Radioactive Show Emma Crunch, AC Hunter & Michaela Stubbs

Part two of the Community Speak out for Peace held at the Australian Nuclear Free Alliance meeting 2024.Strong words from Mitch, Eastern Arrernte and Luritja woman, and a 20 year nuclear free activist who fought a nuclear waste dump proposal for her Country by starting a direct action beside the road. Followed by MUA vice-president Garry Keane, speaking about safety for wharfies and unionists. Finally, we’ll hear from Dave Sweeney of the Australian Conservation Foundation. Nat Wasley, long term Nuclear Free organiser and Maritime Union Australia worker and member, facilitates the forum.

An in studio conversation with Ray Acheson, a writer and activist, visiting from their current home of New York. Ray is the director of Reaching Critical Will, a member of the ICAN, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons steering committee, which is the disarmament program of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. We discuss the strength of First Nations' organising on all things nuclear in 'Australia', the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, AUKUS, police repressiong, organisin against 'cop cities' in the US, and the hope of mutual aid and solidarity. They are the author of ‘Banning the Bomb, Smashing the Patriarchy’ published in 2021 and ‘Abolishing State Violence: a world beyond bombs, borders and cages’. Ray has returned to so called ‘Australia’ to attend the 2024 Australian Nuclear Free Alliance conference, as well as reconnect with struggles and community here.ANFAReaching Critical WillICAN AustraliaAbolishing State Violence by Ray Acheson Banning the Bomb, Smashing the Patriarchy by Ray AchesonArticle about Australia-Israel FOI request mentioned in interview

In today’s show we share with you audio recorded at the Community Speak out at the Australian Nuclear Free Alliance meeting, March 15-17th.ANFA is a grassroots alliance that has brought together Aboriginal people and civil society groups concerned about existing or proposed nuclear developments in ‘so called’ Australia since 1997. The was the first East Coast meeting of ANFA and was called to come to the East Coast due to the nearby proposed stationing of nuclear submarines at Port Kembla, a key part of the AUKUS deal, just 15km from the coastal city of Wollongong. At the Sunday Community speak out delegates from across many different Aboriginal Countries, who had travelled thousands of kms to be at ANFA, shared stories and heard from local unionists and organisers. From the desert to the sea, links were made between nuclear projects, their impacts and struggles against them. Speakers are, Natalise Wasley (MC) of the Maritime Union of Australia, ANFA president and chairperson- Sue Coleman Haseldine and Trish Frail, Henry Rajendra- President of the Teachers Federation NSW, and Arthur Rorris, Secretary of South Coast Labour Council.Australian Nuclear Free AllianceWollongong Against War and Nukes 

This week we bring you more presentations from the Australian Nuclear Free Alliance meeting in Wollongong, 16-18 March.  We hear from Mirarr representative Corben Mujandi about the long struggle of the Mirrar to end uranium mining in Kakadu and the pressure from mining companies and the Government that continue today.  Kirsten Blair who works with the Mirarr's Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation shares some of the history of the campaign. Then Walpiri woman Valerie Martin and Barbara Shaw, fourth generation town camper in Mpartnwe-Alice Springs discuss the Nolans rare earth mine that will leave a legacy of radioactive waste 135km north of Alice Springs.

It’s been a year since the Australian government unveiled its AUKUS military pact with the US and the UK that will see it acquire nuclear-powered submarines, forecast to cost up to AU$368 billion. It's a deal that poses serious threat to regional and global health and security, runs counter to our commitment to nuclear non-proliferation and brings us closer to nuclear weapons capability.  The 14th March saw the start of a week of actions against AUKUS all across the continent and the Radioactive Show travelled to Mt. Keira on Wadi Wadi Lands in Wollongong to the meeting of the Australian Nuclear Free Alliance (ANFA) a grassroots alliance that has brought together Aboriginal people and civil society groups concerned about existing or proposed nuclear developments in 'so called' Australia Since 1997.  This was the first East Coast meeting of ANFA and was initiated due to the potential for stationing of nuclear submarines at Port Kembla.Today we hear from Greens Senator David Shoebridge addressing the meeting on some of the serious threats from AUKUS.  Currently the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee is conducting an Inquiry into Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety Bill 2023 [Provisions] and Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2023 that will report on April 26.  We also share recordings from the launch of the Peace Walk Against AUKUS that had a send off at the ANFA meeting on Sunday 17 March and set off from Port Kembla on Monday 18 March.  Local elder Uncle Peter Button held a smoking ceremony to begin the walk.  The walk will continue on to arrive in Canberra on 17 April and you can follow along on the social media (Beyond Uranium Canberra or via the website www.beyonduraniumcanberra.net.Finally we'll hear long time anti-nuclear activist and former Radioactive Show presenter Bilbo speaking about the Keepers of Lake Eyre anniversary that will meet up on 26 March to talk about the next steps in the protection of Arabana country and in particular the sacred mound springs.

This week we discuss a Federal Government's public consultation for the  “Northern Water Desalination and Pipeline Infrastructure Project” in South Australia that could be critical to the campaign to attain protection for the Mound Springs of the Great Artesian Basin – sacred sites to the Arabunna people who's land BHP draws water from for their Roxby Downs uranium mine.  Submissions are open till close of business on Thursday 21 March.  You can find a copy of Independent Environmental Campaigner David Noonan's Briefing Paper here and Submission here.  We encourage you to make a submission using the EPBC Act public portal.We also bring you a speech from Djuran Bunjileenee - Robbie Thorpe, Gunai Kurnai elder from the Camp Sovereignty 18th Anniversary concert and tribute to the late Uncle Kevin Buzzacott that was held on Tuesday 12 March.  And some words from Uncle Wayne Thorpe from the closing ceremony fire.  Check out the Black People's Union or Old Country Calling social media sites for details of worskhops, film screenings and other events at Camp Sovereignty.  All are welcome to come down anytime for a chat, daily shared dinner at 7pm and sunset smoking ceremony.