Defence has not emerged as an issue in this year’s federal election but the subject appears to resonate in the federal electorate of Grayndler in Sydney’s inner-west reports Nadyat El Gawley.

Nadyat’s article, published just after the 7 September 2013 federal election, refers to MPG’s campaigns against weaponised drones, an end to the Australia/US alliance and for a war powers bill which transfers decision-making about the deployment of Australian troops overseas from the executive branch of government (the prime minister and cabinet) to parliament.

Nadyat’s article can be found here.

MPG is currently circulating a petition which calls for the enactment of a War Powers Bill which transfers decision-making about the deployment of Australian troops overseas from the executive branch (the Prime Minister and Cabinet) to the parliament.

Continue reading MPG’s War Powers Petition →

On Saturday, July 6, members of MPG were joined by the Australian Anti-Bases Campaign Coalition (AABCC) and Greens supporters to demonstrate against the level of military spending (both globally and by Australia). Nick Deane from MPG, Denis Doherty from AABCC and Hall Greenland, Greens candidate for the Federal seat of Grayndler, all spoke.

The demonstration took place in the Alex Trevallion Plaza, next to the Post Café, in Marrickville Road.

Nick Deane’s speech can be read here.

‘War – what is it good for?’ is the title of a public forum scheduled for July 10, featuring a talk by ex-US Marine Vincent Emanuele. Vincent endured two tours of duty in Iraq, but is now a leading figure in the US organisation Iraq Veterans Against War. He was in Sydney last February, promoting a documentary about post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), when he was recognised as a lucid and well-informed speaker – a valuable asset to the peace movement. Continue reading Public Forum: ‘War – What Is It Good For?’ – Wed July 10, 2013 →

Some clear thinking from Archbishop Tutu, on the hypocrisy of nuclear-armed nations presuming to dictate to countries aspiring to acquire them.

On 15 April, MPG joined others outside Tanya Plibersek’s office to draw attention to the amount of money spent on military hardware. Passers by were invited to waste $100 notes by pasting them onto a replica of the F35 Joint Strike Fighter.

Senator Scott Ludlam issued a press release to mark the day.

Members of MPG held a peace vigil at 7.45am on Wednesday March 20,  2013 outside the Marrickville Town Hall and called for a peaceful resolution to the war in Syria.

This date was also the tenth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq.

The theme of the vigil was the ongoing supply of weapons to the warring parties – including by member countries of the UN Security Council.

Read a report on the vigil in the Inner City Weekender, 22 March 2013, page 7.

MPG has lodged a submission to the Defence White Paper 2013. The full text can be found here or on the Submissions page here.