Anthony Albanese confident dysfunction in US Congress won’t affect Aukus deal

Anthony Albanese says the election of a new speaker is a matter for the US Congress, but Australia will ‘continue to engage’ with legislators. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Anthony Albanese has expressed confidence that rolling dysfunction in the legislature of the United States won’t derail the Aukus nuclear submarine pact, telling reporters he will continue to engage senators and members of Congress during his time in Washington.

Republican infighting has paralysed the US House of Representatives for the past three weeks. Former speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted on 3 October and colleagues are yet to determine his successor.