Reported at michaelwest.com.au: Australia has made a significant down payment of $800 million to the United States as part of the AUKUS submarine deal, ahead of a June 30 deadline.

Defence Minister Richard Marles met with US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth during high-level talks to reinforce the Australia-US alliance and to expedite the supply of Virginia-class submarines.

The AUKUS deal is estimated to cost Australia up to $368 billion over 30 years, and there are concerns regarding potential cost overruns and delays in the US submarine industry.