Full Breakdown
Greens Leader David Shoebridge Calls for End to Australian Arms Aid to Ukraine and a Major Rethink of the US Alliance
By Drooid · · How we work
Greens’ New Defence Stance
On October 3 2026, newly elected Greens leader David Shoebridge announced that the party would oppose any Australian military assistance to Ukraine. He said the Greens would support only humanitarian aid and anti-corruption measures, and would back weapons transfers only if a United Nations Security Council resolution authorized them—an outcome he deemed unlikely because Russia can veto such a resolution. Shoebridge also called for a dramatic downgrade of the Australia-United States security relationship, proposing the removal of US long-range bombers from the Northern Territory, the exclusion of US nuclear-powered submarines from Western Australia, and the loss of Australian access to the Pine Gap signals-intelligence facility.
Policy Background and Rationale
Shoebridge framed the position as a response to what he described as “waste” in the defence portfolio and a “stultifying consensus” among Labor, the Coalition and One Nation on defence spending, particularly the AUKUS submarine pact. He argued that the current alignment makes Australia a target in conflicts it does not control and that the country should not be used as a base for US military operations.
Official Positions and Reactions
Shoebridge said the Greens would retain their existing defence and foreign-affairs portfolios and would continue to question defence, intelligence and law-enforcement officials during Senate estimates hearings. He reiterated support for basic humanitarian assistance to Ukraine while rejecting global weapons transfers as a principle. The party also pledged to pursue the legalisation of recreational cannabis as part of its broader platform.
Public Opinion and Potential Impact
A Lowy Institute poll released in June showed that 70 percent of Australians supported sending military aid to Ukraine, though strong support has fallen since the war began. If the Greens’ proposals were adopted, they could reshape Australia’s strategic posture, affect the AUKUS partnership, and alter the country’s role in US-led regional security arrangements.