This week we farewelled ACU student Kieran who has completed his public health placement with us, and welcome to Macquarie University students who join us this semester.
Misleading claims about nuclear waste
We were glad to see the ABC update a recent story on proposed nuclear waste storage in Rockingham, WA, to include our refutal of Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy’s claims about submarine waste. The Minister, defending plans to store nuclear waste, falsely said that “anywhere that has a hospital that deals with medical imagery that involves radioactive isotopes has exactly the same level of waste.”
We told the ABC:
“The vast majority of nuclear waste from hospitals is very short-lived waste or very low level waste, both of which go to normal rubbish streams after a month or two.”
“The proposed submarine waste is low level waste (LLW), which needs isolation from the environment for 300 years.“
Read the full story: click here.
Last month we also wrote to the Federal Directors of Liberals and Nationals asking for false and misleading information linking nuclear medicine and nuclear energy to be retracted and removed from public communications.
Parliamentary inquiry: nuclear waste
Earlier this month MAPW gave evidence to the Public Works Committee inquiry on Submarine Rotational Force-West, Priority Works, HMAS Stirling. Dr Sue Wareham told the inquiry that plans for nuclear waste storage lack transparency, and that the public has been misled about the nature of the waste, including through false analogy with hospital waste. You can find the full transcript of the public hearing here.
ARPANSA: questions to answer
And in relation to submarine waste, MAPW has asked the ARPANSA CEO to answer for a series of actions and decisions that have undermined the agency’s accountability. You can find the letter on our website: click here.
Weapons companies in schools: progress in the ACT
We have welcomed the ACT education directorate’s decision to decline to participate in a program run by weapons company Northrop Grumman.
We’re amongst the organisations who have been lobbying state and territory education departments to adopt and implement policies to prohibit the weapons industry from promoting itself to schoolkids. Correspondence to the minister and potential controversy were cited in the directorate’s decision not to associate with Northrop Grumman.
We’ve now asked officials to apply the decision to all programs sponsored by weapons companies.
ANU changes weapons investment policy
Thank you to MAPW members who – as Australian National University staff or alumni – made a submission to ANU’s review of its socially responsible investment policy.
Following intense pressure from students, ANU agreed to review its investments in weapons companies, and has now decided to update its investment policy to exclude weapons companies and companies involved with controversial weapons.
We have welcomed this development, but have asked to see the policy and for more detail on how ANU will define controversial weapons. We have also raised a question about revenue thresholds, and are waiting for ANU’s response.
Hunter’s Hill cleanup
After decades of campaigning by residents and advocates – including MAPW NSW – radioactive contaminated waste will finally be removed from Sydney’s Hunter’s Hill. We welcome this development, and thank everyone involved. Particular thanks to MAPW NSW co-convenor Lynne Saville and to Tilman Ruff!
Gaza
We continue to lobby the Australian government for decisive action to protect life and uphold the law in Palestine.
Physicians for Human Rights Israel
In July, together with Australian and New Zealand Doctors for Palestine, we facilitated a meeting between Dr Mike Freelander MP and Physicians for Human Rights Israel on the subject of urgently-needed medical evacuations. More than 15 000 patients require evacuation from Gaza (WHO), but there is no durable system in place for medical evacuations and no guarantee that Israel will permit patients to return home.
Thank you to the MAPW members who participated in this meeting; we await an outcome.
Royal Melbourne Hospital
Also in July, we supported RMH medical and other staff in their call for action from hospital leadership. We endorsed staff requests for the hospital to publicly call for a ceasefire, disclose and divest from any weapons industry connections, and end partnerships with companies illegally operating on occupied Palestinian territory in line with international law.
UniMelb Students
MAPW wrote to University of Melbourne leadership asking them to drop disciplinary action against 21 students involved in anti-genocide protests. We argued that the student’s right to assemble was fundamental – and that their demands were entirely legitimate. Read the full letter over at Croakey.
Healthcare Students Association for Prevention of War
We are very proud to have a new, fully-fledged student group up and running! Healthcare Students Association for Prevention of War (HSAPW) has come together to advance the work of MAPW, develop advocacy skills, and foster the next generation of activists for peace and health. The executive team is made up of students from around Australia.
You can get in touch with HSAPW at [email protected], or follow them over on Facebook and Instagram.
You can also join HSAPW’s online event on 4 September, featuring doctors recently returned from Gaza. More information: click here.