When
Where
Why
Speakers:
Prof Al Rainnie, political economist
Senator David Shoebridge, Greens
Dr Amanda Ruler, Medical Association for the Prevention of War
Rex Patrick, former senator and submariner
David Noonan, conservationist
AUKUS Bill declares Osborne a nuclear zone!
Osborne Naval Ship yard is now a designated zone for nuclear-powered submarines under new Federal government legislation, bypassing and over-riding the civilian nuclear safety agency, ARPANSA.
Nuclear subs have never used this Port before, and now the nuclear fuel cycle will be established in the Osborne yard, less than a kilometre from homes. (See map below.) Naval nuclear reactors are to be authorized at Port Adelaide under the powers of a military nuclear regulator, the “Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety Regulator”, which will report directly to the Minister for Defence.
This is cold comfort for residents on the LeFevre Peninsula and Adelaide, previously declared nuclear-free zone by the former City of Port Adelaide.
Apart from the peacetime safety issues these subs would be military targets in a conventional or nuclear war.
If an accident were to occur, would Port Adelaide and beyond become uninhabitable?
The SA and Port Adelaide communities have a right to have a say on nuclear safety and on the risks in bringing naval nuclear reactors into the Port.
Key public interest questions are yet to be answered.
What is AUKUS?
What are its implications for us in Port Adelaide? in Adelaide? in Australia?
AUKUS is a security partnership between Australia, the US and UK. It involves them helping us acquire nuclear-powered submarines, but that is not all. It also includes information-sharing and cooperation on highly advanced weaponry - limiting us to that selected by the US, and probably to be bought from them.
It was announced by former PM Scott Morrison on 15th September, 2021 without public knowledge or parliamentary debate and continued by the Labor Party, still with no consultation or parliamentary debate.
Its purpose is to maintain US dominance in the Indo-Pacific, including the South China Sea, thereby further eroding Australia’s sovereignty. This means upholding the so-called rules-based-order of the United States for its own economic and military interests.
For Australia, AUKUS means:
- Purchasing used US nuclear submarines before building nuclear submarines (in a UK-Australian joint project) at cost of up to $368 billion over three decades. That’s $33 million in public funds EVERY DAY for 30 years! Imagine is this was invested in housing, welfare and health care, and education!
- Serious safety risks to civilians, military personnel, Aboriginal land and the general environment, through use of uranium, reactor leaks, and handling and transport of nuclear waste.
- Insertion of US and UK militaries into the command of the Australian Defence Forces (ADF) further eroding Australia’s military autonomy.
- Becoming involved in an aggressive containment strategy against China, Australia’s major trading partner, which could pave a pathway to war on our doorstep