US submarine force deployment sparks sovereignty debate

Australia is investing $8 billion to prepare HMAS Stirling near Perth for the Submarine Rotational Force-West program, which will see approximately 1,200 US military personnel plus civilian employees, contractors and families stationed in Western Australia from next year as part of AUKUS implementation. Defence Minister Richard Marles has rejected claims this constitutes a joint US military base, emphasising rotational deployments and strong sovereignty arrangements, while the Greens have raised concerns about Australian sovereignty and proximity to the United States.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.