Labor National Conference: Health, aged care to dominate day two as AUKUS lurks beneath the surface

Health and workplace issues are set to dominate the agenda of Labor’s national conference, as extra funding is unveiled for nuclear submarine construction.

Day two of the triennial policy forum will focus on aged care, the NDIS and health care issues.

Policies focusing on women, Indigenous Australians, along with employment and workplace relations will also feature prominently.

But contentious issues are not expected to feature on the floor of the conference, with most of the bargaining happening behind the scenes.

It comes as expected debate on day one about a tax on gas exports, which had been at the centre of a viral campaign, failed to materialise in amendments.

While Labor conference determines the direction of the party and its policy stance, it remains up to its parliamentary team to determine how, and when, the measures are implemented.

The visit to South Australia for the three-day conference coincides with an extra $4.6 billion being unveiled for the nuclear submarine construction yard at Osborne, north of Adelaide.

The construction yard will be used to build the nuclear-powered vessels as part of the $368 billion AUKUS agreement with the US and UK.

The additional funding will bring the spend on the construction yard to $8.5 billion, with the funding going towards building and development activities at the site.

The project is expected to create 10,000 jobs in South Australia, with 1100 people already working on the project.

Defence Minister Richard Marles said the funding would allow for construction to ramp up significantly.

“This investment is another important step in building the sovereign capability Australia will need to build, operate, maintain and sustain our future submarine fleet,” he said.

“The work under way right now at Osborne demonstrates that AUKUS is on track and happening now, all while creating opportunities for Australian industry and workers for decades to come.”

Under the AUKUS pact, Australia is set to purchase used nuclear submarines from the US, before locally built vessels are brought online.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese discussed AUKUS with newly-elected UK counterpart Andy Burnham during a call on Thursday to congratulate him on his appointment and invite him to visit Australia.

AUKUS remains one of the contentious issues among delegates at the Labor conference with many rank and file members passing motions in local branches calling for the government to scrap the deal.

Mr Albanese used his keynote address to the conference to urge members to make meaningful change as a way to counter the growing popularity of One Nation.

Pauline Hanson’s party has been rising in the polls, and recently overtook Labor on a primary vote in some opinion surveys.