A disquieting feature of modern Australian politics is the diminution of genuinely transparent policy processes and limitations on parliamentary debate. This is evident in the wide selection of current articles in The Australian Financial Review.

AUKUS has progressed from the start without parliamentary debate despite its central significance for our future security and uncertainties about scope, costing and budget, and achievability, risks that may be compounded by current US and UK electoral politics. The Financial Review’s series by James Curran (“‘Longest night’: inside the secret submarines deal”) is timely.