Former foreign affairs minister Gareth Evans has heavily criticised the Aukus defence pact, calling it one of the worst defence and foreign policy decisions ever made by an Australian government. In evidence to an inquiry into the $368 billion agreement with the US and UK, Evans warned that the transfer and construction of submarines to Australia from the early 2030s is effectively merely an extension of the American military fleet.
Evans, a Labor elder and cabinet minister in the Hawke and Keating governments, said a future US administration would not come to Australia's aid in the event of an existential attack and would only assist if its own assets on Australian soil were threatened.
"The notion that extended nuclear deterrence justifies our prostration – that the US really would be prepared to sacrifice San Francisco for Sydney, let alone Miami for Melbourne – is, and always has been, a ludicrous delusion," Evans told the inquiry.
He also suggested that Donald Trump is only allowing the Aukus deal to destroy Chinese nuclear threats to the US mainland, further questioning the pact's value for Australia.
Other Top News
Angus Taylor has rejected a One Nation seat-sharing deal as cracks appear in Liberal ranks over Pauline Hanson's threat. An escaped prisoner who fled his brother's funeral is believed to be in Melbourne, police say. A review finds the NSW police force rife with harassment, undermining, and belittlement of women. Peter Weir has received the inaugural AFTRS lifetime achievement award, hailed as the greatest film-maker this country has produced. States have told the Albanese government that NDIS changes could mean people with disabilities are shifted into hospitals. Australian billionaire Brett Blundy is waging a high-stakes campaign to oust the chair of Victoria's Secret.
Into the HyperVerse
Guardian Australia senior reporter Sarah Martin investigated a cryptocurrency scheme called HyperVerse, where a friend's hairdresser invested and potentially lost all her money. In a short documentary, interviews with former HyperVerse participants are woven through Sarah's recounting of the rabbit hole she fell down as she investigated the scheme and tried to find out who was responsible.
What They Said
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese cast doubt on Pauline Hanson's claims that One Nation received $1.5 million in donations in a day of fundraising this week. "Did she though? Did she? What evidence is there?" Albanese said.
Full Story Podcast
Kick-off is just hours away in what is already shaping up to be one of the most controversial and complex FIFA World Cups, as geopolitical disputes and allegations of corporate greed cast a shadow over the tournament. Football journalist Samantha Lewis speaks to Nour Haydar about why she is more nervous than ever on the eve of the cup about the impact the many problems could have on the world's most-watched sporting event.
Before Bed Read
Football Australia is yet to establish a national museum more than a decade after it pledged to create a space that would ensure a strong connection between football's present and its past. A small country pub with a big Socceroos history helps to fill the void, writes Martin Pegan.
Daily Word Game
Today's starter word is: ROCK. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
