The federal government has announced the establishment of the Expert Advisory Panel that will oversee the Future Submarine competition, now that France, Germany and Japan have confirmed their participation as potential international partners.

“The Expert Advisory Panel will assure the government that the competitive evaluation process remains sound, is conducted in accordance with probity and accountability principles, and that participants have been treated fairly and equitably,” Minister for Defence Kevin Andrews stated on June 5.

MINDEF listed the members of the panel as being: Professor Donald Winter, former US Secretary of the Navy; Julie Anne Dodds-Streeton, former Justice of the Federal Court of Australia; Ron Finlay, an infrastructure specialist with extensive legal experience; and Jim McDowell, member of the First Principles Review of Defence team.

The decision on the preferred international partner for the Future Submarine is expected to be made in the first part of next year, Minister Andrews said.