Yeah I have also reached that conclusion, we are essentially a usa protectorate. I think they (and conservative political factions in aus) got a scare with the idea of properly integrating into APAC, so aukus is a way to further entrench the usa military domination of Australia.

The gov owns fighters it can't use without their navy, it will own subs that need their approval for use they can maybe not deliver if they don't like the direction of aus politics, they own land for secret surveillance shit, they spy on our citizens via five eyes, they test surveillance tech in our legal system (https://www.afp.gov.au/news-centre/media-release/afp-operation-kraken-charges-alleged-head-global-organised-crime-app), they get port expansion in Darwin for their Navy.

Let alone all the fucky legal hold they have on us via secretly negotated trade deals.

It sucks :(