Articles 
RESOLUTION ON HUMANITARIAN CONSEQUENCES OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS USE
RESOLUTION ON THE TREATY ON THE PROHIBITION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS
GLOBAL RISKS OF NUCLEAR WAR
FOREIGN MINISTER PENNY WONG
PRIME MINISTER ANTONY ALBANESE
DEFENCE MINISTER RICHARD MARLES
CC
Australian Senate
Australian House of Representatives
Advisers
Dear Penny Wong, Richard Marles and Anthony Albanese,
October seems to be the month for nuclear risks.
Just as in 1962, October was the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis, so October 2022 was arguably, either the closest or second – closest the world has come to nuclear war, at least if we are to believe the recent publication of Bob Woodward.
Risks remain higher than during the cold – war.
That the world is now in a time of elevated nuclear risk – that the risk of nuclear war is, and has been for some years now, greater than at any time in human history, with the possible exception of a brief (13 day) period at the heights of the Cuban Missile Crisis – is widely acknowledged.
But the Australian Government seems not to acknowledge that fact. These seems to be little or no planning for nuclear war in Australia’s defence or emergency response planning, and virtually no acknowledgement of the urgency of the situation at any kind of policy level.
And in our diplomacy, there is no feeling or urgency either on the nuclear disarmament issue or on the issue of nuclear risk reduction, though each of these issues complements the other one and it is arguable that reducing the risk of a nuclear apocalypse is the single most important thing in the short term that any government anywhere can possibly do.
Australian diplomats have in the past many times, acknowledged the importance of nuclear risk reduction, and Australia does vote for the Operational Readiness of Nuclear Weapons Systems resolution in the General Assembly.
The Labor Party now supposedly in Government, has reaffirmed more than once that it is committed to the signature and ratification of the TPNW by Australia. Australia has moved from opposing the resolution on the TPNW in the GA, to abstention, and as said it will attend future TPNW-EIF meetings as an observer.
These are moves in the right direction, but surely, in this time of extreme peril (for such it is), Australia should be doing more.
I am aware that there is an argument in DFAT that in times of instability such as this Australia should not rock the boat, and that the best thing to do is to do nothing.
I submit that doing nothing is far from the least risky option and may in fact be the riskiest option. It is equivalent to telling someone who is flatlining in a heart attack that we will do nothing, when we could be giving CPR.
Australia should be leading global opinion toward both the immediate – term reduction of nuclear risks and toward the complete elimination of nuclear arsenals.
It is honestly beyond comprehension that Australia would not at this moment,
--Sign, ratify, and vigorously encourage others to sign and ratify, the TPNW.
--Support the UNGA resolution on the TPNW (Move from 'abstain' to 'yes')
--Support the resolution on the Humanitarian Consequences of Nuclear Weapons use.(again, move from 'abstain' to 'yes').
--Press for a comprehensive program of nuclear risk reduction measures including but not limited to, No First Use, reaffirmation of Gorbachev/Reagan in the General Assembly, and reaffirmation of the principle that the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is in all circumstances, inadmissible.
These are issues of existential importance, on which the Government cannot remain inactive. The security and safety of every Australian, and the very existence of Australia as a nation, is at stake.
John Hallam
Nuclear weapons Campaigner PND
Nuclear weapons Campaigner, Human Survival Project
Co-Convenor, Abolition 2000 Nuclear Risk Reduction Working Group
Member, No First Use Global Steering Committee
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
61-411-854-612
