Independent inquiry: AUKUS nuclear submarine plan "most likely unachievable", recommends scrapping it

An independent public inquiry into the AUKUS agreement released its report, "Surrendering Australia, the AUKUS Deception", on November 4, recommending that Australia abandon the pact's first pillar, the nuclear submarine program, PS News reported.

The panel was chaired by Peter Garrett, a former Labor minister and Midnight Oil frontman. Its members were Carmen Lawrence, a former Western Australian premier and federal minister; retired Admiral Chris Barrie, a former Chief of Navy and Chief of the Defence Force; Leanne Minshull of the Australia Institute; and Karina Lester. The inquiry was coordinated by the Australian Peace and Security Forum with the backing of unions and civil society groups, and funded by donations.

Main findings

According to the report, the delivery schedules for the Virginia-class and SSN-AUKUS submarines are "at best, problematic, and most likely unachievable". Successive governments have not explained why Australia needs nuclear-powered attack submarines rather than less offensive types suited to regional waters, and the country would have no redress if the US or UK walked away without delivering.

The program is officially costed at A$368 billion, while the inquiry, including nuclear waste disposal, puts the cost at "over half a trillion dollars". Australia has already spent about A$9.2 billion supporting the US and UK industrial bases and starting a domestic shipyard, with A$50 billion more planned before the first submarine is delivered.

From June to September the inquiry held hearings in eight cities, heard more than 150 witnesses and received more than 1,000 submissions. The government did not appear at the hearings, which the report calls "a failure in public accountability".

The inquiry is not an official body; the government had not responded to the report at the time of publication.