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June 3, 2026
Former Labor cabinet minister Ed Husic has broken ranks to call for a rethink of the AUKUS pact after the revelation the United States only plans to sell Australia second-hand nuclear-powered submarines.
Husic's intervention in a caucus meeting yesterday came as former Labor minister Peter Garrett and former defence force chief Chris Barrie announced they would lead a crowd-funded inquiry into AUKUS, labelling the $368 billion project as ''controversial and secretive''.
Husic, who was industry minister until he was demoted to the backbench in a reshuffle last May, joined calls for the government to develop a ''Plan B'' in case the promised submarines do not arrive as promised.
The Coalition said the comments revealed division within Labor about AUKUS and called for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to enforce discipline within his caucus.
''You do wonder whether or not we will get the deal, even the reconfigured one that we have got,'' Husic told reporters at Parliament House.
Earlier, during Labor's caucus meeting, he questioned whether the original caucus vote on AUKUS was valid given the changes to the scheme.
''That deal versus what we've got now are different,'' Husic said.
''I think that it now gives us a moment to think about whether or not the deal should be reconfigured, or what are the contingencies.'' Asking ''what's the plan B?'' Husic said he was concerned sluggish American submarine production rates meant the US would not have any to spare for Australia.
The AUKUS defence ministers announced over the weekend Australia would now acquire three second-hand submarines from the US rather than two used and one new submarine as originally planned. Defence Minister Richard Marles said the shift would reduce complexity and save taxpayers money.
''I'd imagine that in the circumstances he's been placed, he would have to say that,'' Husic replied.
Opposition defence spokesman James Paterson said Albanese was facing a ''full-on Labor revolt'' when it came to Australia's signature defence policy, accusing Husic of launching ''a direct challenge to the authority of the Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles''.
''It's a result of Labor's mismanagement of the delivery of AUKUS and Richard Marles' failure, along with the prime minister, to make the case for AUKUS,'' Paterson said.
Garrett, a long-time anti-nuclear campaigner who previously blasted the AUKUS pact, said a public inquiry was needed because it is ''the most momentous and expensive decision ever made by any Australian government in the modern era''.
The inquiry, funded by donations from the public, will hold public hearings and receive submissions.
Barrie, who led the defence force from 1998 to 2002, said he had previously supported Australia acquiring nuclear-powered submarines, but he now had ''serious concerns'' about AUKUS, including that it could draw Australia into a war with China.
Independent MP Monique Ryan joined fellow crossbenchers to demand more scrutiny of the AUKUS pact.
''It's a national embarrassment that a former Labor minister is crowdfunding for an independent inquiry into AUKUS,'' Ryan said.