Many Aussies reacted with fury when Australia signed the historic AUKUS security pact – complete with an eye-watering price tag of $368 billion – earlier this year. As the cost of living crisis continues to bite, there were plenty questioning whether it was money well spent. The multi-decade deal with the US and the UK will see Australia purchase US-manufactured nuclear submarines as well as develop our own, with the aim of countering China’s increasing assertiveness in the Asia- Pacific. One talkback caller on ABC radio described it as a “heartbreakingly disgusting” amount of money to spend on defence when...