This report proves that we still haven’t a clue what’s happening and simply waiting to be told. However in not so many words. When Michael West doesn’t know nobody does.

Australia controversially scrapped a French submarine deal in favour of the AUKUS agreement, with a leaked confidential document revealing officials were kept in the dark about the cancellation.

The leaked note was written by former Department of Defence deputy secretary Kim Gillis and first published by the ABC.

Mr Gillis wrote he did not believe any more than a handful of people within Defence knew the French submarine contract was being dumped.

He also canvassed reopening discussions with the French about buying nuclear-powered submarines in the future.