Aukus agreement is living a lie, says former minister Bob Carr

Former Labor foreign affairs minister Bob Carr has launched a scathing critique of the trilateral security pact, stating that officials in both Canberra and Washington privately acknowledge the arrangement has become a diplomatic joke. Speaking on the weekly Australian Politics podcast, Carr argued that the $368bn aukus australia agreement forces both nations into living a lie. He suggested that American-operated vessels will likely be stationed at domestic bases instead, as a future US president may conclude that China's military strength makes the transfer of Virginia-class submarines unfeasible. Carr noted that it is now conventional wisdom in political circles that alternative options will need to be assembled. He warned that shovelling immense financial resources into a single defense platform diverts crucial funding from other military needs, especially given technological lessons emerging from modern conflicts. The Albanese government maintains that the project is proceeding as intended, supported by commitments from US leadership and ongoing infrastructure investments. Australia has already disbursed over $3bn toward US submarine manufacturing as part of a projected $4.6bn financial commitment over the lifetime of the accord. The framework, initially negotiated under former prime minister Scott Morrison alongside leaders from the US and the UK, aims to deliver initial Virginia-class vessels starting in 2032 prior to the bespoke SSN Aukus model in 2042. However, persistent production delays and severe cost blowouts within the American navy have fueled widespread skepticism regarding delivery timelines. Furthermore, the transfer remains conditional upon formal sign-off from a sitting US president based on domestic defense demands. Recent domestic opposition has also mounted, highlighted by a crowdfunded public inquiry led by former public figures who labeled the initiative the riskiest defense decision in national history. While government ministers continue to defend the project as the largest industrial undertaking in the country's history, critics remain unconvinced about its strategic viability. > The $368bn Aukus pact has been criticized as a diplomatic fiction that will never deliver nuclear submarines to Australia. ## Why it matters The multi-billion-dollar defense arrangement reshapes naval strategy and resource allocation in the Indo-Pacific region. As billions are channeled into infrastructure and manufacturing, debates over strategic reliability and budgetary pressures highlight the complex choices facing modern middle powers navigating great power competition.