The AUKUS deal was conceived in secret and with deception — and continues to be shrouded in secrecy despite the incredibly high stakes and massive cost. Our government has already spent $10 billion of our taxes on US and UK shipyards at a time when much of the world is in conflict and Australians are suffering from a cost-of-living crisis.

A group of former MPs, retired military and naval officers, leading strategists and academics, human rights lawyers and union leaders are committing to an independent Public Inquiry into AUKUS. This Inquiry is coordinated by the Australian Peace and Security Forum (APSF) — ensuring it is grounded in expertise, independence, and a commitment to serious evidence-based examination.

We invite written, oral, and video submissions from Australian citizens, organisations, and those in the Pacific and wider region with an interest in the AUKUS security partnership. All views are welcome and anonymous submissions are accepted. Submissions close September 1st, 2026.

End Strip Searching of Children All children must be treated with dignity. Children should never be strip searched.

But right now, across the country, children are still regularly subjected to violent and degrading strip searches by police and prison authorities. For children who have already experienced violence, sexual abuse or trauma, this invasive practice can be profoundly retraumatising.

That’s why Lidia Thorpe has introduced a Bill to Parliament to outlaw it.

The Crimes Amendment (Prohibiting the Strip Searching of Children) Bill 2026 would ban strip searches of anyone under 18 under any circumstances.

Children must be protected from trauma and abuse, including when they are in custody.

Make a submission to the inquiry about this Bill https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Legal_and_Constitutional_Affairs/StripSearching2026

The Senate is holding an inquiry into this Bill, and your voice can help make the case for change.

Anyone can make a submission. You can share your experiences, concerns or reasons for supporting the Bill, and this will inform the report that will be delivered to the Albanese government.

This inquiry is an opportunity for truth-telling. Your story is valuable in ensuring the truth is heard.

It is also possible to make a confidential or anonymous submission.

Submissions close: 14 September 2026