AUKUS inquiry exposes proliferation risks

The global landscape of nuclear weapons remains deeply concerning, as nuclear powers continue to expand and modernise their arsenals rather than disarm. Countries like the United States, Russia, and China are investing heavily in new nuclear capabilities, increasing the risk of an arms race with profound implications for global security. Australia, while not a nuclear-armed state, risks becoming complicit in this escalation through alliances that potentially involve hosting nuclear weapons or supporting nuclear strategies.

This growing nuclear threat underscores the urgent need for Australia to take a principled stand by promoting disarmament and rejecting policies that undermine global nuclear non-proliferation efforts.

In March, ICAN Australia launched the “No Nuclear Weapons in Australia” declaration for civil society organisations to sign on to, and we had a very strong response with over 160 organisations signing the declaration. We took the declaration to Canberra to share with federal politicians and remind them again of the strong opposition across community groups to nuclear weapons. We also partnered with GetUp! to amplify the campaign’s reach and impact through a national petition urging the government to reject nuclear weapons and join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). Together, we also hosted a webinar in May featuring experts and activists discussing the dangers posed by nuclear weapons in Australia and the Indo-Pacific region. Across all of these activities the call remains strong – now is the time for Australia to sign the TPNW. Watch the webinar on Youtube .

Last week, ICAN Co-founder, Dr Tilman Ruff AO presented to the Melbourne Hearing for the Public Inquiry into AUKUS on the nuclear non-proliferation implications of AUKUS, warning that Australia acquiring nuclear-powered submarines under this plan sets a deeply dangerous precedent for global disarmament efforts.

“For the first time,” said Dr Ruff, “with the B-52s and AUKUS arrangements, Australia is becoming not just eyes and ears and communications and intelligence and targeting support, but an actual operational base on a continuing basis for forward operations, including nuclear-armed ones.” Watch the full recording via the AUKUS Public Inquiry website. AUKUS – https://aukuspublicinquiry.com/

As we head into a crucial few weeks before this year’s Australian Labor Party National Conference, we are ramping up our advocacy and will continue making these vital calls to ensure our message is heard loud and clear.

This July marks a solemn double anniversary for our Pacific neighbours. July 1st, marks exactly 80 years since the flash of the first American nuclear detonation tore through the Marshall Islands. Just twenty-four hours later, on July 2nd, the region marks 60 years since France unleashed its first atomic detonation at Mururoa Atoll in Mā’ohi Nui. 80 years on from the first of some 300 nuclear explosions conducted in the Pacific, the impact on the fragile ecology of the region and the health and mental well-being of its peoples has been profound and long-lasting. The ‘testing’ on First Nations land in Australia at Maralinga, Emu Field and the Monte Bello Islands and across the Pacific, including in the Marshall Islands, Kiribati and Mā’ohi Nui (French Occupied Polynesia) has left behind radioactive legacies felt far beyond borders