Defence Minister Richard Marles has ‘warm’ phone conversation with new US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles had a “warm” phone conversation with President Donald Trump’s new Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth about the AUKUS agreement and the “need for us to progress that”.

Mr Marles, who is also Defence Minister, was in Perth on Wednesday to announce a $14.6 million partnership with the State Government for a specialist training centre at Naval Base.

The Defence TAFE Centre of Excellence will help train the workforce needed for WA’s defence industries, which on the back of the AUKUS agreement is set to overtake agriculture as the State’s second biggest sector.

Asked if he was confident the newly elected president would continue to back the trilateral deal, Mr Marles insisted he was.

“This morning, I had a call with the new Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth,” he said.

“It went really well, very warm, a sense of common purpose about the role of both Australia and America in the world, the role of Australia and America in the Indo Pacific.

“And we talked about AUKUS and the need for us to progress that.”

Mr Marles said that he and his US counterpart were “excited” about building their relationship.

He said the phone call built on talks Foreign Minister Penny Wong had with her counterpart, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and chats between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Donald Trump.

“American leadership has underpinned the global rules-based orders since the end of Second World War,” Mr Marles said.

“It’s absolutely clear to me that we will see a continuation of that under the Trump administration.”

Mr Hegseth was only confirmed after Vice President JD Vance broke a 50-50 tie in the Senate.

The secretary, a former Fox News host, had weathered sexual assault allegations and concerns about his qualifications.

The AUKUS agreement — which will involve a Henderson defence precinct and the maintenance of nuclear-powered submarines — is set to transform Perth’s south and create about 10,000 new jobs over a decade.

WA Defence Industries Minister Paul Papalia said the State’s position “on the front line of this great national endeavour” was no accident.

“When we came to office in 2017 there was no voice for the West Australian defence sector in the national debate, we created the portfolio . . . we created Defence West, and then in 2018, we published a strategy for defence and defence industry,” Mr Papalia said.

WA Training Minister Simone McGurk celebrated the opportunities for TAFE students and said the announcement would send the message “there will be thousands of jobs” that would “well paid” and “interesting”.

The minister, who is the local MP for Fremantle, is fighting off two candidates on her left flank, with teal independent Kate Hulett and the Greens both contesting the seat.

The Greens on Wednesday held a press conference in Fremantle, pledging a total ban on fracking in the Kimberley.

Fracking is not allowed in 98 per cent of WA.

Ms McGurk defended her Government’s environmental record, including a plan to end coal by 2030 as well as banning native forests and single-use plastics.