In 2021 the leaders of Australia, the UK and the US – Scott Morrison, Boris Johnson and Joe Biden – stood together to announce a plan to co-design and build eight nuclear-powered submarines for Australia.

Morrison championed the pact, having reneged on a previous agreement to purchase French-built submarines that would have cost about $90bn, (the cancellation cost alone was $5bn), and after losing office went on to work with the US defence industry.

His decision, effectively made in secret, was accepted by the incoming Albanese Labor government.

The independent Aukus public inquiry, led by myself, has been instigated to enable Australians to better understand the scope, implications and rationale of the largest ever single defence expenditure made in this country.

It is publicly funded, transparent and open to all views. As befitting of a healthy democracy, it also embodies the right of citizens to gather, listen, discuss, consider and publish on matters of national importance.

Neither the federal parliament nor the major parties have chosen to formally inquire into or substantively debate the merits of this deal.

While substantial concerns about Aukus have been expressed in motions by several Labor party branches and by senior figures including........

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