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 →

“War or Peace?” Town Hall Meeting – 19th March 2023

AUKUS Security Pact, Iraq War, US-China Relations, War Powers Reform, , , , , , , ,
Photo: Jon Atkins. Audience at anti-AUKUS meeting in Marrickville Town Hall, 19th March 2023.

In sweltering conditions, around 320 community members packed the Marrickville Town Hall on Sunday 19th March 2023, to hear a number of speakers discuss the AUKUS (Australia, UK and US) security pact and the current trajectory of Australia’s foreign and defence policies.

Mary Kostakidis, who facilitated the meeting organised by MPG, conducted a revealing interview with retired Col. Lawrence Wikerson (former Chief of Staff to Secretary of State Colin Powell). Col. Wilkerson joined the meeting via a video link from Virginia in the U.S. Continue reading “War or Peace?” Town Hall Meeting – 19th March 2023 →

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 fifth 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 →

ICAN Petition – Condemn Russia’s threat to use nuclear weapons: join TPNW now

Nuclear Disarmament, Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, War in Ukraine

The Australian branch of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN Australia) is circulating a petition to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Foreign Minister Marise Payne.

It condemns Russia’s threat to use nuclear weapons and urges the Australian government to sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).

The petition states:

The world has moved closer to a nuclear catastrophe with the order by Russian President Vladimir Putin to put Russia’s nuclear arsenal on combat readiness amidst his country’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. Continue reading ICAN Petition – Condemn Russia’s threat to use nuclear weapons: join TPNW now →

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 →

IPAN calls for an immediate ceasefire and a negotiated settlement in the Ukraine

Independent and Peaceful Australia Network, Ukraine Crisis 2022,
Source: Wikipedia. Click to enlarge.

In a media release published on 26th February 2022, the Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN) condemns both the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and also the attacks by the Ukrainian Government on the people of the Donbas region.

IPAN calls for an immediate ceasefire by all parties, a withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine and for negotiations leading to a peaceful solution to the present crisis. Continue reading IPAN calls for an immediate ceasefire and a negotiated settlement in the Ukraine →