MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE 1 August 2023
• AUSMIN (U.S. and Australia’s defence and foreign affairs ministers annual conference) decisions represent
- A further sell out of sovereignty to the U.S.
- A tightening of the U.S. grip on Australia
- Further preparation for war
• IPAN calls for a reversal of this process to achieve independence for Australia and so keep Australia out of US wars and promote peace in our region
The Independent and Peaceful Australia Network are greatly concerned that the 2023 AUSMIN talks have resulted in decisions which tighten the U.S. grip on Australia, further sell out our sovereignty and lock Australia into U.S. plans and preparations for war against China.
“It is a national disgrace that our government, indeed successive governments of both major parties, have enthusiastically embraced this militarisation of Australia by the United States and are unquestioningly following U.S. foreign policy and turning Australia into a U.S. military base and a springboard for a U.S. war against China”, stated IPAN spokesperson, Dr Alison Broinowski.
56 per cent of Australians want Australia to remain neutral in a U.S. war against China. 73% of Australian women favour neutrality in such a situation.[1] “There is widespread dissent within the Australian community with the AUKUS agreement and the $368 billion to be spent on nuclear powered submarines.”
“The litany of appalling decisions, undermining the independence and security of Australia and the region must end”, stated Dr Broinowski.
Such decisions include a fresh expansion of the deployment of U.S. forces to Australia including amphibious troops and maritime reconnaissance planes; and American intelligence analysts becoming embedded within the Defence’s spy agency in Canberra establishing a Combined Intelligence Centre- Australia within Australia’s Defence Intelligence Organisation by 2024 (see also list of decisions below).
“Instead of turning Australia into a U.S. military base the Australian people want Australia to:
• Turn against this march to war
• Assert an independent posture regarding keeping out of war
• Put effort into promoting peaceful/mutually beneficial relations with all countries – incl. the U.S., China
• Spend public funds on urgent social needs, not on nuclear submarines”, stated Dr Broinowski.
These sentiments were reinforced in the 2022 IPAN led People’s Inquiry final report which highlighted the views of many Australian people regarding the Australia-U.S. alliance and Australia’s involvement in U.S. led wars. https://ipan.org.au/wp-content/uploads/CHARTING-OUR-OWN-COURSE_softcopylinks.pdf
For Media Interviews: Dr Alison Broinowski 0422 608 580
Media Liaison: Jonathan Pilbrow 0403 611 815
Bio: About Dr Alison Broinowski, AM, FAIIA, FAHA, Former Australian Diplomat, Academic and Author
Alison joined the Australian foreign service in 1963 and then alternated between living and working in Japan, Burma (Myanmar), the Philippines, South Korea, Jordan, Mexico, and the US (UN New York).
Alison is the author or editor of 14 books and many articles on Australia’s interface with the world, particularly Asia. Her books include Howard’s War, 2003 and Allied and Addicted, 2007.
After 1996 Alison taught and researched international relations at the Australian National University, Macquarie University, and the University of Wollongong. Alison is the President of Australians for War Powers Reform (since 2022) and a Board member of World BEYOND War.
Between 2020 and 2022, Alison was a panel member of the Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN)’s People’s Inquiry – exploring the case for an independent and peaceful Australia and examining the costs and costs of Australia’s involvement in U.S. Wars and the U.S.-Australia alliance. https://ipan.org.au/wp-content/uploads/CHARTING-OUR-OWN-COURSE_softcopylinks.pdf
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List of AUSMIN Decisions
The AUSMIN re-affirmed a joint commitment to operationalise the Alliance including through Enhanced Force Posture Cooperation across land, maritime and air domains as well as through the Combined Logistics, Sustainment and Maritime Enterprise. They declared Enhanced Space Cooperation as a new Force Posture Initiative to enable closer cooperation on this critical operational domain.
There will be a fresh expansion of the deployment of U.S. forces to Australia including amphibious troops and maritime reconnaissance planes.
American intelligence analysts will be embedded within the Defence’s spy agency in Canberra establishing a Combined Intelligence Centre- Australia within Australia’s Defence Intelligence Organisation by 2024.
In addition to upgrading RAAF Tindal and Darwin there will be expansion and “hardening” against attacks of two other RAAF bases in the north, one at Weipa, RAAF Scherger and one at Curtain in WA. Both are so-called “bare bases” with runway and minimal facilities, but upgrades could include fuel storage, widening parking aprons to house bigger types of warplanes and protective bunkers for storing explosives.
This upgrading will service aircraft common to Australia and the U.S. including F-35’s, Super Hornet fighter jets and C-17 cargo planes. Previous to AUSMIN 2023, upgrades to RAAF Tindal were announced for servicing up to six US B52 bombers.
Through Enhanced Maritime Cooperation there will be more and longer visits of US nuclear submarines to HMAS Stirling in WA from 2023. These visits are in preparation for Submarine Rotational Force-West involving UK and US nuclear submarines porting and servicing under the AUKUS Agreement.
The Americans will now conduct a “regular rotation” of U.S. army watercraft as well as deploy a US Navy spy plane to conduct surveillance flights. The U.S. announced its intent to pre-position U.S. Army stores and materiel in Bandiana in Victoria as a precursor for longer term establishment of an enduring Logistics Support Area in Queensland designed to enhance interoperability and accelerate the ability to respond to regional crises. The U.S. will collaborate with Australia in guided multiple launch missile production to commence by 2025.
[1] Figures from 2023 Lowy Institute Poll |
