such means as may be mutually agreed.”

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The exchange agreement would help inform the 18-month examination of the requirements underpinning the delivery of nuclear-powered submarines, led by the Commonwealth government's Nuclear-Powered Submarine Task Force, according to Minister for Defence Peter Dutton.

The Task Force's considerations are expected to include requirements for design, construction, maintenance, infrastructure, industry capacity, nuclear safety, environmental protection, crewing and training.

The group will also advise on building time frames, costs and supply needs.

“With access to the information this agreement delivers, coupled with the decades of naval nuclear-powered experience our UK and US partners have, Australia will also be positioned to be responsible and reliable stewards of this technology,” Minister Dutton noted in November.

“… I thank our AUKUS partners for their commitment to bringing this pivotal agreement together quickly which assures continued progress for our nuclear-powered submarine ambitions and our collective efforts to ensure the Indo-Pacific remains stable, secure and prosperous, and free from coercion.”

[Related: Defence reaffirms ASEAN commitment amid AUKUS concerns]