“A bad bet”: Boele calls for parliamentary inquiry into $368 billion AUKUS deal

Independent candidate for Bradfield Nicolette Boele says she will demand a full parliamentary inquiry into the AUKUS defence agreement if elected, warning the $368 billion submarine pact may compromise Australia’s security, budget, and national identity.

“Any time Parliament commits to spend $368 billion we should at least have a full parliamentary inquiry,” Boele said in a statement on Thursday.

The AUKUS agreement, signed in 2021, aims to bolster Australia's naval capabilities through partnership with the United States and United Kingdom. Part of the deal involves Australia acquiring a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines forecast to cost as much as $368 billion between now and the mid-2050s.

“The case for an inquiry on AUKUS is even stronger given the rules of global co-operation have dramatically changed since it was signed in 2021,” said Boele. “AUKUS now risks our defence — because we don’t know if these Virginia class submarines will ever arrive. It risks our budget — because we may waste $368 billion in taxpayer’s money. And it risks our Australian values.”

Boele, a former finance and clean energy executive, came close to toppling the Liberal stronghold in Bradfield during the 2022 federal election. Now, she’s positioning defence policy as a key issue in her renewed campaign for the North Shore electorate.

“Since we signed AUKUS in 2021 the rules of global co-operation have changed,” said Boele. “There are good arguments for increasing our defence spending. There are also increasing concerns, from prime ministers such as Malcolm Turnbull and defence leaders such as Admiral Chris Barrie, that putting all our defence eggs in a $368 billion basket risks taking money away from other critical defence projects.”

At a leadership breakfast on Friday morning, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton was asked about AUKUS and affirmed he would “do whatever I can if I'm given the great honour of being Prime Minister of this country to protect and defend our people and our country."

“The United States is a very important security partner with Australia,” he said.

Meanwhile, AUKUS has divided the Labor movement, Guardian Australia reported this week. In a reply to Labor Against War’s letter to Labor MPs and candidates asking questions about AUKUS, Defence Minister Richard Marles stated “AUKUS presents an important opportunity to meet global security challenges and contribute to stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.”

Zoe Daniel, the independent member for Goldstein in Victoria, also recently called for an inquiry into AUKUS.

Image credit: US Navy