Opposition leader Peter Dutton has said the Coalition would be willing to support cuts to other critical federal schemes like the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and Aged Care if the government requires more money to support Australia’s national security.
The comments from the opposition leader come as the federal government announced Australia would spend between $268 billion (US$179 billion) to $368 billion over the next 27 years to 2055 to purchase up to five U.S.-made nuclear-powered submarines over the next decade and build new AUKUS class submarines with UK and U.S. technologies in South Australia by 2042.
Speaking to ABC’s 7:30 Report programme, on March 13, Dutton said that if the federal government was finding it difficult to fund AUKUS’s national security transformation of the country, the Coalition would consider budgetary cost-cutting measures for other federal programs like the NDIS….