‘Fault all round’: Dutton refuses to take responsibility for energy crisis – follow live

Dutton is being grilled (again) on where he got information that the United States could provide two nuclear submarines to Australia by the end of the decade.

Speers presses Dutton on whether he used classified information to make that point, eventually gleaning from the opposition leader it was a “commonsense conclusion”.

Dutton: Well, based on my judgement of what I thought was possible for our country, and I had visited the electric boat company in Connecticut. I had spoken with them there. I had obviously looked at the what we could do here domestically. I worry that …

Speers: The question is whether you are using classified to make this point. You said you haven’t.

Dutton: No, not at all.

Speers: Where is this publicly available information that they can provide two nuclear subs by the end of the decade?

Dutton: David, in the article that I published in the Australian, I made it clear that I think this government is trying to crab-walk away from the Aukus deal. I don’t think they ever truly in their hearts …

Speers: That’s not the question I asked. My question was where did you get this information that is not classified that the US can provide two nuclear submarines by the end of the decade to Australia?

Dutton: David, I looked at the information which I had spoken about publicly before. I detailed that in my article in the Australian because I wanted to call out the government and stop them from making a terrible mistake by walking away.