In this week’s edition of Latika Takes: The Podcast, Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles speaks to Latika M Bourke on the sidelines of the NATO summit in the Hague.
Mr Marles was attending as one of the Indo-Pacific 4 countries, comprising Australia, Japan, Korea and New Zealand, which are regularly invited to the annual NATO gatherings.
He discussed the Trump Administration’s review into AUKUS, whether or not Australians will receive a refund if Elbridge Colby recommends scrapping the submarines deal and kept open the door to increasing defence spending, pending the next defence strategic review.
He also flags a greater US military presence in Australia after saying that the country’s geography made it more relevant to great power competition than at any point in history.
He believes the Australian public would support a greater US presence.
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