Australia’s $3bn Aukus bill to boost US and UK industry may go even higher

Defence industry minister Pat Conroy told Guardian Australia the $3bn payment to the US and UK would ease ‘choke points’ in the supply chain. Photograph: Richard Wainwright/AAP

Australian taxpayers may end up spending more than the $3bn initially announced to boost the submarine industrial capacity of the US and the UK under the Aukus deal, a minister has revealed.

The minister for defence industry, Pat Conroy, confirmed there was “scope for additional funding” beyond the first four-year budget period, with the exact amount to depend on negotiations with the two countries.