Greens Senators, former Labor ministers, academic experts and retired senior defence personnel are demanding an investigation of the origins and feasibility of the AUKUS arrangement, including whether the strategic policy grounds for a $368 billion submarine fleet are well founded.
In an open letter released this week, the group says a parliamentary inquiry must seek answers on the basis for the multi-decade commitment and switch to a forward defence policy, as well as the feasibility of delivering and maintain the nuclear-powered submarines and other advanced technologies.
“This is an extraordinary timeframe and an extraordinary cost. The assumptions on which the deal has been constructed are ill-defined, and many of the assertions made to justify the deal are unsupported by arguments or evidence,” the letter states.
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