The federal government will commit $12 billion to the construction of the Henderson Defence Precinct in Perth, including graving docks for nuclear submarine maintenance, in a move that will be warmly welcomed by the Trump administration.

The pledge comes as US media reports that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has assured Australia that its promise to supply nuclear submarines as part of the AUKUS pact is on track, despite a Pentagon review of the multibillion-dollar deal.

The federal government will commit $12 billion to the construction of the Henderson Defence Precinct in Perth, Credit: Illustration Matt Davidson

Key US officials including Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth have demanded Australia boost its defence spending from 2 per cent to 3.5 per cent of GDP and, armed with the $1

See Full Page