There’s been plenty of riffing on the Greens of late, including by The Politics, but — how to put this? — it comes from a place of love.
There are several reasons for this. One is the dreaded AUKUS. These are the five deadliest letters in Australian politics. They signify a defence pact between nations but have become synonymous with the trashing of government process and a pact between the major parties to deny public accountability.
Greens’ Senator David Shoebridge has been a parliamentary hero on this topic. Via diligent research and a determination to follow the facts, he’s been the outstanding — if not only — voice of scepticism in a parliament of 226 members and senators. In a party that commits so much self-harm when it veers off track, Shoebridge demonstrates what can be achieved when a progressive opposition focuses on big matters of public interest. (Another Greens senator, Barbara Pocock, had a similar impact when she brought to light accounting firm PwC’s abuses of trust when it misused confidential government information for its own profit.)
Sub-standard
Australian democracy needs the Greens to do this because the Coalition is a long way from functioning as an effective opposition. The Greens have only one lower house MP but hold the balance of power in the Senate, giving it serious leverage.
This brings us back to the maddening, never-ending saga of AUKUS.
Everything we know about AUKUS tells us that it’s underpinned by incompetence. Yet the government continues to patronise us with assurances that everything will be okay.
A question to ponder: how do we know that the $1.6 billion Australia paid the US will go to constructing the Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines allegedly destined for Australia? This is a key element of the deal as sold to Australians from the time of former PM Scott Morrison on.
Slow boat to Oz
Let’s parse this a bit. Australia’s arrangement with America is that it will send billions of dollars to help build the US’s ship-building capacity so that it can meet the demands of AUKUS. Yet what guarantee is there that this will occur? While Australia focuses relentlessly on the Virginia-class subs, the US Navy’s priority is on another, the Columbia class. Our authority for this is the treasure trove of factual data produced by the US Congressional Research Service (CRS), which is charged with providing reliable background information for members of Congress. In March, the CRS issued an update on the state of play with the Columbia class:
“Since 2013, the navy has consistently identified the Columbia-class program as the navy’s top priority program.”
It goes on to paint a troubling picture of cost blowouts and a delay of up to 16 months in delivery of the first Columbia-class boat. It summarises the problems as:
- industrial-base challenges of building both Columbia- and Virginia-class attack submarines at the same time;
- the risk of cost growth in the Columbia-class program and the impact this might have on funding available for other navy programs, including other shipbuilding programs.
The truth hurts
It says the US Navy has stated the position bluntly and for a long time:
“Navy officials have stated consistently since September 2013 that the Columbia-class program is the navy’s top priority program, and that this means, among other things, that from the navy’s perspective, the Columbia-class program will be funded, even if that comes at the expense of funding for other navy programs, and that in a situation of industrial base constraints, the Columbia-class program will have first call on resources to minimize the chances of schedule delays in building the boats.”
So where are Australia’s billions going?
The AUKUS adventure has yielded many a new shock, not all reported in Australia. None have emerged from Australian sources, official or otherwise. In April last year, the US Navy announced that “several of its shipbuilding programs” were experiencing “significant delays” due to a lack of workers and supply chain problems — among other things. There have also been frequent warnings for years that US shipyards couldn’t turn out Virginia-class subs fast enough to meet the US Navy’s demands, which will always take precedence over Australia.
Secret Marles business
On Saturday, Malcolm Turnbull reported incoming Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Daryl Caudle’s dire concerns about the pace of production. A week ago, Caudle told the Senate Armed Services Committee:
“I think … we have to understand whether or not the industrial base can produce the submarines required so that we can make good on the actual pact that we made with the UK and Australia, which is, as you know, around 2.2 to 2.3 Virginia-class submarines per year (from the current 1.1 per year). That is going to require a transformational improvement; not a 10% improvement, not a 20% improvement, but a 100% improvement.”
Last but not least, an examination of AUKUS by undersecretary for defense policy Elbridge Colby has blown out from a reported 30 days to as much as six months. This starts to sound more like a top-to-bottom reappraisal rather than the “nothing to see here” review Defence Minister Richard Marles would have us believe is the case.
Bending the rules
Turnbull describes Colby as “notoriously clear-eyed”. Colby calls himself a “realist”. Whatever, we are entitled to wonder how it is that four years on the rules of engagement between the US and Australia might be upended with a view to serving American interests first. And how Australia came to enter such an agreement when so many issues were known.
Another example? The CRS reports that concerns about the ability of US shipyards to meet the workload of Columbia- and Virginia-class subs heightened from 2019, the year Morrison claims he had his secret AUKUS epiphany.
