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Australia, US and UK to develop underwater drones under AUKUS pact as seafood origin labelling begins in July
Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom will develop underwater drones as part of their trilateral AUKUS defence pact. Defence Minister Richard Marles says the country intends to deliver the technology by next year. Meanwhile, from July first, all Australian restaurants and food outlets will be required to label seafood country of origin on menus, with over sixty four per cent of seafood consumed in Australia currently imported.
Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom will jointly develop underwater drones as part of their trilateral AUKUS defence pact. Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed the country's intent to deliver the technology by next year, marking a significant step in deepening the partnership's capabilities beyond nuclear-powered submarines.
UK Defence Secretary John Healy has acknowledged slow progress on some AUKUS projects and has promised change. The underwater drone programme represents one of the pact's most tangible non-submarine deliverables, with applications for surveillance, mine detection and undersea warfare in the Indo-Pacific region.
In a separate development, all Australian restaurants, pubs and food service outlets will be required from July first to label where their seafood comes from on menus. The labels must identify whether seafood is from Australia, imported, or a mix of both. The change comes as over sixty four per cent of all seafood consumed in Australia is currently imported.
The seafood industry has long campaigned for country of origin labelling, arguing that Australian fisheries operate under some of the strictest regulations in the world with scientific stock assessments and strict quotas. Industry leaders say the new labelling requirement levels the playing field, as imported products are not always held to the same standards.
At Sydney's new eight hundred and thirty six million dollar fish market, which has attracted more than a million visitors in its first three months, retailers already clearly label country of origin. Surveys at the market showed strong consumer support for the initiative, with many saying they would prefer to buy Australian seafood and want to know what they are eating.