THE HALFAX HEIMDALL AUGUR

Australia's $368 billion nuclear-powered submarine deal will likely prove one of the worst defence and foreign policy decisions the nation has made, a former Labor minister says. Gareth Evans, who served in the Hawke and Keating governments, told an independent public inquiry into the AUKUS agreement the Albanese government should develop a back-up plan in case it fails. "My regretful conclusion is that Australia's no holds barred bipartisan embrace of AUKUS Pillar One is more likely than not to prove one of the worst defence and foreign policy decisions our country has made," he told the inquiry on Thursday. "Not only putting at risk sovereign independence, but generating more risk than reward for the very national security it promises to protect." Having served as foreign minister from 1988 to 1996, Mr Evans said he couldn't imagine any of the governments of which he was in cabinet for more than a decade making this decision to green light the submarine deal. Under the AUKUS deal, Australia will buy three used Virginia-class submarines from the US, before the new SSN-AUKUS boats enter service from the 2040s. A UK House of Commons defence committee into the pact previously f…

'Beyond our capacity' to defend sea trade lanes, Shoebridge says Greens defence spokesman David Shoebridge says it is "ridiculous" to think Australia's military could defend the nation's global trade lanes, and acquiring nuclear-powered submarines under AUKUS only invites Australia to a conflict between the United States and China.

Greens warn nuclear submarines deal risks war with China as Albanese says Aukus ‘full-steam ahead’ <p>David Shoebridge says Australia could become embroiled in a US war with China if purchase of Virginia-class attack submarines proceeds</p><p>Anthony Albanese has reiterated that Aukus is “full-steam ahead” after the Greens renewed calls to cancel the nuclear-powered submarines deal, which the minor party warned could draw Australia into a potential US war with China.</p><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/03/aukus-australia-secondhand-nuclear-submarines-deal-criticism-defence-minister-reponse">Debate over the security pact</a> has resurfaced after the announcement that <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/02/aukus-submarines-subs-secondhand-labor-ed-husic-response">Australia would buy secondhand</a> Virginia-class submarines from the US, rather than a mix of old and new vessels.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/07/greens-warn-nuclear-submarines-deal-risks-war-with-china-as-albanese-says-aukus-full-steam-ahead">Continue reading...</a>

Australia's $368 billion nuclear-powered submarine deal will likely prove one of the worst defence and foreign policy decisions the nation has made, a former Labor minister says. Gareth Evans, who served in the Hawke and Keating governments, told an independent public inquiry into the AUKUS agreement the Albanese government should develop a back-up plan in case it fails. "My regretful conclusion is that Australia's no holds barred bipartisan embrace of AUKUS Pillar One is more likely than not to prove one of the worst defence and foreign policy decisions our country has made," he told the inquiry on Thursday. "Not only putting at risk sovereign independence, but generating more risk than reward for the very national security it promises to protect." Having served as foreign minister from 1988 to 1996, Mr Evans said he couldn't imagine any of the governments of which he was in cabinet for more than a decade making this decision to green light the submarine deal. Under the AUKUS deal, Australia will buy three used Virginia-class submarines from the US, before the new SSN-AUKUS boats enter service from the 2040s. A UK House of Commons defence committee into the pact previously f…