The Greens — if not Shoebridge — may care to ask exactly where Australia’s billions are going, because if this isn’t a scandal, what is?
Greatest waste of tax dollars, EVER!
Who are these nincompoops who spend our money like drunken sailors. And as EVERYONE knows, it was a Scumo deal in the first place. It’s bound to be a loser.
Wake up Labor!!
With a drop-kick like Marles in defense and Albo just swinging in his hammock dreaming of life in his central coast mansion, what is likely to change? Many more billions will be wasted before they pull the pin on this turkey of a deal.
Sorry Mark, but I have to point out that here in Australia it is Defence, not Defense.
How is it that all the world knows tha t AUKUS is a waste in every respect.
Not except for the Minister For Defence and Albo. This is becoming the disreputable Morrison legacy supported by. The labour caucus?
Absolutely disgraceful and despicable
Yet. another slap in the face from Labor
Are there no people with gumption (I was gonna say balls but that would exclude the women ) to stand up and oppose this insanity
The warning flags have been up since the Morrison days why is the government blindly pushing ahead with this when America has shown no loyalty to Australia or anyone for that matter
It’s not fair on the taxpayer to potentially waste so much money on this
Is there something sinister at play
How is it government can make a decision on something of this magnitude without consent of the people
Well said: AUKUS the five deadliest letters in Australian politics. The sooner we get out of this ‘deal’ the better. Even if we have to write off the money we have already paid.
We need a Defence policy that’s about protecting our strategic interests in our region, not anyone else’s.
We are far too close to the wrecking ball that is the tRump outfit. We must NOT become involved in another adventure with Uncle Sam. The whole AUKUS debacle must be ditched, along with ANZUS. The staggering amounts of money we will lose is crazy. Are we so stupid as to be duped into joining Scummo’s madness, pretending it’s all just fine?
I think we should dump AUKUS and the US completely and join the BRICS trade alliance. We wouldn’t need to be afraid of China then.
It’s only money.
We can always make some more.
I will always imagine what this expenditure would do if used for peaceful purposes instead of the war machine .
The answer is “Bugger all”!
Mother Thresa won the Nobel Peace Prize. Gave it all to her charity cause.
Did not make one iota of difference to the lives of the people she was serving.
Attitude is the problem. Not money.
Or effectively tax our largest companies
More importantly, how will the capability gap be addressed when the Collins class boats start to retire?
Our whole submarine force projection (and its powerful deterrence value) will be reduced to nothing more than wishful thinking
Another ScoMo secret deal that delivers nothing to the Australian people.
Absolutely , there’s plenty more where that came from just keep working and paying your tax on tax
Yes, they can.
But they’ll pretend they can’t.
They’ll say they have to increase taxes and cut services, because that’s what the establishment wants.
“But, why?”, you ask.
For rich people to have power, everyone else must be poor. The greater the difference, the greater the power.
If everyone was rich, the boss would be the meanest bastard!
It’s more than money. It is an existential threat to Australia off being drawn into a war between China and the US.
Or it would be in the unlikely event that the subs were actually delivered.
Going to be one hell of a firework display when all of this blows up. How many so called Politicians on all sides and countrys are going to be exposed as been in on the deal. And taking back handers to beat all back handers.
Australia’s continuing love affair with AUKUS is blight from the start. Who ever thought Albo and the ALP would do so, and not quickly beat it to death with an enquiry once they were elected. It’s continuation, especially in the hands of someone like Marles, must be one of the greatest and most expensive errors Australian politicians have committed, and cowardly refused to face.
Obviously Labor is going for the “sunk costs” fallacy (ie we’ve spent so much money already we have to keep going otherwise that money will be wasted). It’s the same misguided reason that people keep putting money into the poker machine. And will have the same result: a huge loss with no return.
Richard Marles is the epitome of arrogance and incompetence. He’s only interested in AUKUS because it improves his post-politics employment opportunities.
I suspect Richard Marles is part of the sinister spying regime just exposed by Mike Burgess. He sounds just the any other Coalition gasbag.
Excellent analysis David Hardaker – as usual.
Here’s hoping David Shoebridge is true to form and is like a dog with a bone on this issue. It certainly seems to be developing a particular stench about it and the dollars involved have always been eyewatering, even for a defence project.
It also questions due process right from the start – from memory, ScoMo made this deal off his own bat and presented a fait accompli to cabinet – hard to see how there can have been any due diligence done before signing. And at the time all the pundits said Albo was wedged into supporting it. But Labor’s had oodles of time since getting into government in 2022 to investigate and do the belated due diligence – oh I forgot, Richard Marles is the responsible (irresponsible) minister.
Let’s hope Elbridge Colby does the hard work for us and cancels the whole awful thing.
