Top defence official was to report ‘good progress’ on French submarine project weeks before axing

Defence department secretary Greg Moriarty promised colleagues to ‘ensure that the good progress to date is part of the advice we take to Government’ just prior to ditching of Naval Group submarine program. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Australia’s most senior defence official was poised to inform the Morrison government of “good progress” on the now-dumped French submarine project, after receiving advice that the proposed next phase of work was “affordable and acceptable”.

Documents obtained by Guardian Australia under freedom of information laws reveal Australia’s defence leadership received positive advice about the project, just weeks before it was scrapped in favour of the Aukus pact with the US and the UK.