The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in December 2016 that agreed to “negotiate a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination” and encouraged all member states to participate. The vote was 113 in favour, 35 against including Australia, with 13 abstentions. Continue reading First session of UN’s Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty negotiations a success
Over 1,000 people demonstrated against the visit to Australia by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Sydney’s Town Hall Square on Thursday February 23, 2017. Following the rally, the protestors’ planned march to Netanyahu’s hotel overlooking the harbour was blocked by police. Continue reading Sydney protest against Israeli Prime Minister’s visit to Australia
A total of 60 prominent Australians have signed a statement opposing the visit this week by Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, due to the harsh and illegal policies that his government continues to inflict upon the Palestinian people. PM Netanyahu will be in Australia between February 22-25. Continue reading Australia should not welcome the Prime Minister of Israel
On December 12, 2016, Yair Lapid, leader of the Yesh Atid (There is a Future) party and a former finance minister, was the guest speaker at the Foreign Press Association in Jerusalem’s King David Hotel.
In attendance at this event was the Australian author and freelance reporter Antony Loewenstein, now based in Jerusalem. Continue reading Will Israel expel Antony Loewenstein?
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the agreement between the Australian and American governments relating to the establishment of a Joint Defence Space Research Facility (Pine Gap, Northern Territory).
According to Prof Richard Tanter (Nautilus Institute) Pine Gap is perhaps the most important United States intelligence facility outside that country. Continue reading Pine Gap is Putting Australia in Danger
Two public forums on Pine Gap and the US-Australia Alliance were held in Lidcombe on 11 and 25 September. Both were organised by the Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN) and the Australian Anti-Bases Campaign Coalition (AABCC).
The first of these forums featured three speakers: James O’Neill who discussed the US-China conflict in the South China Sea, Dr Emily Howie who reviewed the US global assassination campaign using drones and Dr Vincent Scappatura who addressed the perils of the US-Australia Alliance. A copy of James O’Neill’s paper can be read here. Continue reading Two Forums on Pine Gap and the US-Australia Alliance
The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) has written to Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to express its dismay over her decision to invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Australia.
In an open letter to the Foreign Minister, APAN President George Browning noted the particularly unfortunate timing of the visit: Continue reading Benjamin Netanyahu planned visit in 2017 condemned
The final report of the International People’s Tribunal (IPT) on crimes against humanity, committed by the Indonesian armed forces and civilian militias mainly between October 1965 and the early months of 1966, was released in The Hague on July 20, 2016. The report has called on the Indonesian government to investigate and prosecute all those involved in the deaths of more than 500,000 of its own citizens.1
Continue reading International People’s Tribunal on the Indonesian massacre 1965-66
A glaring deficiency in the 2016 Defense White Paper is the lack of any serious engagement with scholarship that questions the ‘US-Australia Alliance = National Security’ equation and its evident risks. This is quite extraordinary given the devastating impact of US involvement in the Indochina Wars (Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos)1 and more recently the US invasion of Iraq and the de-stabilisation of Middle Eastern countries that has fueled sectarianism and the rise and spread of extreme jihadi groups like ISIS. Continue reading Correspondence with the Minister
Remember US Defence Department Assistant Secretary David Shear’s testimony before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee in May last year? During this hearing Assistant Secretary Shear said that the Pentagon would be “placing additional air force assets in Australia” including “B-1 bombers and surveillance aircraft”. Continue reading B-1 bombers would undermine Australia’s security
On Thursday, February 18, Nick Deane (MPG) gave a talk to the Quakers’ Peace and Justice group on the topic of how Australia goes to war.
He based his talk on the publication How Does Australia Go To War? produced by Australians for War Powers Reform.
The talk lasted for about 20 minutes and a lively discussion followed.
The full text of Nick’s address can be read here. The booklet can be viewed on-line here. Refer also to the Radio Skid Row interview relating to the same topic that was broadcast on February 25, 2016.
A forum entitled ‘Banning Nuclear Weapons: Labor’s Role’ was held on February 14 during the NSW Labor Conference in the Sydney. The forum was part of the conference’s Fringe Program and its purpose was to explore “how a future federal Labor government could lead the way” on banning nuclear weapons. However, the inconsistency between Labor’s current policy on banning nuclear weapons and its ongoing support for the US “nuclear umbrella” was strongly criticised. Continue reading US alliance and the movement to ban nuclear weapons: Labor’s role?
Within the Federal parliament, Andrew Wilkie MP (Independent member for Denison in Tasmania) has been a consistent and vocal opponent of Australia’s ongoing military invention in the Middle East. On January 14, he was interviewed by ABC RN Breakfast reporter, Alison Carabine, on the Turnbull government’s decision to decline a US request for more military assistance in Iraq and Syria.*
The request was originally sent to about 40 countries by US Defence Secretary Ash Carter in early December last year. The Turnbull government informed the US of its decision later that month. Continue reading Andrew Wilkie on Australia’s decision to reject US request for military support
On Sunday November 22, a public forum on ‘WW1, the Case of Fr Jerger and Civil Liberties’ was held in Marrickville.
Co-hosted by Gallipoli Centenary Peace Campaign* and St Brigid’s Parish, the forum was addressed by three speakers: Dr Janice Garaty, Assoc Prof Douglas Newton and Dr Peter Manning.
In the context of the divisive WW1 conscription debates in Australia, Janice Garaty discussed how Fr Jerger was accused of allegedly expressing “disloyal sentiments” designed to discourage recruitment to the First Australian Imperial Force (AIF) during a sermon in Marrickville on September 26, 1916. Despite the lack of evidence for such a claim, Fr Jerger was eventually interned in February 1918 at the Holsworthy Military Camp and later deported in July 1920. Continue reading War as the pasture of bigots, and the solvent of principle
The official launch of ‘Richardson’s Lookout – Marrickville Peace Park’ took place on Sunday November 8. The event attracted around 80 people.
Organised by the Gallipoli Centenary Peace Campaign (GCPC*), speakers included John Butcher (GCPC Convenor), Allan Barnes (Marrickville Aboriginal Consultative Committee) who presented the ‘Welcome to Country’, Clr Sam Iskandar (Mayor, Marrickville Council), Clr Sylvie Ellsmore (Marrickville Council), Linda Burney MP (Member for Canterbury) and Jo Haylen MP (Member for Summer Hill). As well, Sydney’s Solidarity Choir performed at the launch.
One of the most evocative parts of the event was the reading of Denise Levertov’s poem ‘Talk in the Dark’. Continue reading Official launch of Marrickville Peace Park