👍🏿
I suspect it won’t be cancelled until the US has wrung every cent out of us that it can get. Trump should love Australia – the gift that keeps on giving.
The incompetence of the entire Australian political system has been displayed and brought to the fore by AUKUS. Morrison, Albanese, Marles all politicians first and people who actually take a responsible view of Australians second, regardless of what they see. Billions lost of the French debacle by Morrison as I understand it, and the idea of paying the US because they don’t have sub building capacity is totally absurd for the reasons stated. Have the Australian govt tied these current payments to demonstrable increases in capacity and speed of building in the US? I will bet not and even if they did, there will be no refund clause. Next time I want to buy something, I will work out that I need a rolls -royce, then ask Rolls if they can supply. They will say know we are already behind on our own car building. So what do I do? Instead of realising that a Rolls is simply unachievable, I give them money . Absolutely absurd….
It’s fitting that the worst PM Australia has ever had will be remembered by the worst defence deal in Australia’s history. Three cheers for Scomo!
And where is Scommo living these days? And what does he do to make a crust?
Interesting analogy, and his close to actuality. Rolls Royce are providing the nuclear reactors for the AUKUS subs and we are already providing payments to them to increase their capacity
The money should be used on something of benefit to Australians not those mindless septics in the US. You don’t seem to be able to trust them anymore. Why would anyone in their right mind send off billions for no foreseeable return. Just sounds like a scam to me.
The White House is basically the Sales and Marketing office for the Military Industrial Complex.
Very well put Luxton, and I totally agree. The military industrial complex needs wars to make money – hence Gaza, Sudan, DR Congo etc
The whole arrangement was premised on the US being willing and able to come to our defence in the event of hostilities from China. It was always a doubtful proposition, but now that the US has gone down the isolationist, fascist path (and is unlikely to retrieve that situation for a long time) we would be totally insane to rely on America’s support in a dodgy situation.
If our defence force needs new subs, then let’s buy them from the French, the Brits or the Japanese. And let’s acknowledge that the game of warfare has changed dramatically in recent years, and there are probably other toys that would be a better investment.
You’ve got that the wrong way round Catherine. Never US supporting AUS (why on earth would we go to war with our largest trading partner) but the US calling on AUS to back it in a war against the economy competing with it for the top economic spot.
Fancy giving over a $billion , with more to come , to that bunch of criminals in the White House.
In any case, why the hell would Australia’s self-interest require ATTACK submarines? We need defence, yes.
The silver lining to this debacle is that Government really has got the money available for whatever needs funding and many (not all) mug voters are onto it.
Whether it’s money to get vision of Dole Queues disappearing of our TV screens during COVID or for submarines that will be obsolete whenever, if ever the things arrive.
The money is available
The whole mess is understandable given it’s an rort all round. I’d suggest anyone seriously interested in AUKUS read NUKED by Andrew Fowler. An informative and infuriating read that highlights the complete subjugation of government decision making, hidden behind a veil of secrecy. However when you consider it was cobbled together by a US president with cognitive decline, a desperate BoJo trying to grasp anything vaguely possible because of the Brexit debacle and “Scotty from Marketing” is anyone surprised? Surely we could just turn the French project back on and just buy it, nuclear powered?
Of course the ultimate irony is that Then ScoMo gets a gig with the gunrunners in the US and then spouts his duplicitous nonsense at recent congressional hearings to his US colleagues. Talk about a self licking ice cream!
I’d like to see NACC and/or ANAO and/or Royal Commission just rip it to bits.
AUKUS was treason from day one. But Shoebridge can do nothing against the Lib/Lab Coalition on all things bad for Australia. Marles as Deputy leader says it all about this 2PP Stitchup between the parties in the pocket of WEALTH
So, let me see David: you object when the Greens “commit so much self-harm when it veers off track [which simply means doing things you don’t agree with , such as upholding policy and internal disciplinary rules] but you want them to be crazy-brave on AUKUS [which you define (correctly I agree) as a “big matter of public interest”].
They did their best on housing and mostly got shit-bagged from all sides. When they compromised they tended to be accused of thickening out but when they held their ground they were generally accused of being stubborn, ideological and unrealistic.
Now just imagine the mega-shit-storm if they tried to block AUKUS.
You want an all-wise superhero to rescue everyone from the mess everyone has made for themselves, regardless of whether or not they stand any chance of succeeding.
Talk about damned if you do and damned if you don’t!
Sorry to be so ill-tempered but I’m fed up with the impossible expectations of and general lack of practical support for the Greens.
Ain’t Democracy grand!
Ain’t pointlessness pointless?
You’re the one barking at the moon.
