Turn AUKUS shipyard into joint naval base with the US, Morrison urges
The controversial idea, with advocates in both Canberra and Washington, would allow the upgraded facility at Henderson, south of Perth, to host and repair American submarines, not just Australian ones, and give the US direct access to the Indian Ocean, a strategic asset.
As the Pentagon reviews the AUKUS agreement to see if it fits with President Donald Trump's 'America First' agenda, one of the key issues is whether the US can part with the three nuclear-powered submarines Australia is due to buy.
The slow rate of production is a problem, as is a severe maintenance backlog. Australia has paid $US1 billion (about $1. 6 billion) to the US maritime industrial base so far, with another $US1 billion due by year's end.
Morrison - who now provides strategic advice for corporations, including defence industry clients - said the US appreciated and valued AUKUS, 'but that doesn't mean there aren't issues'.
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'The issues that [US defence undersecretary] Elbridge Colby has been raising, he's been raising those for years, and they're legitimate issues, and they go to the US's capability to produce submarines,' he said.
'There are many ways you can get more subs out at sea, and it's not just about how quickly you build them; it's also how you maintain them. Australia, through Henderson, has a real opportunity to add to that.'
Asked if he meant maintaining US boats at the facility, he said yes. 'That would significantly add to the capability of the US to do what it needs to do.'
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