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November 5, 2026
Opposition defence spokesman James Paterson has branded an unofficial probe into AUKUS a “sham inquiry”, accusing the group of academics and former officials behind it of having a “predetermined view” of the $368bn submarine pact.
AUKUS is the centrepiece of Australia’s 21st century defence strategy, aiming to arm the navy with eight nuclear-powered submarines fully interoperable with the UK and US navies.
A second pillar focuses on sharing cutting edge military technologies, including artificial intelligence-powered weapon systems.
Citing a lack of transparency, the AUKUS Public Inquiry launched in June with the core question: “Would AUKUS keep Australians safe, and at what cost?”
It would not, according to the inquiry’s freshly published final report.
But Senator Paterson said on Thursday the report’s authors – which include musician and former Labor minister Peter Garrett – went into the inquiry knowing what they would find.
“This is a group that had a predetermined view about AUKUS from the very beginning,” he told News24.
“They conducted a sham inquiry as a way of manufacturing a faux report, but you could have asked these people six months ago what their view was on AUKUS, and they would have told you exactly what they’ve said in the report.”
Pointing to their unveiling of the report at the National Press Club on Wednesday, Senator Paterson said “they shredded their own credibility by saying that the People’s Republic of China doesn’t have ambitions to dominate our region and doesn’t pose a national security challenge to Australia”.
“There is no serious, informed national security expert who thinks that that is true,” he said.
“And by revealing their naivety on that issue, I think we can dismiss the rest of the findings.”
The inquiry’s commissioners are made up of seasoned academics, including former defence chief and retired admiral Chris Barrie.
But most have an association with peace movements and a history of open scepticism for the US alliance, with one also a prominent antinuclear advocate.
They found AUKUS increased the “risk of war with China” by making “Australia a nuclear target” and accelerating “a regional arms race”.
They also found it eroded Australia’s sovereignty by rotating American and British nuclear-submarines through Western Australia, would likely cost hundreds of billions more than expected and invited conflicts of interest.
They made 16 recommendations, with the first one being to “terminate AUKUS”.
AUKUS is intended to deter Chinese aggression.
Beijing has ramped up war games around Taiwan in recent years, while clashes with Philippines naval vessels have become a daily occurrence.
Last year, a flotilla of Chinese warships circumnavigated Australia and carried out live fire drills off the East Coast.
Pressed on the drills last year, Defence Minister Richard Marles would not confirm whether they targeted Australian cities.