Pat Conroy defends AUKUS, says party backing remains strong

Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy has defended the AUKUS nuclear-submarine deal against critics in the Labor movement, arguing it continues to enjoy overwhelming support within the party.

Speaking at the National Press Club (NPC) on Thursday, Mr Conroy rejected suggestions that Labor had failed to make the case for AUKUS to the party faithful, describing opposition to the agreement as a ‘vocal minority’.

“There is very strong support for AUKUS within the Australian Labor Party,” he said.

“At the national conference it got well over an 80 per cent vote.”

“For any contentious issue, that’s an overwhelming majority and I’m confident that the support is strong.”

Labor’s National Conference will be held in South Australia in three weeks.

Tensions over AUKUS surfaced at the event three years ago in Brisbane, when Labor MP Josh Wilson broke ranks to argue the decision to acquire nuclear-powered submarines was ‘not justified’.

Last month, Labor backbencher Ed Husic publicly acknowledged unease about the security pact among sections of the party membership.

But Mr Conroy said suggestions of “huge discord” within Labor were “not reflecting reality”.

“There’s a vocal minority within the party that have questions … and that’s fair enough, that’s understandable,” he told the audience.

“This is a huge multi-decade undertaking that requires significant investment. It’s in our national interests. I’ll keep making that case, but support remains strong.”

He said Australia was continuing to meet key milestones, despite ongoing criticism from prominent Labor figures including former prime minister Paul Keating and former minister Peter Garrett.

Mr Garrett is currently leading a five-month independent public inquiry into the AUKUS agreement, amid growing concerns over the lack of scrutiny surrounding the nation’s most expensive defence project.

When asked whether he thought Mr Keating or the former Midnight Oil frontman could be convinced of the agreement’s merits, Mr Conroy replied, “I think we’re firmly in the agree-to-disagree territory, to be honest”.

“I have great respect for Peter Garrett. He ran for and almost got elected to the Senate in 1984 on an anti-nuclear position.

“To think more than 40 years on he’s suddenly going to change his position on this issue is quite frankly ridiculous.”

He also criticised the media’s reporting on the $368 billion deal, saying “I just think there’s a hyperbole here that is just ridiculous”.

“There’s an element of confirmation bias where every single piece of news demonstrates someone’s pre-held position about AUKUS. I don’t think that’s mature,” he said.

In his speech, Mr Conroy sought to reposition Labor as Australia’s “natural party of national security”, arguing it has “always followed through with the big decisions and investment” required.

“Investing in defence forms an integral part of the Labor approach to progressive patriotism,” he said.

“The goal of growing our self-reliance is deterrence. We don’t want a fight. Labor invests in defence to deter aggression and maintain peace, stability, and security.”

He argued AUKUS would strengthen Australia’s sovereignty, giving the country more self-reliance.

With Pauline Hanson’s One Nation tapping into a broader global resurgence of nationalism, Mr Conroy argued Labor’s brand of “progressive patriotism” — founded on fairness, equality, democracy, and multiculturalism — was “the bedrock of why we do what we do”.

“Draping yourself in a flag doesn’t make you a patriot,” the Minister said.

“Delivering real change and improving this country and being proud of this country is a patriot.”