All posts by Jon Atkins

Sydney rally calls for an end to the massacre in Gaza – 15th Oct 2023

Israel & Occupied Territories, War Crimes, ,
Photo: Palestine Action Group Sydney

Over 6,000 people attended a pro-Palestinian rally in Sydney’s Hyde Park on Sunday 15th October 2023, despite opposition from NSW Premier Chris Minns and senior police to the rally going ahead.

The rally called for an end to the intensive bombing and total blockade of Gaza by Israel following attacks by Hamas militants on 7th October 2023. Both the ongoing bombing and blockade of Gaza’s civilian population were condemned by speakers as acts of collective punishment prohibited under the Geneva Conventions.

At the time of the rally, Israeli airstrikes had flattened parts of Gaza and left at least 2,200 dead and more than 8,700 injured. Continue reading Sydney rally calls for an end to the massacre in Gaza – 15th Oct 2023 →

Federal Court rules against proposed nuclear waste facility in South Australia

Nuclear Waste, , ,
Photo: The Guardian

In a landmark decision, the Federal Court on July 18, 2023 ruled against the former Coalition government’s proposal  to establish a radioactive waste management facility at a site on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia.

The Federal Court found in favor of the area’s traditional owners, the Barngarla people, who claimed that they were never properly consulted by the former Coalition government about the decision to choose the Eyre Peninsula site. Continue reading Federal Court rules against proposed nuclear waste facility in South Australia →

Israel’s assault on the Jenin refugee camp a violation of international law

Israel & Occupied Territories, , ,
Source: CityNews

According to United Nations’ sources, recent Israeli air strikes and ground operations targeting the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, may prima facie constitute a war crime.1

The Israeli attacks on 3rd and 4th July 2023 that lasted for around 48 hours, killed at least 12 Palestinians, including five children, and injured more than 100 Palestinians.  The attacks caused widespread damage to infrastructure, houses and apartment buildings and forced around 4,000 Palestinians, already refugees, to flee for their safety.

Continue reading Israel’s assault on the Jenin refugee camp a violation of international law →

Protests against AUKUS and Labor’s Defence Strategy

AUKUS Security Pact, Defence Issues, , , , ,
Source: Pearls and Irritations. Click to enlarge.

The area outside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s office in Marrickville, Sydney is rapidly becoming a regular meeting place for people wanting to express their concerns about key aspects of the Labor government’s policies.

Supporters of Julian Assange gather there every Thursday between 11.00am and 12.00pm.

On Saturday May 27, 2023 the Marrickville Peace Group (MPG) held its first ‘Peace Vigil’ outside the PM’s office which is scheduled to become a monthly event. Continue reading Protests against AUKUS and Labor’s Defence Strategy →

War Powers Inquiry Report – A failure of democratic will

War Powers Reform, ,

The Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (the Committee) commenced its review of how Australia makes decisions to send service personnel into international armed conflict in September 2022.

The Committee held only one public hearing in Canberra and received a modest 113 public submissions. Its report was tabled in the Federal parliament on March 31, 2023.

Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR) which has championed genuine reform of war powers for many years, declared the outcome of the Committee’s review disappointing. While the Labor dominated Committee recommended some changes by promising better transparency and accountability, AWPR criticised the report for refusing to adopt a fully democratic system where MPs are able to vote before Australia joins an overseas war.

Compared to many European parliamentary democracies, Australia can still be classified  as having weak powers related to parliamentary action required for the deployment of military force. Refer to the typology of European parliamentary war powers here.

Continue reading War Powers Inquiry Report – A failure of democratic will →

AUKUS and the encirclement of China

AUKUS Security Pact, Military Spending, US-China Relations, ,
Photo: Michael West Media. Click to enlarge.

In the United States, the Biden administration, like the Trump administration that preceded it, is hellbent on preventing China from achieving parity with the US on the global stage. In fact, to protect its hegemony, the US is prepared to use every means, including military might, to prevent this from occurring. Continue reading AUKUS and the encirclement of China →

IPAN’s National Conference: Speeches and Presentations – 22 to 24 November 2022

Defence Issues, Promoting Peace

The Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN) held its National Conference in Canberra from 22nd to 24th November, 2022.

Tuesday 22nd November

The conference began with an public meeting and launch of David Bradbury’s new documentary The Road to War. After the launch, the meeting was addressed by a number of speakers including Tjanara Goreng Goreng, Emma Shortis, David Brophy and Richard Broinowski.

