Timeline of Australias submarine decisions

Australia’s decision in September to dump its troubled $90 billion deal with France’s Naval Group for 12 conventionally powered submarines in favour of building a possible eight nuclear-powered boats with the help of the United States and Britain has angered its ally.

Here’s how the events unfolded.

April 2016: Then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull announced France as the successful bidder to build Australia’s new fleet of conventionally powered submarines under a $50 billion program.

Malcolm Turnbull and Emmanuel Macron agree to upgrade the Australia-France relationship during the French President’s visit to Australia in 2018.Credit:AP

May 2018: French President Emmanuel Macron makes his first visit to Australia, only the second by a French president in history. Turnbull and Macron agree to upgrade the Australia-France relationship.

June 16, 2021: Macron and Scott Morrison meet in Paris, where the Australian Prime Minister insists he raised concerns about continuing with the French submarine program.

August 30, 2021: Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Defence Minister Peter Dutton hold a virtual meeting with their French counterparts where they agree to enhance defence co-operation and highlight the importance of the French submarine program.

On the sidelines of the G20 summit in Rome, Macron French President Emmanuel Macron, left, tells reporters Prime Minister Scott Morrison, middle, lied to him over the cancellation of the submarine contract. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

September 16, 2021: Australia announced it is dumping the French contract and will instead build a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines with the help of the United States and Britain under a new defence pact called AUKUS.

November 1, 2021: On the sidelines of the G20 summit in Rome, Macron says Morrison lied to him.

Anthony Galloway is foreign affairs and national security correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Connect via Twitter or email.

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