The Hon Peter Garrett AM FTSE and Admiral Chris Barrie AC RAN (Ret’d)Home

When
November 4, 2026

Speakers   
Lead Commissioner, Former Labor Minister the Hon Peter Garrett and Commissioner, (Ret’d) Former Chief of the Australian Defence Force, Admiral Chris Barrie will answer the critical questions, “will Aukus keep us safe – and at what cost”.

Aukus Public Hearing Summary

The consequences of AUKUS will shape Australia’s national security for generations, and such a decision demands genuine, transparent public consultation. Under the banner of the Australian Peace and Security Forum, an independent, non‑aligned, crowd‑funded Public Inquiry into AUKUS was launched in June 2026. The Inquiry has already received hundreds of submissions from across the country, and Commissioners have travelled nationwide to hear directly from concerned Australians — including former prime ministers, defence ministers, senior military leaders, academics, union representatives, and community members.

Lead Commissioner

The Hon Peter Garrett AM FTSE is an Australian musician, environmentalist, activist and former federal Labor Minister. He is best known as the dynamic frontman of Midnight Oil and has long been a leading national voice on social justice, First Nations rights, and environmental protection.


Commissioners

Admiral Chris Barrie AC RAN (Ret’d) is a former Chief of the Australian Defence. After more than four decades of military service, he has continued to contribute nationally as an Honorary Professor and a prominent voice on defence policy, climate risk, and long‑term security.

Perhaps these leading minds can explain why those behind AUKUS are also in the business of anti submarine drones?
Surely success with one will negate the other, seems like a waste of money.

I’m betting on the drones winning and our steam submarines being fitted with large windows for submerged low pressure viewing of the Great Barrier Reef and other tourist attractions.

That way we may recoup 1% or so of the expenditure.

The Australian greens never supported AUKUS in the first place, and still don't.  Vote 1 Australian greens.    

whiteknight wrote Today at 7:23am:

Borrowing and the long suffering taxpayers and their children and grandchildren.

No - AUKUS will not 'keep us safe' - it is not possible to 'keep us safe'.... having a capability to defend is a deterrent - and with the range of nuclear powered (but not armed) submarines, that capability is extended.

Undersea drones of the very largest (military) kind have a range estimated between 1000 and 10,000 miles - but are reliant on the very risky diesel electric propulsion of the past... which makes them vulnerable.

Smaller ones with limited range are as vulnerable as their launch site...

How long would it take in a major conflict to run down the available drones, and for an enemy to reduce the operators and launchers to ineffectiveness - especially in this day and with such things, when numbers count more than skills now?

How many Dork operators can Australia put up against - say - China?  While theirs are disciplined and ours are - frankly - what you see online.  Franny the Tranny Revolutionary Feminist Bloke Who Hates Australia for Not Loving Gaza with access to AI limited skills and with no guarantee of any real sense or national pride or loyalty and not prone to hissy fits.

Those are your questions.... and counter-drone set-ups seem - to me - far more important to us than possession of a drone force.

Now then - where are the real men?

Grappler Racist Filth wrote Today at 12:35pm:

In a drone attack, myriad drones can be released and if only one gets through and damages the pump-jet propulsor, then the steam boat is renfdered ineffective and noisy.