So, I suppose you’d know.
As opposed to you, mooning at the bark?
the 2PP system keeping the Lib/Labs in power is NOT democracy
Likewise, Felix. We should be thanking our lucky stars for a progressive opposition in the Greens – supporting them in their efforts on our society’s behalf, not targeting them simply for sport. I’m not suggesting David is doing this, but the MSM and major parties certainly do.
Indeed! I wasn’t quite accusing David – or only of a very mild form, certainly when compared with Albanese’s obsession and Murdoch’s apoplexy.
I just get very frustrated with the Greens repeatedly stretching the Overton window with carefully researched and highly rational policies and being immediately attacked and insulted, only to be found to be right as things unfold and suddenly everyone always thought this…
Forgive the frustration but I long ago last any faith in the major parties and am beginning to lose it with the great majority of Australians
I am a baby boomer of 79 winters, and at 20 years old, a draft dodger and an activist against the Vietnam War who happens to loathe the whole idea of AUKUS, buying nuclear submarines, and toadying to US imperialism. I will keep saying it because it needs to be said. AUKUS, is a racist, retrograde, white supremacist, Churchillian (with all the disgustingly racist, and imperialist implications that carries), 19th Century view of the Asia Pacific region, revealing that what we have done is throw away our own independent sovereignty and join a paternalistic, racist, and privileged white man’s club trying to recapture a dead imperialist past, unlike Aotearoa, with one country, (the UK) being a dead empire and the other, (the USA) a degenerate, decadent, declining and decaying empire. The USA and UK are North American and European states, respectively, but we are very much an Asian-Pacific country. We will need to live with the justified opprobrium of the Asian and Pacific countries), including our close neighbours, (including Aotearoa), when they see that we have thrown our hand in with the two most arrogant capitalist regimes on the planet, One thought, how would the USA react if China established bases in international waters off the US west coast, near Hawaii or in the Caribbean? I think that question was answered when the USA in 1962 threatened nuclear war in concert with its illegal blockade of Cuba, a sovereign state by the way, and didn’t invoke the Monroe Doctrine either. The Monroe Doctrine is purely an American domestic/imperialist doctrine and has no force or recognition under international law.
ripper comment which summarieses the shit we have to live with from our polliannas
Couldn’t agree more.
I’m ten years younger, but the Vietnam Moratorium movement shaped my youth and saw me proudly expelled from a stupid private school.
Like you, I’ve only grown more sure of things as I keep learning more.
Dear Bolshi Bob, In 1966 during my part time job as a cleaner in a Martin Place building, I heard the sound of chanting ” Ho, Ho, Ho Chi Minh” in those days it was the “Domino Theory” and SEATO and how I was to be shortly eligible for conscription. Who has the painting ( by Whitely???) of Gough and friends at the great wall. Who will be the statesman who leads us to true ‘inter dependence’ or was it independence.
Another fine mess you have got us into Mr Morrison.
AUKUS was conceived as a wedge strategy by the LNP.
The LNP hoped the ALP would object to nuclear subs/anything and then the LNP, with massive help from the MSM, would skewer them for being weak on defence/security.
Only the ALP didn’t take the bait & Marles now believes his own bullshit.
It’s the most expensive wedge in Australian political strategy, squandering our prosperity, delivering nothing of value for national security.
The ANU Report “Transparent Oceans” confirms that the sub’s advantage of stealth is waning fast.
As a famous Admiral once said; “when you get detected, its game over, pack up your bongos and take the boat home”.
As a student of Rugby Union the game is best played with a solid defence strategy keeping the opposition invasion forces out of your zone. But the prevailing world military doctrine is that the best form of defence is attack, best shown in current middle East situation, attacking all of your neighbours. especially if you can manufacture a ‘causus belli’.( this temporary solution will ultimately lead to generations of continued enmity) So the Aukus agreement involves purchase of Attack Submarines,(hardly a defensive weapon) with particular mission of interdicting seaborne trade. (with our largest trading partner?) ( who are not allowed to have “influence” in the Pacific Ocean). How long will it be before India will be seen as having undue influence in the Indian Ocean to be countered by forces from Western Australia?
There HAS to be a very lucrative gravy train behind all of this for it to still be continuing, when it is quite evident that multitudes of Australians are so against AUKUS. Personally, Im disgusted!
When all is said and done what we have with Albo, Marles, Morrison, and all who are involved with this schadenfreude are mercenaries and arms dealers.
The ongoing Industrial-Military complex still relies and feeds on fear, misdirection and deception; yes, we need a standing military of army, navy and air force however those entities will have to be more focused on dealing with nations and people who are being hammered by climate change more than anything else.