- Opposing AUKUS, nuclear submarines and nuclear waste
- Campaigning for a just, peaceful and sustainable world
Perth October 4th – 6th, 2024
The conference was in person at Perth, and available online by zoom
The conference hosted a range of expert Australian and international speakers as well as providing networking and discussion opportunities amongst attendees.
Themes for the conference presentations and discussions included:
- AUKUS – alternatives to $368 billion, dangers of nuclear waste, implications for Australian security
- Lessons from Gaza
- Developing regional peace initiatives in the Asia – Pacific region
- Impacts of war on the environment and on Indigenous People’s rights
- Countering threats of nuclear war
- Campaigning for more independent and genuine defence policy for Australia
- Building a broader and active movement for independence, justice, peace and a sustainable environment.
PROGRAM of activities
Friday 4th October Gathering at Gates of HMAS Stirling Naval Base
Trip to HMAS Stirling Gates with speakout, banners and song, lunch at Rockingham foreshore and a further protest and photo shoot at BAE Gates near Australian Marine Complex, Henderson
Friday Public Meeting at Perth City Library
AUKUS, Palestine and the connections with First Nations People’s Rights; War preparation; Pine Gap
530pm
Welcome to Country, Rev Mitchell Garlett
Public Meeting Facilitator Jo Vallentine
Former WA Premier Carmen Lawrence AO AUKUS: Australia’s foreign policy debacle
Senator Fatima Payman What Australia’s policy response to Gaza should be?
Professor Lisa Natividad, Guam University: Build up of military presence in Guhan. Parallels with Australia
Senator Jordon Steele John, AUKUS, ADF, Foreign Policy
Saturday 5th October – Conference Day 1
UC Conference Centre, Level 1, 97 William St., Perth (Boorloo)
8:50am Conference welcome. Acknowledgement of country & Opening
IPAN Chairperson Annette Brownlie
9:00am – 10:30am Geo-Political Situation: Preventing World War III? Palestine, Sudan, USA & UK Elections; NATO-Russia-US-China
Facilitator Viv Glance
Message from Kellie Tranter, IPAN Patron
pre recorded video message from Vijay Prashad Indian historian and author
John Lander, Former Aust ambassador: Australia China US dilemma
Prof Anu Chenoy from India online: Overall geopolitics/NATO/impact on Asia Pacific region
Hiba Farra Friends of Palestine WA: Palestine genocide with the creation of a worldwide youth peace movement
Questions and small group discussions to explore ways to engage with community over this issue
11:00am – 1:00 pm AUKUS Pillars 1 & 2; Militarism of Universities; US Drive to War on China
Facilitator Dr. Christopher Crouch
Part I:
Prof. Kanishka Jayasuriya Professor of Politics and International Studies, Murdoch University: AUKUS in context
Sian Troath Postdoctoral Fellow at ANU: AUKUS Pillar 2 and the Military Academic Complex (zoom)
Margie Beavis VP, Medical Association for Prevention of War(MAPW : naval nuclear reactor Safety and security risks; debunking SRF-West (US & UK rotations) low level waste )(zoom)
Dorinda Cox – First Nations Greens Senator for WA: AUKUS nuclear waste and First Nations perspectives
Part II:
WA campaign highlights and conversations with Stop AUKUS WA campaigners and zoomed in updates from other anti AUKUS groups
Erin Russell, Curtin Uni student activist member on fighting against Militarism in Universities, including the AUKUS Workforce Alliance
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Followed by Q&A
2:00pm – 3:30pm More independent and genuine Defence policy for Australia
Facilitator Dennis Rumley
Panelists:
Bevan Ramsden IPAN Convenor of Force Posture working group: IPAN’s Alternative Self-Defence Proposals
Senator David Shoebridge (online) An independent Australian Foreign policy
Retired Major Cameron Leckie Former ADF (online): Australian alternative defence policy
Adjunct Prof Al Palazzo UNSW-Canberra, former Director of War Studies for the Australian Army: Alternative Defence and the new Australian Peace and Security Forum (APSF)
Questions and small group discussions to explore ways to engage with community over this issue
4:00pm – 530pm Regional Peace Initiatives in Asia Pacific
Facilitator Adrian Glamorgan
Professor Lisa Natividad (Social Work at the University of Guam)
Ann Wright Former US army Colonel, Veterans for Peace, Code Pink (online) :The Pacific Region
Cora Fabros Philippines, Director International Peace Bureau (online)
Annette Brownlie Pacific Peace Network
Questions and small group discussions to explore ways to engage with community over this issue
Sunday 6th October – Conference Day 2
UC Conference Centre, Level 1, 97 William St., Perth (Boorloo)
9:00am – 10:30am Impact of War and Military on the Environment
Arms Build Up/Nuclear waste on First Nations land/Threat of Nuclear War; Building community opposition to nuclear energy; Environmental costs &consequences of Australia as US force projection base
Facilitator Brad Pettit
Message to IPAN Conference from Jeremy Corbyn
Emeritus Professor Ian Lowe: Military Emissions & storage
Mia Pepper/ KA Garlick Nuclear Free Alliance WA
Debbie Carmody First Nations speaker
Phil Ugle
Andrew Irvine ETU Qld & NT
Questions and small group discussions to explore ways to engage with community over this issue
11:00am – 12:30pm Democracy- Threats and Secret Deals, militarisation of education
Limits on protests etc; Lack of Transparency, Citizen (Participatory) Democracy, co-option of education into militarism
Facilitator: Tamara Jacka
video pre record by Michelle Fahy
Petrina Harley WA Disrupt Burrup Hub
Elise West MAPW & Teachers for Peace (Online) Campaigning against militarisation of education system
Ella Marchionda student activist and co-founder of the Students for Palestine Curtin University Encampment: Suppression of protest on campus + exposing generic militarisation of Universities
Andrew Fowler Author of NUKED (Online): Exposing AUKUS background and impact threats to democracy
Questions and small group discussions to explore ways to engage with community over this issue
1:30pm -3:30pm Workshopping : The way forward
Facilitator: Adrian Glamorgan
Professor Winnifred Louis (UQ Social Psychology): video presentation on ways to engage with everyday people
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IPAN Working Groups Coordinators: presentation of work and campaigns
Workshop discussions on strategy
3:30pm – 4:00 pm Plenary Session
Former WA Senator Jo Vallentine
Presentation and vote on Conference Communique
Close of conference
IPAN Chairperson Annette Brownlie