IPAN Patrons: Emeritus Professor Ian Lowe AO and Kellie Tranter, Lawyer & Human Rights Advocate
MEDIA RELEASE 3 June 2026
- IPAN welcomes the public inquiry into AUKUS led by eminent Commissioners including former Environment Minister Peter Garrett and former Chief of Australian Defence Force Admiral Chris Barrie
- Problems with original AUKUS submarine plan have been exposed by Defence Minister Richard Marles’ recent acceptance of three secondhand US submarines and extension of the ageing Collins-class fleet
- Submarine problems underscore the urgent need for a public inquiry – a vital and long-overdue exercise in the public scrutiny of a deal made in secret
‘The AUKUS agreement was conceived in secret and continues to be shrouded in secrecy,’ said Rtd Army Major Cameron Leckie, spokesperson for the independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN).
‘Australians deserve the truth about what they are paying for, what they are getting, and what risks this agreement carries for our sovereignty and our security’, Rtd. Major Leckie.
With an estimated cost to Australia of $368 billion or more and zero parliamentary scrutiny of the original deal, this inquiry is long overdue.
The need for that scrutiny has been made more urgent by events at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore (29–31 May 2026), where Defence Minister Richard Marles acquiesced to accepting three secondhand US submarines.
‘Combined with the extension of the ageing Collins-class fleet, born out of necessity, this arrangement represents a massive delay to — or the complete abandonment of — the nuclear-powered submarine capability that was the centrepiece of the AUKUS agreement’ said Rtd. Major Leckie.
‘Australians are entitled to ask: where are the submarines we were promised, and at what cost to our national interest? This is precisely the kind of question the Public Inquiry, launched yesterday, must answer’, said Rtd Major Leckie.
At Shangri-La, the US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth praised Australia for ‘stepping up’— a remark IPAN regards not as a compliment but as a warning.
That same day, the Australian Government announced a $120 million contract with Lockheed Martin Australia to manufacture guided weapons components, including parts for the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System.
‘We are seeing the failure of AUKUS in real-time, yet the Government continues to bind us to US strategic objectives rather than focusing on the defence of Australia’, said Rtd Major Leckie.
‘It’s time for Australia’s political leadership to be courageous and cancel the Lockheed Martin contract, withdraw from the AUKUS agreement and develop a genuinely independent self-defence policy along with greater cooperation with our regional neighbours, rather than following the US into conflicts not of our making.
‘The billions of dollars saved should be redirected to urgent social and environmental needs, including electrification, climate security, and healthcare’, concluded Rtd. Major Leckie.
ENDS
For Media Interviews: Retired Army Major Cameron Leckie M: 0413 226 546
Media Liaison: Jonathan Pilbrow M: 0403 611 815
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Bio — Retired Army Major Cameron Leckie
Retired Army Major Cameron Leckie served 24 years in the Australian Army, retiring with the rank of Major. As a member of the Royal Australian Corps of Signals he served in a number of regimental and training appointments, concluding his service as the Executive Officer of the 1st Signal Regiment. He deployed to East Timor (Operation WARDEN), the Solomon Islands (Operation ANODE), and Sumatra (Operation SUMATRA ASSIST). Cameron is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Southern Queensland.