A former Navy secretary with deep ties to Australia's submarine-policy sphere is now representing the Australian government for work related to AUKUS, the new U.S.-U.K.-Australian security agreement that changes Australia's acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines.
Donald Winter, who served as secretary of the Navy under George W. Bush and Barack Obama, has newly disclosed his status as a foreign agent for the oceanic country. Winter is receiving $6,000 per day plus expenses to help the Australian prime minister's office to "engage with U.S. personnel to facilitate Australia's engagement with [the] U.S. and U.K. per [the] AUKUS agreement," according to a pair of recent Justice Department disclosures. Australia paid Winter another $10,125 last month for unspecified "technical advisory services," according to the filings.
Less than two weeks old, the AUKUS deal has been met with strong international reaction. Chinese leaders have expressed concern that the pact will lead to an Asia-Pacific arms race. France, meanwhile, has pulled its ambassadors from the U.S. and Australia because the deal cancelled an existing submarine trade agreement between France and Australia.
Winter has worked behind the scenes of Australia's nuclear submarine policy for years, and he's advised the country's National Shipbuilding Advisory Board and Prime Minister Scott Morrison, among others. As head of an independent oversight board, Winter reportedly began pushing three years ago for Australia to reconsider its submarine contract with France.
