00:00Hello everyone, and it's a great pleasure for the AUKUS Public Inquiry v Newcastle,
00:05one of the potential submarine-based locations for the AUKUS submarine deal.
00:12This public inquiry is both independent and publicly funded.
00:17It provides an opportunity for citizens, for expert commentators and others
00:22to come to ask questions and potentially to learn more
00:26about the largest ever defence expenditure that an Australian sovereign government has made.
00:34I'm really delighted to be here with my fellow commissioners,
00:37and I'll invite each of them to speak to you briefly for a moment or two.
00:41In the Hunter, and in Newcastle in particular, there is a great tradition
00:47of local communities gathering together to support one another
00:52and to build sustainable futures for themselves
00:57which enable working people to have good livelihood.
01:01Given the amount of money that is proposed to be spent on these AUKUS submarines,
01:07and given the fact that there is significant and growing concern
01:12about whether or not the submarines will ever be delivered,
01:16now is as good a time as any for the public to come
01:18and have their questions answered and make their views known.
01:22The Australian Parliament, to this point in time,
01:26has not given sufficient serious examination or consideration
01:31to this largest ever defence procurement.
01:35Australians are entitled to ask themselves,
01:37for a cost of $368 billion and rising,
01:41will walkers keep it safe,
01:43and are there other, better, more prudent alternatives?
01:47If the governments of this country won't undertake that work...
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