As signs emerge of a thaw in China-Australia tensions, the Albanese government has moved to back controversial Pine Gap intelligence facilities operated jointly with the United States.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
In a ministerial statement to parliament on Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles will reaffirm Australia's commitment to the satellite surveillance base near Alice Springs
The mutual agreement under which it operates on Australian soil will need to evolve to deal with threats in the Indo-Pacific, the minister flagged.
"Our 'full knowledge and concurrence' framework is not set and forget - it evolves in line with advancements in technology, and with emerging opportunities, threats, risks and trends that affect Australian and US capabilities," Mr Marles is expected to say.
"But what remains constant - and which is regularly evaluated - is the alignment of these activities with our national interests and the maintenance of our sovereignty, which I reaffirm here today."
The intelligence gathering base has been a focus of Russian and Chinese threats of "retaliatory" missile strikes as tensions with the US escalated.
READ MORE DEFENCE NEWS:
The concurrence policy has had the full backing of every Australian government since it was introduced by Bob Hawke and reaffirmed periodically by previous defence ministers.
The policy does not necessarily mean Australia approves each individual activity or task undertaken.
Mr Marles will clarify that Australia has a full and detailed understanding of any capability or activity using the facility and Australia approves of the presence of capability "in support of mutually-agreed goals".
"These principles protect Australia's right to know, understand and agree to foreign government military and intelligence activities conducted in, from, or through Australia and through the use of our assets."
Half of Pine Gap's staff are Australian and the deputy head of the facilities must be an Australian citizen under the agreement.
Mr Marles will also confirm the continuation of Australia-US concurrence arrangements for two other less infamous joint facilities known as the Joint Geological and Geophysical Research Station and the Learmonth Solar Observatory.
"These facilities provide critical functions that directly support our national security, which we would not be able to realise by ourselves," he is expected to say.
In addition to the Five-Eyes "intelligence advantage", the facilities play a role in global counterterrorism efforts, verification and compliance of international arms control and disarmament agreements and early warning for ballistic missile launches.
He will also address expanding work with regional partners such as Singapore and Japan to deter conflict in the Indo-Pacific and impress the need for high-end defence capability developed with partners to protect Australia's sovereignty.
The government is preparing to announce a major decision about nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS pact, that Mr Marles says will strengthen Australia's sovereignty.
"In a world in which the rules-based order is under enormous strain, the threat of armed conflict is less remote, and foreign interference is more prevalent than ever, it has never been more important to guard, reinforce and enhance our sovereignty," Mr Marles is expected to say.
