Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom have closed a new agreement to cover the transfer of nuclear substances to Canberra under the AUKUS Pact. 

US President Joe Biden requested that Congress on Wednesday transmit the text of the agreement “for cooperation related to naval nuclear propulsion," indicating that the new agreement would allow continued trilateral communication and the exchange of confidential information. 

The agreement between the AUKUS countries for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines follows a 2021 agreement on exchanging naval nuclear propulsion information. This initial agreement took effect in February 2022 and is valid until December 2025, unless replaced by a new agreement. A more detailed agreement was anticipated for the next phase of the project.

Under the new agreement, signed by Biden, communication, exchange of sensitive information, and the expansion of "the cooperation between the governments by enabling the transfer of naval nuclear propulsion plants of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines, including component parts and spare parts thereof, and other related equipment" would be permitted. 

Furthermore, the Agreement permits the sale of special nuclear material in complete power units and other necessary materials for naval nuclear propulsion plants and allows for the transfer of equipment and support related to the research, development, design, operation, and maintenance of these plants.

The Agreement includes conditions to uphold nonproliferation standards, protect US-controlled and classified information, prevent unauthorized dissemination, and safeguard US intellectual property.

US, UK could send nuclear waste to Australia under AUKUS

According to a legislative probe investigating nuclear safety regulations, the AUKUS contract might make Australia a "poison portal" for foreign radioactive waste.

New regulations establishing a safety framework for Australia's proposed nuclear-powered submarines may also allow the United States and the United Kingdom to bring garbage there, as both nations are struggling to deal with their own waste due to the lack of long-term, high-level waste disposal facilities.

If the Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety Bill launched last November is enacted, it will establish a nuclear safety watchdog and allow for the construction of naval nuclear propulsion facilities, including those for storing and disposing of radioactive waste from AUKUS submarines. A second law authorizing the regulator to grant licenses was proposed at the same time.

Dave Sweeney, the Australian Conservation Foundation's Nuclear Free campaigner, called the issue of waste disposal "highly disturbing" and that the AUKUS partners would consider Australia as "a little bit of a radioactive terra nullius."

The legislation permits the establishment of facilities for "managing, storing, or disposing of radioactive waste from an Aukus submarine," defining an AUKUS submarine as either an Australian or a UK/US submarine and "includes such a submarine that is not complete (for example, because it is being constructed or disposed of)."