Australia should be a nation that leads the world in promoting peace, not war.
In 2018, we look set to lead the world in a different way. The Australian government’s recent plans to put Australia into the top 10 weapons manufacturers globally will take us down the road to increasing the amount of death, destruction and human rights abuses occurring every day around the world. Over the next ten years the Australian government also plans to spend $200 billion on high tech planes, ships and submarines. A large proportion of this equipment is to support US strategic policy, not to defend Australia. It is designed to integrate our armed forces more closely to the war fighting activities of the US military industrial establishment, as do the US bases at Pine Gap, North West cape and Kojarena.
IPAN does not believe that more taxpayer dollars should be committed to the manufacture of weapons used in war, and we should instead invest in health, education, or transport for much greater, and significantly more ethical, job growth.
Our Government’s foreign policy should focus on promoting dialogue and supporting other countries to address the causes of war and offer resources to help create the conditions for peace – not actively promote measures which perpetuate war.
If you are interested in hearing more about this campaign or volunteering on the campaign, please contact your state or territory IPAN representative. See ‘About IPAN’ – ‘Who we are’.