No War on China: Distinguished Australians declare alternative to AUKUS and FPA for peace and security – July 15 2025

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MEDIA RELEASE          15 July 2025

  • On Sunday 13 July, Doug Cameron, Patron of Labor Against War (LAW) and former Federal Senator; Retired Major General Michael Smith; Lawyer and Declassified Australia Journalist, Kellie Tranter and journalist, Mary Kostakidis (as facilitator) launched IPAN’s Call on the Australian Government to Cancel both AUKUS and the Force Posture Agreement (FPA).
  • Futility of AUKUS exposed amid various calls on the Australian Government to simultaneously cancel both AUKUS 2.0 and the Force Posture Agreement
  • Doug Cameron calls for Australia to make it clear to the US that we will retain our sovereign right not to be caught up in a war with a major trading partner

The launch was held via a well-attended  PUBLIC WEBINAR. The  Petition calls on the Australian Government to invoke the one year opt out clause in each of  AUKUS2.0[i] and Force Posture Agreement[ii]
The aim of the campaign and petition is to stop:

  • Nuclear submarines using Australian ports
  • Nuclear submarine waste being stored on Australian territory
  • Nuclear capable bombers operating from Australia
  • Use of Australian territory as a base for US war operations
  • Australian cities becoming military targets.

IPAN Chairperson and spokesperson Ms Annette Brownlie says ‘Both agreements need to be cancelled simultaneously. Just cancelling AUKUS could leave it open for the rotations of  US nuclear powered submarines (SSNs) at HMAS Stirling to proceed  as they are under the Enhanced Maritime Cooperation Initiative of the FPA.

Equally if only the FPA was cancelled, the US rotations which are a part of the AUKUS Optimal Pathway, to achieve the construction and delivery of SSN-AUKUS as an enduring nuclear-powered submarine capability for Australia, could still technically proceed.’

The four prominent Australians who spoke at the launch all called on the Australian Government to either review or cancel both agreements.

Attributable quotes from the Launch presenters:

Doug Cameron (Labor Against War, former ALP Senator)
‘We should make it clear to the US that we will retain our sovereign right not to be caught up in a war with a major trading partner, and we should insist that we will not engage in a war over Taiwan.’

‘There are many military strategists who have analysed the relative strength of the US and Chinese military. There is a growing consensus that the US could not defeat China if war breaks out between these two superpowers.’            

Retired Major General Michael Smith
‘At a time when the world should be uniting to counter climate disruption, avoid nuclear war, achieve the sustainable development goals and mitigate the threat of future pandemics, we seem to be heading in the opposite direction.’

‘One thing is certain, the worst possible outcome for Australia is war between China and the US, in which we become involved, and most likely would suffer collateral damage.’

‘We need to withdraw military assets from the South China Sea, where so called freedom of navigation operations are likely to cause a major conflict.’

Kellie Tranter, Declassified Australia
‘The combined effect of the Force Posture Agreement, and other defence agreements with the United States is to nullify Australia’s capacity to make independent decisions about war avoidance and war fighting.’

‘Together, they lock us into providing the United States, first, with secured areas under its control, from which it may conduct a war; and second, with comprehensive logistical support for any such folly.’

Mary Kostakidis, Journalist asks:
‘Do we have the freedom to act as a constructive force in our region for peace, security, and prosperity for all, at a time when the alternative will likely land us in a war against China?’

To sign the Petition Public Call to the Australian Government
We the undersigned, call on our government to cancel the AUKUS and Force Posture Agreements to stop:

  • Nuclear submarines using Australian ports
  • Nuclear submarine waste being stored on Australian territory
  • Nuclear capable bombers operating from Australia
  • Use of Australian territory as a base for US war operations
  • Australian cities becoming military targets
  • Sign the Petition Public Call

ENDS
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Media Interviews: Annette Brownlie 0431 597 256
Media Liaison: Jonathan Pilbrow 0403 611 815

Bio: Annette Brownlie is 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.

[i] AUKUS was first signed in 2021 and was superseded in 2024 by AUKUS 2.0

[ii] The Force Posture Agreement (FPA):

  • Allows the USA to use Australia as an operational base in its wars.
  • Allows the USA to operate nuclear-capable bombers and warships from Australia, without Australian control, and without declaring any nuclear weapons on board.
  • Automatically makes us a party to any USA war actions.