Mel Barnes, an activist withΒ , and Pip Hinman, ΒιΆΉΣ³» 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 βMoney for climate, not war! No to AUKUS, nuclear subsβ forum, organised by ΒιΆΉΣ³» and Socialist Alliance, also focused on howΒ to build the anti-war campaign.
Hinman said AUKUS aims to bring the West closerΒ to a US-led war on China. βIf it was to happen, this war could end the world β or at least make a large part uninhabitable.
βThe US is by far the biggest military power in the world β three times bigger than China, whose economy is now approaching the size of the US,β Hinman said.
βIt also has about 750 military bases in more than 80 countries, and a ring of bases surrounds China.β
She said Australia is fast becoming a more significant part of the military encirclement of China, and AUKUS is a part of this. βAUKUS 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.β
Barnes explained the origins of the Illawarra-based WAWAN, which is campaigning to prevent a nuclear submarine base from being built at Port Kembla.
βPort Kembla is a terrible place for a nuclear base,β Barnes said. Any nuclear submarine base would end the existing maritime industry, she said, adding, βPort Kembla is also the centre for a planned renewable energy hubβ.
βWe donβt want to wait until itβs a βdone dealβ. We want to build a strong community campaign that says we donβt want a military base in our town, nor should any community have one [foisted on to it].β
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 20β21.
[The Sydney Anti-AUKUS Coalition is going ahead with an .]