Woomera ‘prohibited’ zone to have both uranium mining and weapons testing
The region is synonymous with the testing of long range missiles and rockets during the Cold War and is still used by the military for weapons testing. The Resources Minister Martin Ferguson said that the new recommendation is that the miners and the military would be both operating at some sections of the land on a time share basis.
Australia May Tap Restricted Area of Woomera for Natural Resources [uranium mining] Azomining, By Joel Scanlon, 9 Nov 10, The Woomera weapons testing range in South Australia’s outback will be downsized to allow mining in the region as per a federal government report recommendation. Vast restricted areas of South Australia will be opened up to mining companies including foreign investors if the review is considered favourably. Continue reading
Clinton visit digs Australia more deeply into USA war machine
Reports from the mainstream press reveal the visit is part of the Gillard government’s increasing involvement in the U.S. War machine….A new U.S. Space Warfare Base in West Australia
U.S. war criminals in Oz as Australia boosts its involvement in U.S. war machine | Indymedia Australia, 8 Nov 10, “…… The whole visit and itinerary has been kept secret, supposedly for “security” but more likely to prevent any public protests against U.S. imperialism and the U.S. Australian alliance. On the agenda for the talks include the development of new U.S. bases in Australia, Continue reading
Australia’s new greatly expanded role in USA military presence
the Australian development is part of a new U.S. strategy to step up its military presence in the Asia-Pacific region
Australia, U.S. agree to major escalation of military co-operation Continue reading
Clinton to Australia to sell spy base and military stuff
Australia’s defence planning continues to promote the interoperability of its forces with those of the US, in part through provision of secure bases such as the new tracking station but also through equipment purchases.
An alliance still in the national interests, The Age,November 6, 2010 “…The US is also concerned by China’s increasing military might, which includes a capability for satellite warfare in space. One response to that capability is a satellite tracking station being built on Australian territory. Continue reading
Clinton and Gates to Australia for Space War project in W.A.
US Defense Secretary Robert Gates is poised to announce the base when he visits Australia next week with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton,….The facility will play a major role in an emerging Cold War in space.
WA joins space race, The Age, October 30, 2010 – Australia will become a key partner in the international battle for space supremacy, Continue reading
Time for Australia to show clear support for Nuclear Weapons Convention
Greens spokesperson for nuclear issues, Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam, said the Government should take the opportunity to make a clear statement of support for a nuclear weapons convention.
WA Senator urges Government to take stand against nuclear weapons in UN tony serve blogs, 28 Oct 10, The Australian Greens today urged the Government to support a United Nations draft resolution calling for a ban on the production, stockpiling and use of nuclear weapons to be voted on tomorrow in New York. Continue reading
Jim Green refutes Ziggy Spinowsky on nuclear weapons proliferation
“For eight years in the White House, every weapons-proliferation problem we dealt with was connected to a civilian reactor program. And if we ever got to the point where we wanted to use nuclear reactors to back out a lot of coal … we’d have to put them in so many places we’d run that proliferation risk right off the reasonability scale.” – former US
Vice President Al Gore……It is disingenuous for O’Neil, Switkowski and other apologists for the nuclear industry to deny the links between nuclear power and proliferation.
The myth of the peaceful atom, The Punch, by Jim Green, 6 Oct 2010, The connection between power and proliferation is the inconvenient truth of the nuclear industry. Articles in The Australian in recent weeks by Ziggy Switkowski and academic Andrew O’Neil trivialise the links between nuclear power and nuclear weapons… Continue reading
Greens in Australian Parliament gives hope for nuclear disarmament movement
the election of the Australian Greens in a sweeping balance of power in the Senate in the August 2010 elections is good news for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferatio
Moving to a Safer World with a Million Pleas Campaign , Australia.to News, 02 September 2010 by Neena Bhandari SYDNEY (IDN)“.……. “It is widely recognised that the technology needed for nuclear power is not dissimilar to that needed for nuclear weapons production.” Continue reading
On Nagasaki Day – a call for Australia to help abolish nuclear weapons
There is another step that Australia could take also to help rid the world of this scourge – to refuse to supply nuclear fuel to any nation that has nuclear weapons.
