A Public Call for Peace
On the anniversary of the announcement of the AUKUS war pact with US and UK, a powerful call for peace will appear in
The Saturday Paper on 17 September and in
The Weekend Australian on 24 September.
Signed and financed by 78 organisations and 650 individuals it calls on the Government to:
- refuse to go to war against China
- scrap AUKUS and forget about buying nuclear submarines and other wasteful armaments
- use the money saved to address urgent social need
The statement has been co-ordinated by the Australian Anti-AUKUS Coalition (AAAC)
Former Australian diplomat and signatory to the statement, Bruce Haigh said: “The large number of community organisations and individuals who have signed this public call for peace is an indication of the depth of concern in the community about the defence and foreign policy directions of the Australian Government.”
The AAAC was formed on 20th March 2022, at a national meeting of members from peace, community, environment, social justice, independence, faith and socialist organisations and unions from across Australia.
It launched a broad national campaign against the AUKUS (Australia, UK, US) military pact, and the acquisition and stationing of nuclear-powered submarines in Australia.
Lowy research indicates the majority of Australians do not support war against China.
Bruce Haigh continued: “The AUKUS pact was imposed on the Australian people by the previous Morrison Government without public or parliamentary discussion or approval. It was an undemocratic action.
This public call for peace is directed at the current Australian Government. It demands repudiation of this imposition on the Australian people, an imposition leading Australia into conflict against China with the U.S. and U.K.”
This national coalition is calling for a united front against AUKUS, nuclear submarines and a broad movement for peace and a nuclear free Australia. We oppose Australia’s involvement in US-led wars and preparations for war with China.
We welcome more signatures as the statement remains open at antiaukuscoalition.org
The full text of the statement:
“We call on the Government of Australia, in the interests of peace and security for the Australian people and the region:
- To advise its AUKUS partners that Australia will not be involved in a war against China over Taiwan or disputed territorial waters in the South China Sea, or any other country, and will not allow use of Australian territory for that purpose
- To sign and ratify the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
- To cancel military spending for AUKUS war preparations, including cancellation of the acquisition of nuclear-propelled submarines, so that urgent domestic social needs (climate change mitigation, education, health including public hospitals and housing) can be better addressed”
Media Interviews: Contact Bruce Haigh Phone:0417 037 988
AAAC Media Liaison: Bevan Ramsden Phone: 0418 697 528