IPAN Patrons
Emeritus Professor Ian Lowe & Kellie Tranter
MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 19 October 2024
- Australia directly implicated in middle east warzone by use of Northern air bases
- Australia must immediately draw back from engaging in the conflict.
- Australian facilities should not be made available for attacking the Middle East
- Australia should cut diplomatic ties with the Likud regime
- Australia must decisively end all bilateral miltech trade with Israel
For almost 12 months, the Labor Government has outwardly expressed support for a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Gaza. At the same time Government voices have variously accused peace protestors of bringing unwanted conflict to our shores.
But Australia is now directly implicated in the growing warzone with the significant decision to permit Northern air bases to provide support to this week’s attack by USA B2 bombers on Houthis in Yemen, stated Mr Justin Tutty, spokesperson for the Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN).
“Beyond adding fuel to the fire, this unprecedented move illustrates a great risk of the growing USA military presence in Australia”, stated Mr Tutty.
“The Force Posture Agreement has given the USA unimpeded access and control at gazetted sites allowing the USA to take actions that implicate Australia in global conflict, regardless of the will of the Australian people – or even the Australian Parliament”, said Mr Tutty.
This year of violence has already exposed false vows of ‘rules-based order’. “Now we have also done away with pretence that Labor’s tolerance of IDF Atrocity Crimes was about prioritising social cohesion – to avoid “taking sides[1]”, stated Mr Tutty.
Top End MP, Member for Solomon, Luke Gosling’s endorsement of the USA’s attack in Yemen exposes Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s lip-service towards “ceasefire”.
Where Mr Gosling earlier dismissed the ceasefire call as “megaphone diplomacy”, he’s now backed a role in the expanding conflict – clearly taking sides and showing disregard for the many Australians currently in outright despair.
“IPAN calls on Australia to immediately draw back from engaging in the conflict and ensure no Australian facilities are made available for attacking the Middle East”, stated Mr Tutty
“In addition Australia should cut diplomatic ties with the Likud regime; and we must decisively end all bilateral mil-tech trade with Israel, until ‘ceasefire’ graduates from lip service to reality”, stated Mr Tutty.
Media Interviews: M: Justin Tutty 0424 028 741
Media Liaison: Jonathan Pilbrow 0403 611 815
Bio: Justin Tutty is a Darwin-based anti-nuclear activist and founding member of IPAN
[1] https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Hansard/Hansard_Display?bid=chamber/hansards/27133/&sid=0276