(at left, a church in Nagasaki, 9 Aug, 1945)
Sixty-five years of living under the threat of the mushroom cloud – On Line Opinion, Dr Sue Wareham, – 6/8/2010 Two things pose an overwhelming threat to the planet as we know it, climate change and nuclear weapons, and neither is receiving a serious commitment to action by the two contenders for the position of Prime Minister of Australia. While effective measures of the magnitude needed to address climate change are nowhere to be seen in their policies, nuclear weapons haven’t even rated a mention in the campaigning.
Perhaps August 6 and August 9, the 65th anniversaries of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, will serve to remind Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott of the 23,000 weapons that continue to threaten the destruction of cities around the globe, including in Australia. Continue reading
Australia ‘inactive’ on Nuclear Disarmament
“At the May 2010 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference, Australia was noticeably inactive, failing to walk the talk, merely aligning itself with the United States……..
Hiroshima Day – and still 23,000 loaded weapons! « Darren Churchill: Australian Democrats Senate Candidate for the ACT 6 August, 2010 The Australian Government is playing games on the issue of nuclear disarmament says the Australian Democrats’ lead Senate candidate in the ACT, Darren Churchill Continue reading
Australia’s trade sanctions against Iran
Australia is pretty good at posturing as a leader in nuclear weapons non-proliferation. Trouble is, Australia is also a leader in selling nuclear fuel to several nuclear weapons countries.
Australia unveils unilateral Iran sanctions , PRESSTV, 15 Jun 2010 Less than a week after the UN Security Council imposed a fourth round of sanctions against Iran, Australia says it is planning unilateral punitive measures. Continue reading
Because of its vested interests, Australia should not have a key position in Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty meetings
by Peter Ravine, 26 April 2010, I am concerned at Australia’s position with regard to proposed changes to the Non Proliferation Treaty. It holds a key position in the coming review as co-chair of the International Commission yet it has an unavoidable vested interest in promoting uranium exports.
It should be replaced by a neutral country like Ireland or New Zealand, and the Commission should be re-constituted with adequate informed renewable energy representation. The Commission’s proceedings to date should be rejected until a new neutral commission is formed to revise the proceedings as needed. (This article continues in item below)
Need to redraft Report of International Commission on Nuclear Proliferation and Disarmament.
Paragraph 15 and the remainder of the document would need to be re-worded to require phasing out nuclear power. Support for the following points might help to influence next month’s NPT New York conference.
by Peter Ravine, 26 April 2010, With due respect to Dr Gareth Evans, I am not impressed by the Commission’s December 2009 report as indicated by the following extract: Continue reading
Australia’s forgotten soldiers, victims of Maralinga atomic bomb testing
he was required to sign the official secrets act when returning from Maralinga, which prevented him from talking about the site for 30 years.
McGee’s lost men forgotten in fallout , Adelaide Now, Bryan Littlely, April 24, 2010 FRANK McGee is looking for the lost men of Maralinga, but fears most of his lads have died without recognition for the work they did cleaning up our nuclear disgrace
- The former Royal Air Force Flight Lieutenant commanded a party of 35 airmen whose task it was to collect, bury and salvage items from the Maralinga atomic test sites over two years from 1966. Continue reading
Australian govt undermining nonproliferation: uranium sales to Russia
“The spread of weapons grade material is the dark underbelly of the
uranium mining industry,”
Fernando de Freitas, 24 April 2010, The Federal Government’s decision to allow uranium exports to Russia will harm Australia’s credentials as a leading international voice against the spread of nuclear weapons, according to the Australian Greens. Continue reading
1 This month
Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes – A good documentary on Chernobyl on SBS available On Demand for the next 3 weeks– https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/tv-program/chernobyl-the-lost-tapes/235274195556
20 May – Webinar – The dangerous world of AUKUS, US, military occupation and suppression of dissent
National Webinar, 20th May, 2026, 6.30pm AEST. Confronting laws restricting/suppressing protest speech and action
Speakers: Former Sen. Rex Patrick, Lawyer Nick Hanna ,Arthur Rorris ,Jorgen Doyle, Sen David Shoebbridge,
Facilitator Kelley Tranter.
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
To see nuclear-related stories in greater depth and intensity
Antinuclear 