Title: Former Australian Minister Initiates Publicly Funded Probe into Aukus Submarine Agreement

Peter Garrett, the former environment minister, is spearheading a crowd-funded independent review of the Aukus submarine agreement, described as Australia’s largest-ever defense undertaking. Garrett, who held the environment portfolio from 2007 to 2010, characterized the A$368bn ($239bn; £176bn) pact—under which Australia will purchase second-hand US submarines to modernize its aging fleet—as "long overdue" for scrutiny.

The rock musician, best known as the lead singer of Midnight Oil, argued that Aukus represents the nation’s most costly defense arrangement to date. He asserted that the opportunity for "question, debate and decide" had been removed from both the parliament and the general public. The upcoming review is scheduled to conduct public hearings and release its findings by October.

Garrett will oversee the inquiry alongside four additional commissioners: Admiral Chris Barrie, the former chief of the Australian Defence Force (ADF); Carmen Lawrence, a former premier of Western Australia; and Karen Lester, whose father lost his sight following British nuclear testing in South Australia during the 1950s.

The initiative is organized by the not-for-profit Australian Peace and Security Forum and has garnered backing from independent MPs David Pocock and Andrew Wilkie. Support also extends to former parliamentarians, retired military and naval personnel, human rights attorneys, and union representatives. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that the government supports "appropriate oversight and transparency" regarding the submarine project.

Over the course of the five-month investigation, the commissioners will examine whether the procurement of nuclear-powered attack submarines enhances Australia’s security and how the move influences the nation’s reputation regarding regional peace and stability. Central to the inquiry are several critical questions: Will Australia actually receive the submarines it is financing? How and where will nuclear waste be managed? And does the agreement compromise national sovereignty? Additionally, the panel will assess the potential impact of the deal on Australia’s ties with China, its primary trading partner.

Initially unveiled in September 2021, the Aukus pact is widely understood to be a strategic response to China’s expanding influence in the Indo-Pacific and rising tensions in contested areas like the South China Sea. Upon its announcement, Beijing labeled the agreement "extremely irresponsible."

Recent developments have altered the structure of the agreement. Earlier this week, the government outlined modifications to purchase three second-hand submarines from the US, a shift from previous plans that involved acquiring at least one new vessel. Starting in 2027, the revised pact permits the US and UK to station a limited number of nuclear submarines in Perth, Western Australia. The deal has undergone scrutiny in recent years; the UK reviewed the arrangement in 2024 following the election of Keir Starmer’s Labour government, while the US initiated its own review last June.

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-06-02 02:06:34 UTC