By Ahmed Abdelsalam
A public inquiry into Australia’s $368 billion Aukus nuclear submarine agreement has labelled the plan “the worst, riskiest and most costly defence decision ever made by an Australian government” and urged its immediate termination.
Inquiry led by Garrett and Barrie
Former Labor senator Peter Garrett and former defence chief Adm Chris Barrie led the inquiry, which was dominated by critics of the deal with the United Kingdom and United States. Their report, titled “Surrendering Australia: the Aukus Deception,” recommends suspending plans for new bases and calls for a royal commission into the agreement signed by the former Morrison government.
Sovereignty and conflict risks
The report argues that Aukus badly undermines Australia’s sovereignty and undercuts longstanding commitments to nuclear non‑proliferation. It warns that the presence of powerful nuclear submarines risks dragging Australia into a military conflict with China.
Calls for oversight and recalibration
After hearings across the country and more than 1,000 public submissions, the inquiry highlighted a lack of scrutiny over the five years since Aukus was announced. It calls for the auditor‑general and federal parliament to launch independent reviews, a rework of the agreement’s second pillar on technology sharing, and a fundamental recalibration of Australia’s relationship with Beijing.
Garrett and Barrie warn of US base expansion
Garrett told the National Press Club in Canberra that the Stirling defence precinct in Perth risks becoming a “de facto US base” hosting up to 2,000 American personnel, making nearby communities such as Rockingham and Fremantle potential targets. Barrie, who served as defence chief from 1998 to 2002, said the submarine plan is not tenable and urged the government to scrap it and rebuild national security decision‑making.
Deal background and delays
Labor agreed to support the deal negotiated under former prime minister Scott Morrison, then US president Joe Biden and UK prime minister Boris Johnson. Australia is funding upgrades to the US defence industrial base and is due to receive second‑hand Virginia‑class nuclear submarines from 2032, with a bespoke SSN Aukus model slated for 2042. However, delays and cost blowouts in US submarine production have fuelled scepticism about delivery timelines.
Opposition from former leaders
Former prime ministers Paul Keating and Malcolm Turnbull, former foreign ministers Gareth Evans and Bob Carr, environmental and security campaigners, and some within Labor believe Aukus is not in Australia’s national interest. The United States now has access to more than half of Australia’s military bases, raising concerns the country could be unwillingly drawn into war.
Financial and waste concerns
Garrett warned there are no refunds, enforceable obligations, or recourse if the deal falters. The inquiry estimates an additional $180 billion will be needed to manage nuclear waste, including high‑level radioactive waste that remains toxic for thousands of years. Australia has not identified a permanent storage site. The government’s preferred cost measure is 0.15 per cent of GDP over the deal’s lifetime.
