2020-08-31
The issue of nuclear disarmament drew together various environmentalist groups in the 1980s, resulting in formation of The Greens (WA); and there’s still plenty to do
By Hon. Robin Chapple, MLC for Mining and Pastoral
The conversation around nuclear disarmament was a catalyst for the “green” movement in WA. The State’s lack of action on ecological and nuclear matters would see a conglomeration formed from the various, disparate environmentalist groups of the time; eventually culminating in a nation-wide party with a clear message on nuclear arms. Anti-nuclear and peace concerns led to record numbers attending rallies in the 1980s, led by the umbrella group People for Nuclear Disarmament. Many of these activists from the peace, anti-nuclear and disarmament movements, as well as from environment, social and political groupings were to become important organisers of future political developments in WA. In light of the anniversary of the two atomic bombs used by American forces on Japanese non-combatants, we must again consider the topic of nuclear arms and their place within Australian society and Australian values.
As we work through the issue of nuclear disarmament it is essential that its international nature remain forefront. We cannot continue to view nuclear arms as a problem of a single State; they are a problem for us all. We must collectively come to an understanding that – for better or worse – we live in a vast and intricate international community. The Coronavirus has demonstrated that we are perhaps too interconnected. As these weapons are developed and the technology grows with it, it is archaic that our global policy position – and the defence of nations – relies on mutually assured destruction. To my mind, that whole concept is the thesis of the 20th century and has no place in the 21st. We must maintain that disarmament and nuclear regulations are transparent and led by the international community. We must ensure our own hands are clean before we start pointing fingers.
It has been some 80 years since the first atomic testing and we still have no real long-term plan for nuclear waste, fallout, or radiation cancers. With no avenue for mitigation, or rehabilitation, the question of what is still as important as the question of why. We all enjoy modern conveniences; the devices; the upgrades, but we cannot let this veneer of modernity blind us. There is still technology available to us that we cannot control safely. We cannot become complacent with nuclear issues. The international community must do better to manage and communicate its issues with nuclear arms, and it is the duty of the People to ensure that we head towards nuclear disarmament.
Header photo: an original copy (via negative film) of Jo Vallentine confronting an American aircraft carrier, an iconic picture that led to the establishment of the Jo Vallentine Peace Party which eventually became The Greens (WA).