Wednesday 23rd November

The second day included a series of sessions consisting of various talks, panel discussions and reports. Continue reading IPAN’s National Conference: Speeches and Presentations – 22 to 24 November 2022 →

Albanese Government announces War Powers Inquiry – What powers should Australia adopt?

War Powers Reform, ,
AWPR booklet cover page. Click to enlarge.

The Labor Party has kept its pre-election promise and announced a parliamentary inquiry into international armed conflict decision making or war powers in Australia on Friday, September 30, 2022.

The 2021 ALP national conference pledged to refer the issue to the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade.

That commitment has now been implemented and the Committee will be accepting submissions until Friday, 18 November 2022. Submissions can be lodged via the Committee’s webpage. Continue reading Albanese Government announces War Powers Inquiry – What powers should Australia adopt? →

Hiroshima Day Rally – Sydney 6th August 2022

Nuclear Weapons, War Commemoration
Gem Romuld at Sydney’s Hiroshima Day Rally. Source: Green Left. Click to enlarge..

On 6 and 9 August 1945, the United States detonated two atomic bombs over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki respectively.

It is  estimated that the two bombings killed between 129,000 and 226,000 people, most of whom were civilians. For months afterward, many people continued to perish from the effects of burns, radiation sickness, and injuries, compounded by illness and malnutrition. As well, the loss of life from radiation-induced cancer occurred for decades afterwards. Continue reading Hiroshima Day Rally – Sydney 6th August 2022 →

Vienna Declaration and Action Plan: Eliminating Nuclear Weapons

Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons,
Source: Culture of Peace News Network

The first Meeting of States Parties to the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) was held in Vienna from 21 to 23 June 2022.

There were 82 states in attendance, including a delegation with observer status from the Australian Government led by Susan Templeman MP. Nuclear-endorsing states Germany, Norway, Belgium and the Netherlands also attended.

A Declaration and Action Plan were adopted on the final day of the meeting. Continue reading Vienna Declaration and Action Plan: Eliminating Nuclear Weapons →

Australia to attend the first Meeting of States Parties to TPNW in Vienna

Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
Source: Pressenza International Press Agency

Ever since the Labor Party’s election victory on 21 May 2022, members of the nuclear disarmament movement, led by ICAN and supported by MPG, have been urging the government to attend the first Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW or Treaty) in Vienna from 21 to 23 June 2022.

The Australian government has now confirmed that it will attend the first Meeting of States Parties as an observer. The government has also indicated that it will participate in the fourth Conference on the Humanitarian Impacts of Nuclear Weapons on 20 June 2022, hosted by Austria. Continue reading Australia to attend the first Meeting of States Parties to TPNW in Vienna →

Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons – First Meeting of States Parties – 21 to 23 June 2022

Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons,

The First Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons will take place in Vienna, Austria from 21 to 23 June 2022. Originally scheduled for January 2022, this meeting was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background

In 2017 the United Nations convened a conference to negotiate a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination. The conference took place from 27 to 31 March and from 15 June to 7 July in New York. Continue reading Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons – First Meeting of States Parties – 21 to 23 June 2022 →

Anzac Day Reflection 2022

Anzac Day, War Commemoration, , , ,
Clr Justine Langford. Click to enlarge.

This year’s Anzac Day Reflection was held in Richardson’s Lookout – Marrickville Peace Park. This was the eighth time that the event has been held in Marrickville Peace Park since 2014, with no event occurring in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Organised by the Marrickville Peace Group, the event attracted around 50 people. In the spirit of genuine remembrance, these events offer participants the opportunity to ask some hard questions, such as how our nation became involved in wars abroad, what purposes were actually being served, and what mistakes were made in prolonging hostilities. Continue reading Anzac Day Reflection 2022 →

Planned Nuclear Submarine Base at Port Kembla Opposed

Defence Issues, Nuclear Weapons, , , , ,
Source: The Strategist. Click to enlarge.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed yesterday that a nuclear powered submarine base, purported to cost $10 billion, would be built on Australia’s east coast as part of the AUKUS partnership with the US and the UK.

Port Kembla, Newcastle and Brisbane have been cited as possible locations for the base.

In a statement released yesterday, Mick Cross, Secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia’s Southern NSW Branch, opposed any nuclear proliferation in the Illawarra.1 Continue reading Planned Nuclear Submarine Base at Port Kembla Opposed →