During ‘Question Time’ in the House of Representatives on Tuesday 16th June, Andrew Wilkie (Member for Denison in Tasmania), asked Prime Minister Tony Abbott the following question:

“The Iraq war has raged for 12 years and created the circumstances for the rise of Islamic State, and all on the basis of the lies about weapons of mass destruction and Osama bin Laden. Seeing as we helped to start this war and create the Islamic state threat, will you acknowledge the Howard government got it very wrong and agree to a proper war inquiry?” Continue reading Andrew Wilkie Calls for Iraq War Inquiry →

MPG has written a long letter to the Minister for Defence, Kevin Andrews, following the extraordinary statement made (and then retracted) by US Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, Mr David Shear.

MPG has expressed the view that Mr Shear actually knew what he was saying – and that his ‘mistake’ has revealed the US government’s true intention of positioning military assets in Australia, permanently. This causes deep concern, as tensions between the US and China escalate. Meanwhile Australia, by constantly enhancing the alliance, has effectively taken sides with the US, placing the nation at risk of becoming involved in conflict. Read the letter in full here.

The Minister has been invited to contradict MPG’s position.

For more information, read MPG’s Briefing Paper: The Australia/US Alliance here.

The Gallipoli Centenary Peace Campaign hosted a public forum at the Petersham Town Hall on 22 April called ‘Gallipoli and Anzac after 100 Years: Lessons and the Prospects for Peace Today’.

Despite the wild weather, over 80 people attended the forum to hear three speakers: Douglas Newton (historian), Margot Pearson (Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom – WILPF) and Anne Noonan (Medical Association for Prevention of War – MAPW). Continue reading Anzac Forum →

Sydney’s ‘Welcome Refugees’ rally, held in Belmore Park on Sunday 19 April, attracted over 3000.

The Refugee Action Coalition (RAC) reported that this year’s rally was as big as last year’s well attended Palm Sunday rally, despite the date having to be changed due to trackwork being carried out on the city’s rail system on 29 March.

Speakers at the rally included Ian Rintoul (Spokesperson, Refugee Action Coalition Sydney), Graeme McGregor (Refugee Campaign Coordinator, Amnesty International Australia), Ged Kearney (President, ACTU), Dr Sue Wareham (Vice President, Medical Association for Prevention of War), Kyol Blakeney (President, SRC University of Sydney), Lydia Shelly (Islamophobia Register) and Shokufa Tahiri (Hazara Women for Change).

Read Sue Wareham’s full speech here. Continue reading ‘Welcome Refugees’ rally in Sydney a success →

On March 3, Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced the deployment to Iraq of an additional 300 Australian troops. As if to emphasise the gap between rhetoric and action, when making the announcement he said “This is not mission-creep…”. From MPG’s perspective, mission-creep is exactly what it is.

The Prime Minister described the deployment as “prudent and proportionate” and “in the national interest”. He went on to argue that it was important for domestic security, saying that Australia must do its bit to disrupt and degrade IS at its source. Continue reading More troops to be deployed to Iraq →

According to the ABC (Feb 25), sources have revealed that the Abbott Government is soon to commit hundreds of additional Australian troops to the war in Iraq.

Already Australia has 200 special forces personnel in Iraq and the ABC has reported that the extra troops will be part of a joint Australia-New Zealand mission to train Iraqi soldiers. Continue reading Abbott Government “poised to send additional troops to Iraq” →

‘NEVER AGAIN: LET’S END THE DETENTION OF CHILDREN ONCE AND FOR ALL’. This is the headline on a detailed statement issued on February 13 by the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA). The statement has been endorsed by more than 200 community groups across Australia – including our own group.

The full text of RCOA’s statement can be read here. More information about RCOA can be accessed here.

In response to an announcement by NZ Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee on February 10 that the NZ Defence Force will begin “special contingency training” for possible deployment to Iraq, more than 30 representatives of peace, justice and faith organisations in that country have signed an Open Letter on Military Deployment to Iraq to all Government Ministers and Members of the New Zealand Parliament.  The letter expresses strong opposition to New Zealand becoming in any way involved militarily in the current conflict in Iraq and Syria. Continue reading NZ – Open letter on military deployment to Iraq →

Australian barrister, human rights and refugee advocate and author, Julian Burnside, was awarded the 2014 Sydney Peace Prize on Wednesday 5th November at the Sydney Town Hall. Former NSW Governor, Marie Bashir, presented him with the Prize in front of nearly 1500 people.

Following the award ceremony, he delivered the Sydney Peace Prize Lecture entitled ‘Without Justice There Will Not Be Peace’. The lecture focussed on the inhumane treatment of asylum seekers by successive Australian governments. Continue reading Julian Burnside awarded the 2014 Sydney Peace Prize →

MPG has made a submission to the Defence White Paper process. Its main focus is reflected in the title – ‘Questioning the Value of the Australia/US Alliance’. The full text can be read here.

A list of all 269 public submissions can be accessed here. Continue reading Defence White Paper 2015 →

MPG has traditionally marked the UN’s International Day of Peace on September 21.

The UN General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples. Continue reading International Day of Peace – Sept 21, 2014 →

Four important events aimed at achieving the total elimination of nuclear weapons will be held between September and December this year.

These events are (1) International Day for the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons – 26^th September 2014 (2) Global Parliamentary Appeal for a Nuclear Weapons Ban – ongoing (3) Parliamentary Appeal Week – 10^th to 14^th November 2014 and (4) Third Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons – 8^th to 9^th December 2014, Vienna, Austria.

Read more about each of these events and the international campaign to eliminate nuclear weapons here.

MPG has joined other peace groups from across the nation in endorsing a statement opposing further military intervention by Australia in Iraq.

The last time Australia intervened, the consequences were disastrous. There is nothing to indicate that they will do any better this time round. Putting more weapons into the region is not likely to reduce the level of violence. (Click photo to view full image).

MPG has opposed the presence of US marines in Darwin ever since President Obama and Prime Minister Gillard announced their arrival (in November 2011). There have been no satisfactory reasons given for the marines being here and no indication of the strategic benefit their presence gives to Australia.

With IPAN-NSW, MPG approached Senator Lee Rhiannon and asked her to ask some specific questions on our behalf. Those questions and the responses can be read here. Continue reading Marines in Darwin: Questions asked in Senate Estimates Hearing →

MPG assisted GCPC in organising a public forum on the topic ‘ANZAC – why does it last?’ which took place at the University of Sydney on Tuesday August 5, 2014.

Details of the forum can be found here. The excellent address given by Prof. Joan Beaumont can be read here.