"AUKUS", OK,
"nuclear-powered submarines". Huh!
What's going on?
Never fear, Jackie-boy,
I've written a wee little sea shanty
that'll help explain the whole thing.
A sea shanty? # Ohhhhh... #
We don't have time for a sea shanty.
Yeah, I'll just do my best and try to explain it all.
Last week, our Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese,
announced a big multi-billion dollar program
to acquire and build nuclear-powered subs.
It's all part of an alliance called AUKUS,
which is between Australia, the UK and the US.
Oh, AUKUS - now I get it.
Part of the agreement involves Australia buying
three nuclear-powered subs from the US
as well as develop and build a new hybrid submarine,
aptly titled the SSN AUKUS,
which will combine a British submarine design
with American nuclear technology.
The ultimate goal isn't just selling subs to Australia.
It's developing something new together.
One of the most advanced nuclear-powered subs
the world has ever known.
Mr Albanese says the deal
is all about strengthening Australia's military
as well as boosting defence operations
in the Indo-Pacific region
where there have been concerns about China's growing military presence.
The AUKUS agreement we confirm here in San Diego
represents the biggest single investment
in Australia's defence capability in all of our history,
strengthening Australia's national security
and stability in our region.
The news didn't sit too well with China
and it responded by criticising the AUKUS pact,
saying it's a clear attempt by the US
to try and keep China under control.
TRANSLATOR: China has repeatedly stressed
that the AUKUS pact and the three countries' efforts
to advance cooperation on nuclear submarines
and other cutting-edge military technology,
is typical Cold War mentality.
It will only spur an arms race
and undermine the international non-proliferation regime
and harm regional peace and stability.
Meanwhile, there has also been criticism about
how much the whole thing will cost.
Australia is expected to fork out a whopping $368 billion,
which the Government has defended,
saying that a large chunk of that bill
will go towards creating more than 20,000 jobs for Aussies.
Engineers, scientists, technicians, submariners,
administrators and tradespeople.
Good jobs with good wages.
Working to ensure the stability and prosperity of our nations,
our region and, indeed, our world.
So why nuclear-powered submarines?
Well, apparently they're better than non-nuclear-powered submarines.
They're faster, they're quieter.
And they can stay underwater for longer,
which seems like a thing you'd want a submarine to do.
Australia will now be just the seventh country to operate
a nuclear-powered submarine.
The whole nuclear thing has got some people a little worried.
Nuclear waste can potentially be harmful to humans
and the environment.
But the Government says it'll be working with its AUKUS allies
to make sure nuclear waste is managed and stored safely.
Each of our nations is making concrete commitments to one another.
We're backing it up with significant investments
to strengthen the industrial bases in each of our countries
in order to build and support these boats.
So there you go.
And we got through the entire story without a single sea shanty.
# Ohhhhh...
# There once was a man who dreamt of a sub
# And a sub is what he dreamt
# And the dreamt of the dream
# The dream of the team... #