Radio interview, ABC RN Breakfast

SUBJECTS: Middle East Ceasefire and Hostage Release Agreement; President Elect Donald Trump's Inauguration; AUKUS.  

SALLY SARA, HOST: The first three hostages released from Gaza have arrived in Israel just hours after the fragile ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas took hold. The first phase of the agreement in the 15-month old war should see 33 hostages held in Gaza gradually returned and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees released. It comes as world leaders begin arriving in Washington D.C. ahead of Donald Trump’s swearing in as the 47th President. Watching from afar like the rest of us will be, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles. Minister, welcome back to Breakfast.

RICHARD MARLES, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: Good morning, Sally, how are you?

SARA: Very well. Before we go to the US, the ceasefire deal in Gaza has now taken effect. What role will Australia play as this three stage agreement gets underway?

MARLES: Well, firstly, I think we should just acknowledge that what's occurred overnight is very positive and very constructive in the context of the tragedy that we have watched unfold over the last 15 months. It is a wonderful thing to see hostages reunited with their families. It is also obviously wonderful to be seeing the beginning of humanitarian assistance start to flow into Gaza. There's clearly a long way to go in terms of the rebuilding of Gaza. Obviously, if we're thinking about a lasting peace, there's a very long way to go. And this is a fragile and delicate process and it's one which is going to require constant effort and vigilance. But having said that, what has occurred overnight is a really important step forward. I mean, we will, as Australia, continue to lend our voice to the promotion of peace, to seeing this arrangement fulfilled, and to seeing the return of all the hostages and to seeing the rebuilding of Gaza.

SARA: Will Australia commit to help rebuild Gaza?

MARLES: Well, we've already contributed humanitarian assistance. Obviously we'll work through all of the opportunities that present themselves in terms of the way in which Australia can help as we move forward. But I think right now the focus is on ensuring that all the effort is maintained to see this fragile and delicate process continue.

SARA: How worried are you about Israel already warning of a resumption of hostilities if negotiations break down?

MARLES: Well, I mean, I think we acknowledge that this is a very fragile and delicate process. I don't think we can take anything for granted as we move forward. We've seen temporary ceasefires in the past, but I do think that there is an opportunity in what has been announced for this to be the beginning of a new chapter. And I think the world has to hope, and lend its voice and international pressure towards that outcome. And we will certainly be a part of that.

SARA: Well, let's go now to the US. The US is our most important bilateral relationship. Why is the Prime Minister not attending Donald Trump's inauguration?

MARLES: Well, we'll be represented at the inauguration by the Foreign Minister, who is in Washington D.C. as we speak. Obviously, the Prime Minister is attending to his duties here in Australia, but Australia will be well represented at the inauguration by the Foreign Minister and obviously our Ambassador to the United States. But we look forward to the inauguration of President Trump and the incoming Trump Administration, and we very much look forward to working with them over the course of the next four years. The alliance between Australia and America is our most important relationship. It is really the cornerstone of both our foreign policy and our national security. And we have a lot of equities in the relationship, and we're very excited about being able to pursue them with the Trump Administration.

SARA: What does AUKUS look like under a Trump Administration?

MARLES: Well, I think we can all look with confidence and optimism to the progress of this agreement in the course of the next four years. You look at the comments, for example, that have been made by the Secretary of State nominee, Marco Rubio, hugely positive in respect of AUKUS. And as we watched at the end of 2023 legislation pass through the United States Congress which has enabled AUKUS, that was supported across the political spectrum in the United States, including those in Congress who are key allies and supporters of President Trump. So, all the indications are there that this will continue under the Trump Administration. And I think fundamentally, the reason why we can draw confidence from this is because AUKUS is in the strategic interests of the United States, as it, of course, is in the strategic interests of Australia and the United Kingdom. And that's why, fundamentally, people support it across the political spectrum in all three countries, and why we feel very confident about its progress over the next four years.

SARA: In a report last year, the Congressional Research Service outlined that the nuclear submarine production in the United States is behind schedule. Peter Briggs, who is a submarine– was a submarine specialist and is a retired rear admiral in the Royal Australian Navy, has also raised serious concerns about Australia receiving its submarines. How much confidence do you have that that when the time comes with successive US Presidents that the President will be willing to sign and agree that there is a transfer of these submarines, and certifying that the handing over of submarines won't diminish the US undersea capacity?

MARLES: Look, very confident is the short answer to that question. And it's a question that is continually asked and that's appropriate, and it will continue to be asked over the coming years, and that will be appropriate as well. But I just think we need to take a step back and just look at what has actually happened here. At the end of 2023, legislation went through the United States Congress, supported, as I said, by all of those across the political spectrum in the United States, enabling the sale of the Virginia class submarines to Australia. First time ever that that ability and power has been given to an American government, to sell a nuclear-powered submarine to another nation. And that–

SARA: But Minister, the submarines need to be completed. We're seeing completion rates of around 1.2 or 1.4 boats per year. It needs to be at 2.3, doesn't it?

MARLES: Sure, if I can just complete the answer. In August of last year, we signed a legally binding agreement between our countries which actually came into effect in the last few days, which again embodies the sale of the Virginia class submarines. In terms of the production rates, we were very clear when this arrangement was first announced back in March of 2023, that there was a very big challenge for the United States in terms of production rates and a big challenge in terms of sustainment rates. That's why we committed to something which is almost unprecedented, I think it is unprecedented, in terms of us, Australia providing a contribution, a significant contribution to the American industrial base to improve production rates. We knew that that wasn't going to happen overnight. That is starting to happen. We are confident that in terms of the trajectory of production which needs to be achieved in order for this to all play out, that we are on that pathway as we speak. And so production rates are a challenge in the US but that's not new. We knew that when we signed this back in March of 2023. What's important is that the work is being done, the agreements are being signed, the money is being provided to see those production rates both in terms of construction and sustainment improved in the United States, which will enable the transfer of the Virginia class submarines on time to Australia. Everything that we have seen is what is playing out. All the agreements that we've asked to be signed and steps to be taken are being taken. AUKUS is happening and it is on course.

SARA: Richard Marles, we'll need to leave it there. Thank you.

MARLES: Thanks, Sally.