Former Labor minister and Midnight Oil frontman Peter Garrett has announced plans to lead a “people’s inquiry” into AUKUS, investigating the implications of the pact for the nation’s security.
The crowdfunded probe, run separately from the government, will look into whether the vessels will make Australia more secure, the storage of nuclear waste and potential long-term strategic consequences, the former environment minister said.
“This is not a royal commission, this is a people’s inquiry,” Garrett told reporters in Canberra on Tuesday.
Garrett said he hoped the government would be among those presenting to the inquiry and welcomed submissions from people with a range of political views.
“The AUKUS decision is the most momentous and expensive decision ever made by any Australia government in the modern era,” he said.
The rock star turned politician has named retired admiral Chris Barrie, former WA premier Carmen Lawrence, Yankunytjatjara woman Karina Lester and Australia Institute co-chief executive Leanne Minshull as “commissioners” for the probe.
Barrie, who was chief of the defence force between 1998 and 2002, said it was important to have a thorough look at Australia’s defence commitments and its alliance with the US and UK.
“My fear … is that the kinds of expenditures, and the kinds of workforce, and the way in which we would go about supporting something like AUKUS, might drain other parts of our defence force,” he said.
It came as Labor MP Ed Husic broke ranks to call for a rethink of the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal.
