A former Australian defence minister has launched a crowdsourced investigation into the Aukus submarine deal, raising questions about transparency and accountability in one of the most expensive defence projects in history. The inquiry, bankrolled by public donations, aims to scrutinise the $368 billion programme to build nuclear-powered submarines for the Royal Australian Navy.
The former minister, who served in the portfolios of defence and foreign affairs under the previous government, told this reporter that the deal "stinks of backroom deals and hidden costs". Sources close to the investigation confirmed that the team has already uncovered documents suggesting cost overruns and potential conflicts of interest involving defence contractors.
The Aukus pact, signed in 2021 between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, was hailed as a strategic counterweight to Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific. But critics have long argued that the submarine programme is a boondoggle for defence giants like BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin, while Australian taxpayers foot the bill.
The crowdsourced inquiry, funded through a website that has raised over A$2 million in two weeks, is staffed by former intelligence analysts, forensic accountants, and investigative journalists. They are combing through government documents, procurement records, and corporate filings.
A whistleblower from the Australian Defence Department has provided internal emails indicating that the original cost estimate was deliberately understated to secure Cabinet approval. The emails, dated June 2021, show senior officials discussing "managing the numbers" to avoid alarming the Treasury.
Meanwhile, the UK government has rushed to reassure its allies that the pact remains on track. A senior British defence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: "The United Kingdom is fully committed to Aukus. Any allegations of impropriety are unfounded." The UK Ministry of Defence issued a statement claiming "robust oversight mechanisms" are in place.
But the former Australian minister is not convinced. "They are terrified of what we might find. That is why the suits in Whitehall are running damage control."
The inquiry has already sent requests for documents to the Australian National Audit Office and the UK National Audit Office. Both have acknowledged receipt but declined to comment on pending requests.
This journalist has obtained a leaked memo from the Australian Prime Minister's office instructing ministers to "avoid any comment on the investigation" and to refer all inquiries to the Department of Defence. The memo, dated last week, warns that the inquiry could "jeopardise relations with our allies".
The crowdsourced investigation is expected to report its initial findings within three months. It plans to release a series of reports, the first focusing on the submarine construction contracts awarded to ASC Pty Ltd and a joint venture between BAE Systems and Babcock International.
The Aukus deal has long been a source of tension in the Pacific. France accused Australia of a "stab in the back" after Canberra scrapped a conventional submarine deal with Paris in favor of the nuclear-powered Aukus boats. The new crowdsourced inquiry is likely to reopen old wounds.
A spokesman for the Australian Defence Minister dismissed the investigation as "political grandstanding". He said: "This government has been transparent throughout the Aukus process. We stand by the deal."
But the former minister countered: "They can spin all they want. We will follow the money. And we will find the bodies."
