| MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 12 October 2024
National Peace Conference calls for no war against China, or any other country
- Well over one hundred academics, peace advocates, writers and concerned citizens attend national peace conference activities in Boorloo (Perth) over 4-6 October
- AUKUS decried by First Nations’ speakers, current and former politicians, academics
- Conference Declaration calls for an end to the nuclearisation of Australia
Sleepwalking into War, the national conference of The Independent Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN), was held on the lands of the Whadjuk Noongar people in Boorloo (Perth) from 4-6 October 2024.
The conference attracted hundreds of over 100 academics, peace advocates, writers and concerned citizens. Many West Australian locals were present with people also from other parts of Australia and overseas.
Conference activities began with a protest at the entrance to HMAS Stirling and also in front of BAE Systems. A Friday night forum was followed by a full weekend of conference speakers.
Speakers included former WA Premier and Federal MP Carmen Lawrence, Prof Lisa Natividad from Guam, former Ambassador John Lander, IPAN Patron and Emeritus Professor Ian Lowe and Retired Army Major Cameron Leckie. All decried the plan for nuclear powered submarines under the AUKUS pact, nuclear powered submarines, the nuclear industry and nuclear waste.
A presentation by a large group of Stop AUKUS WA campaign members highlighted the disastrous security, environment and economic consequences of AUKUS.
First Nations speakers Debbie Carmody, Phil Ugle and Greens Senator Dorinda Cox emphasised the damaging impact of nuclear testing, uranium mining and the militarisation of Australia on First Nations people and traditional lands.
Independent Senator Fatima Payman, and lawyer and advocate for the Palestinian cause, Hiba Farra, spoke about the heartbreaking impact of the US-Israeli genocide in Gaza, increased attacks in the West Bank and now in Lebanon.
Award-winning investigative journalist and former ABC reporter Andrew Fowler gave a forensic examination of the secrecy surrounding the AUKUS deal which was sprung on both the then ALP Opposition and the Australian public in 2021. Andrew highlighted the lack of opportunity for public debate and scrutiny of AUKUS.
There were several overseas speakers from Guam, the Philippines, India, UK and the USA, who also expressed grave concerns, either in-person or on-line, about the further militarisation of Australia and the implications of AUKUS for the Pacific region.
Rather than adding to the environmental damage that accompanies militarisation and preparation for future conflict, our Pacific neighbours ask that Australia stand as an independent nation and work with peoples around the world to address the existential threats of climate change and the growing possibility of nuclear war. IPAN stands in solidarity with Australia’s regional neighbours in these calls.
The conference delegates drafted a 2024-Conference-Declaration which, among other things called for an end to the nuclearisation of Australia, and specifically for the Australian government to:
- Terminate the AUKUS agreement/treaty.
- Terminate the 2014 Force Posture Agreement between Australia and the USA, which sees a permanent rotation of 2500 USA Marines stationed in Darwin
- Withdraw all ADF personnel from all areas of the world outside of Australia’s immediate territorial boundaries, .
- Declare that Australia will not be involved in a war against China, or any other country, or allow Australian territory to be used to support such wars
- Support an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the Middle East and unequivocally condemn the genocide that is occurring there and cease supply of any weapons components
Media Interviews:
Dr Christopher Crouch 0401 818 633 or Jo Vallentine 0427 708 180 (both Western Australia based)
Ms Annette Brownlie 0431 597 256 (IPAN Chairperson)
Media Liaison: Jonathan Pilbrow 0403 611 815 – can also put media in touch with Conference speakers See Conference Program here https://ipan.org.au/ipan-conference-2024-sleepwalking-into-war/
About Media Spokesperson(s):
Dr Christopher Crouch is an artist and writer, and has been active in the peace movement since the 1980s, and has formerly been a WA rep on the national coordinating committee of IPAN. He has taught in art schools in the UK, South Africa and the USA, holding Professorships in Australian and Chinese universities.
Jo Vallentine is a long-time peace campaigner and former Independent Senator for Nuclear Disarmament, then representing the Greens from 1990 until she resigned in 1992. She has continued working for
peace in various ways: through the Alternatives to Violence Project, mostly working voluntarily in prisons, and in anti-nuclear groups keeping Western Australia’s vast reserves of uranium in the ground.
Annette Brownlie is a founding member of the Brisbane based community peace organisation, Just Peace Queensland, and the current (and inaugural) chairperson of the Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN). She has served in this position for a decade. |
