For the sake of taxpayers, let’s hope that the Audit Office is inspecting the AUKUS books closely.

A repost from 29 August, 2025

Australian money is flushing into the US submarine construction system – a billion US dollars so far, with another billion by year’s end. What will Australia have to show for it?

Nothing. Except, of course, for a lot of international travel and glad-handing by the naval officers and public servants who work in the Australian Submarine Agency

Hitherto, the only explanation for totally unsecured payments to the US is our need to contribute to America’s submarine-building capacity so that, at some date that seems to be sliding ineluctably further away, we are able to buy some Virginia-class submarines and embark on our adventure as a nuclear-powered submarine navy. Right now, the US yards cannot meet the demands of the US Navy, let alone ours. They need to double their production rate.

And, by the way, we want to be able to build our own nuclear submarines. But instead of investing in our own yards, we think it’s smart to invest in American ones. It takes a special form of cleverness to think that up. Funnelling money into the American........

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