Health professionals in Australia have strongly criticised the government for preaching respect for international law in Syria, while practising the opposite. Australia strongly endorses attacks on Syria by the US, the UK and France which violate international law, given they are neither conducted in self-defence nor authorised by the UN . Claims by Foreign Minister […]
Australia and war
Parliamentary Debate on Going to War is Long Overdue
This week marks the 15th anniversary, on March 20, of one of Australia’s most disastrous foreign policy decisions – our involvement in the invasion of Iraq. To characterise this as “our” involvement however does a great disservice to the millions of Australians who were vehemently opposed to the decision that was made by just one […]
The Strategic Dilemmas in Militarising Australian Exports
The Australian government’s recent decision to adopt an ambitious new defence manufacturing plan has met with controversy. Far beyond most job-creation initiatives, Malcolm Turnbull’s plan has international ramifications.
Keep a strict line
(Published by The Age – letters page 5 February 2018) Over the years Australia has sold guns to government institutions in Papua New Guinea, which have sold them on to criminals in the civilian population. Armed violence now makes PNG one of the world’s most dangerous countries for its own citizens and for visitors. Australia […]
No cause for celebration in exporting death and destruction
PM Turnbull’s claim that it’s all about “jobs” is a contemptible fig-leaf for forcing people into the business of war profiteering.
Murky business: Australia’s defence industry is growing, but at what cost?
It’s a nearly impossible task to discover exactly what Australia is selling and to whom because the federal government refuses to say, but nuggets of information make it clear that Canberra is aggressively selling weapons and defence equipment to countries involved in conflicts where human rights abuses are being perpetrated.