Australia needs serious discussion on AUKUS. This inquiry didn’t deliver it
Of its recommendations, some are hard to disagree with, such as developing a national security strategy. Others seem tangential, or even concerning.
In March 2023, the former Labor minister Peter Garrett criticized Australia's decision to build nuclear submarines in collaboration with northern hemisphere powers, labeling it the most costly and risky action taken by an Australian government. A community inquiry led by Garrett has recommended scrapping the nuclear-powered submarine program immediately, despite the world being at the brink of state-on-state conflict.
The inquiry, comprised mostly of critics of AUKUS, delivered 17 recommendations, 16 of which target the government and parliament, while one addresses the general community. While some recommendations are reasonable, such as the development of a national security strategy, others seem unrelated to AUKUS, like releasing a 2022 climate-related intelligence assessment.
The inquiry also raises concerns over the Royal Australian Navy being forced to comply with US orders and future US Virginia-class submarines potentially being nuclear-armed. However, the report fails to offer a viable alternative to AUKUS and assumes that the government will cancel the program, despite polls indicating that 68% of Australians support acquiring nuclear-powered submarines.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
