In sweltering conditions, around 320 community members packed the Marrickville Town Hall on Sunday 19th March, 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.
Following this interview, the meeting was addressed by Bob Carr (former Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs), Alison Broinowski (former diplomat and currently president of Australians for War Powers Reform) and Senator David Shoebridge (The Greens).
Nick Deane, MPG’s Convenor, said he hoped the public meeting would contribute to a groundswell of opposition to the AUKUS pact, as well as the purchase of nuclear powered submarines and U.S. preparations for a war with China.
Links to videos of the interview and speeches are provided below:
- Mary Kostakidis & Col. Lawrence Wilkerson (with subtitles)
- Bob Carr
- Alison Broinowski
- David Shoebridge
A full recording of the public meeting can be viewed here.
Additional information
Paul Gregoire, ‘Packed Marrickville Peace Meeting Says, ‘No to AUKUS and War on China, Mr Albanese’’, Sydney Criminal Lawyers, March 24, 2023.
‘IRAQ 20 YEARS: Iraq Invasion, AUKUS Blasted in Rousing Sydney Rally’, Consortium News, March 20, 2023.