Labor was presented with a fait accompli on Aukus, but scepticism in the party is rightly rising

‘The questions remain as to how our national interest is served by locking Australia into the strategic priorities of the US for the next 50 years, regardless of regime changes in the US, the UK, or our own national interests.’ Photograph: Denis Poroy/AP

On the morning of 16 September 2021, the federal ALP caucus was presented with the shadow cabinet’s fait accompli of support for the Morrison government’s Aukus submarine deal.

Caucus members were told that on the previous afternoon, the leader, Anthony Albanese and several shadow ministers had received a two-hour briefing on the proposal from the government. No documents were provided at the briefing. On the basis of that, and the shadow ministry’s endorsement, Labor MPs were expected to leap into bipartisan support for the Aukus deal.