AUKUS Inquiry Recommends Australia Abandon Nuclear Submarine Agreement

An Unofficial AUKUS Inquiry Recommends Canceling the Defense Pact

Australia should abandon the AUKUS trilateral security partnership, according to an unofficial public inquiry led by former officials and community leaders that branded the nuclear-powered submarine agreement the worst and most costly defense decision in the country’s history. The Canberra-based review released its findings after six months of public hearings, concluding that the $368 billion project lacks adequate democratic scrutiny and binds the nation to high-risk strategic commitments without public consent.

The community-led inquiry was established in June by former minister and musician Peter Garrett, with former defense chief Admiral Chris Barrie serving as a commissioner. Organizers aimed to fill a perceived void in public debate regarding the trilateral pact between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, which was originally inherited from former center-right Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s government. Garrett told the National Press Club that current federal government politicians declined to participate in the hearings, leaving the review to gather over 1,000 public submissions from citizens who felt excluded from official defense planning.

The Origins and Structure of the Trilateral Defense Agreement

Under the $368 billion AUKUS framework, the security arrangement is divided into distinct operational pillars. Pillar 1 centers on the acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines. From 2027, the naval base HMAS Stirling near Perth will begin hosting a rotating force of up to four American nuclear-powered submarines and one British boat, backed by an Australian commitment of up to $8 billion in base expansions. Australia is then scheduled to purchase three second-hand Virginia-class submarines from the United States in the 2030s before manufacturing a new class of British-designed submarines known as SSN-AUKUS in Adelaide by the 2040s. Pillar 2 focuses on joint military research across eight core technological areas, including artificial intelligence, uncrewed undersea vehicles, and hypersonic capabilities.

Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull attended inquiry sessions in Sydney to question the viability of the procurement schedule, describing the agreement as containing the most expensive submarines Australia will never get, according to The Australia Institute’s Leanne Minshull, who served as a commissioner on the panel. Other critics at the hearings raised concerns regarding the handling of radioactive waste. The submarine agency’s corporate plan lists waste disposal as a major risk without specifying clear timelines or measures for managing weapons-grade nuclear material.

Admiral Barrie Urges Canberra to Reevaluate Diplomatic Posture

During the press club address, Admiral Barrie urged Canberra to reevaluate its diplomatic posture toward Beijing, noting that he had seen no evidence of global dominance aspirations from China comparable to those exhibited by the United States. Barrie projected that China will become the world’s largest power by 2050, emphasizing that Australia must build sustainable regional relationships rather than relying solely on confrontation. Former defense officials and inquiry commissioners argued that the specialized capabilities of nuclear-powered submarines—primarily designed for hunting other nuclear vessels and keeping pace with American aircraft carrier battle groups—pull Australia into major power contests that risk making the continent a target.

The unofficial inquiry report serves as a prominent intervention in national security debates as Australia moves closer to hosting foreign nuclear vessels in Western Australia.