November 14, 2022
The Coalition will call for the establishment of a dedicated and bipartisan parliamentary committee to scrutinise the groundbreaking AUKUS military technology sharing pact, including giving classified briefings and documents to opposition MPs.
AUKUS’ centrepiece, the acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines, is a venture that will run for decades and is tipped to cost well over $100 billion.
In an appearance at an AUKUS conference in Canberra on Monday, opposition spokesman for cybersecurity James Paterson will cite the parliament’s influential intelligence committee, which is made up of Coalition and Labor MPs and strives for bipartisanship, as a model to follow.
“AUKUS can either be a game-changing agreement that will radically transform Australia’s ability to defend ourselves and our shared interests and values in the Indo-Pacific, or it will be an ornament which gathers dust on a shelf,” Senator Paterson will say.
“The difference will be determined by political leadership to break through the barriers which currently stand in its path.”
Senator Paterson, who chaired the intelligence committee in the last parliament, will say strong oversight is required to examine spending and it is crucial for the opposition to remain closely engaged in AUKUS, to avoid disruption when there is a change of government.
“This will be a baton-passing exercise. The Coalition in government initiated it. It’s now Labor’s challenge to take it forward but at some point in the future it will fall to the Coalition again,” he will say.
The proposed AUKUS committee would be able to receive regular classified briefings, have a security-cleared secretariat and examine classified documents.
“At this early stage of the agreement it is critical we put in place the structures and institutions which will successfully steward the agreement for decades.” Senator Paterson will say.
“It should also help maintain bipartisanship for this critical national project over many decades.”
