Anti-war activist notebook

Action needed to stop nuclear threat

ADELAIDE — Eighty people attended a meeting on August 3 to mark the anniversary of the US atom-bombing of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

The meeting was addressed by David Palmer, senior lecturer in American Studies at Flinders University; David Noonan from the Australian Conservation Foundation; Dimity Hawkins from Friends of the Earth; and Avon Hudson from the Maralinga Veterans Association.

Noonan pointed out that united community and union action is the only reason for increasing opposition by the South Australian Labor government to the federal Coalition government's plan to create a nuclear waste dump in SA. Palmer stressed the need for information, action and international solidarity to stop the development and deployment of nuclear weapons. "It's not enough to have a commemoration", he said, "we have to be active".

Protest against food irradiation

BRISBANE — On the 58th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, a picket was held outside the entrance of the Queensland health department to protest the irradiation of food products in Australia.

A food irradiation facility is under construction at the Narangba industrial estate, 30km north of Brisbane, despite overwhelming opposition from local residents.

"When the community voted at a public meeting, only four people out of 1200 were for the irradiation facility going ahead", said Fran Jell, a member of the East Narangba Community Action Group.

After the picket was joined by a contingent of Books Not Bombs activists, the protesters marched to King George Square to join the large Hiroshima Day rally.

UWA anti-war forum

PERTH — On August 5, Action in Solidarity with Asia and the Pacific chairperson Max Lane addressed a public forum at the University of Western Australia organised by the UWA Anti-War Collective.

Lane explained the role of Australia's imperialist foreign policy in the Asia-Pacific region, using the example of the Solomon Islands.

The UAW Anti-War Collective meets at 1pm every Tuesday, in Arts Lecture Room 9 (Arts 1.61).

From Green Left Weekly, August 13, 2003.

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From GLW issue 549