AUKUS Inquiry to Deliver Final Verdict
Peter Garrett and Chris Barrie will present the AUKUS Public Inquiry's final findings at the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Military
Live Poll
Do you support Australia spending $386 billion on the AUKUS submarine deal?
Former Labor minister Peter Garrett and former ADF chief Admiral Chris Barrie will deliver the AUKUS Public Inquiry's final verdict at the National Press Club on Wednesday. The crowd-funded inquiry, which began hearings in June, examines Australia's submarine program under the AUKUS defence pact agreed in 2021.
Why it matters
The inquiry comes as the United States confirmed it will supply the ADF only second-hand Virginia-class submarines. Mr Garrett said Australians struggling through the cost-of-living crisis may view AUKUS spending poorly, meaning the deal could lack social licence.
The AUKUS project is costed at $386 billion, and the inquiry warns the operational submarine fleet could drop to three boats in the 2030s. The report's final shortfall figures remain to be disclosed at the Press Club address.
The players
Peter Garrett
Former Labor minister and co-leader of the AUKUS Public Inquiry, known for his earlier career as a rock musician with Midnight Oil.
Chris Barrie
Former Chief of the Australian Defence Force and co-leader of the AUKUS Public Inquiry, who has been a prominent voice on Australian defence strategy.
The details
Former Labor minister Peter Garrett and former ADF chief Admiral Chris Barrie will present the findings in Canberra as the final report is released. A University of NSW report separately warned of major workforce strain across the Royal Australian Navy and recommended a shipbuilding partnership with Japan by the end of the decade.
Timeline
2021: AUKUS pact agreed under the Morrison government and Biden administration.
June: AUKUS Public Inquiry began hearings.
Wednesday: Garrett and Barrie address the National Press Club with the final report.
By the end of the decade: recommended deadline for a Japan shipbuilding partnership.
2030s: submarine fleet could fall to three operational boats without long-term planning.
Military Context
The inquiry places the AUKUS submarine program within the 2021 AUKUS defence pact, which was agreed under Scott Morrison and the Biden administration. Its findings test whether the pact's long-term submarine commitments are matched by workforce and shipbuilding capacity.
The inquiry's findings may shape how Australians judge the cost of the AUKUS submarine program against everyday budget pressures. Decisions on shipbuilding and workforce could affect the defence jobs and industry available in Australian cities.
The takeaway
The inquiry asks whether Australia's submarine ambitions are supported by the workforce, shipbuilding capacity and public backing needed to sustain them. Its verdict will indicate how far the AUKUS plan can proceed without deeper planning.
What happens next
Garrett and Barrie are scheduled to deliver the final report at the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday, 5 November 2026.
Further reading
For broader background on the defence arrangements at the centre of this inquiry, see Military coverage.
Live Poll
Do you support Australia spending $386 billion on the AUKUS submarine deal?
