Mel Barnes, an activist with聽, and Pip Hinman, 91自拍论坛 editor and activist were the panellists at a lively discussion about AUKUS and the vast sums being spent on a new war drive on May 16.
The 鈥淢oney for climate, not war! No to AUKUS, nuclear subs鈥 forum, organised by 91自拍论坛 and Socialist Alliance, also focused on how聽to build the anti-war campaign.
Hinman said AUKUS aims to bring the West closer聽to a US-led war on China. 鈥淚f it was to happen, this war could end the world 鈥 or at least make a large part uninhabitable.
鈥淭he US is by far the biggest military power in the world 鈥 three times bigger than China, whose economy is now approaching the size of the US,鈥 Hinman said.
鈥淚t also has about 750 military bases in more than 80 countries, and a ring of bases surrounds China.鈥
She said Australia is fast becoming a more significant part of the military encirclement of China, and AUKUS is a part of this. 鈥淎UKUS shows Canberra is not being dragged by the US into a new war: it is willingly helping ensure the US maintains its power and privilege in the Asia-Pacific.鈥
Barnes explained the origins of the Illawarra-based WAWAN, which is campaigning to prevent a nuclear submarine base from being built at Port Kembla.
鈥淧ort Kembla is a terrible place for a nuclear base,鈥 Barnes said. Any nuclear submarine base would end the existing maritime industry, she said, adding, 鈥淧ort Kembla is also the centre for a planned renewable energy hub鈥.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 want to wait until it鈥檚 a 鈥榙one deal鈥. We want to build a strong community campaign that says we don鈥檛 want a military base in our town, nor should any community have one [foisted on to it].鈥
Both speakers said the May Day march in Port Kembla on May 6 marked the beginning of a new broad-based campaign which had the potential to unite unions, environmental groups and others against AUKUS, the nuclear submarines, the nuclear waste generated from the energy and the war drive against China.
Meanwhile, to Sydney for the Quad, ostensibly because of the US budget crisis. However, the US, Japan, India and Australia may meet on the fringes of the G7 meeting in Japan over May 20鈥21.
[The Sydney Anti-AUKUS Coalition is going ahead with an .]