Anthony Albanese has dismissed Paul Keating’s latest blast at his government over the AUKUS nuclear submarines deal, saying the world has changed in the three decades since the Labor legend was prime minister.
Mr Keating, in an interview on ABC’s 7.30 on Thursday, said the Albanese government was “likely to turn Australia into the 51st state of the United States”.
“This is a party which has adopted the defence and foreign policies of the Morrison Liberal government,” he said.
“This is a sellout.”
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But the Prime Minister was unperturbed by the views of the 80-year-old Mr Keating, who was voted out of office 28 years ago.
“Paul was a great prime minister that ended in 1996,” Mr Albanese told reporters in Perth on Friday.
“Paul has his views. They’re well known.
“The world has changed between 1996 and 2024. My government is doing what we need to do today, and everyone will get a go here.”
Mr Keating has been vocal in his criticism of the tripartite deal between Australia, the UK and US since it was announced in 2021 when Scott Morrison was prime minister, once calling it “the worst deal in history”.
More to come