Motions

Nuclear Weapons

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (17:10): I move:

That this council—

1. Commemorates the 80^th anniversaries of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6 and 9 August 1945, which caused immense devastation and long-lasting human suffering;

2. Honours the memory and testimony of atomic bomb survivors (hibakusha) and nuclear test survivors, including First Nations communities in South Australia impacted by British nuclear weapons testing at Maralinga and Emu Field;

3. Recognises the ongoing health, cultural and environmental impacts of nuclear weapons use and testing;

4. Affirms South Australia’s support for a world free of nuclear weapons and recognises the 2017 UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) as a vital international instrument to help achieve that goal;

5. Acknowledges the growing support from cities, towns and councils across Australia for the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) Cities Appeal, and encourages further action at all levels of government to promote disarmament and peace; and

6. Calls on the South Australian government to ensure the state plays its part in advancing nuclear disarmament, educating future generations, and supporting communities affected by nuclear testing.

I gave notice of this prior to the winter break, and so I thank members of this council for being willing to progress this motion all the way through today. I did so so that it could be prepared in a timely way for the anniversary of this date, an incredibly important date to not forget.

On 6 August 1945 at 8.15am, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. It took roughly 45 seconds for the bomb, named Little Boy, to reach the ground, where it unleashed unprecedented devastation. Three days later, on 9 August, another atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki.

It is one thing to quote the numbers—an estimated 110,000 were killed instantly, countless more succumbed to their injuries, and generations had their lives changed forever—but beyond those numbers are people, each of them with their own stories, their lives, their families, their dreams. They were children, parents and grandparents on their way to school, to work, to the markets, to the park. They were innocent people preparing to go about their day. Their shadows are now etched in stone.

One of those people was Tsutomu Yamaguchi. Born in Nagasaki, Yamaguchi was the only person recognised by the Japanese government as a double 'hibakusha', a double atomic bomb survivor. On 6 August, Yamaguchi was in Hiroshima on business when he was caught in the atomic bomb's havoc. His ear drums were ruptured, he was temporarily blinded and he was left with serious burns over the left side of his body. Having survived, he returned home to Nagasaki.

Mr Yamaguchi, on the morning of 9 August then described what he experienced in Hiroshima. When the second atomic bomb exploded in Nagasaki, Mr Yamaguchi survived again. He did go on to live a long life and died in January 2010 at the age of 93. He became a strong proponent of nuclear disarmament. He once said, 'The reason that I hate the atomic bomb is because of what it does to the dignity of human beings.' His story is important to remember.

The human toll, both physical and psychological, of nuclear weapons use can never be healed. It is the aspect often forgotten when nations threaten to or do use nuclear weapons. Like in any war or conflict, countless lives are changed forever. In South Australia, British atomic weapons testing was carried out at Emu Field and Maralinga. Two tests were carried out in Emu Field in October 1953. Twelve major trials were conducted across three sites at Maralinga, the first of which occurred on 27 September 1956.

Some tests resulted in mushroom clouds reaching a height of 47,000 feet and radioactive fallout being detected as far away as Townsville. An undeniable part of the dark history of atomic weapons testing around the world, it is the harm caused to First Nations communities that is profound. In the United States, the first tests of an atomic bomb took place on First Nations land in New Mexico.

In South Australia, at Maralinga and Emu Field, the Australian government showed a reprehensible lack of concern for the Aboriginal community, the Anangu living on country. Extremely limited resources were allocated to finding and warning those people, with Chief Scientist of the commonwealth Department of Supply, Mr Alan Butement, saying that those concerned with finding communities living on country were 'placing the affairs of a handful of natives above those of the British Commonwealth of Nations'—despicable.

The scars of those tests still remain. One location, called Kuli, is still off limits today because it is seen as impossible to clean up. Writing for the ABC in 2020, Mike Ladd described what it is like at the site of these tests, stating:

It's not until you stand at ground zero that you fully realise the hideous power of these bombs.

Even after more than 60 years, the vegetation is cleared in a perfect circle with a one kilometre radius.

The saying goes, 'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.' It is today vital that we remember the past, not just on the anniversary but the anniversary as a timely moment to reflect, to remember the horrible impact of the use of nuclear weapons—not just the immediate horror and devastation but also the lasting health impacts and generational trauma that is inflicted.

The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) is a coalition of NGOs across more than 100 countries. It is dedicated to promoting adherence to and implementation of the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. ICAN works tirelessly to promote awareness of the impacts of nuclear weapons use and advocates for nuclear disarmament.

August 2 to 9 was a week of action for the abolition, coinciding with that 80^th anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. While the week of action again acknowledged the past, it also looked to the future, to the world we want to see. Australia, sadly, is yet to join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. To quote from the ICAN website:

…it is in the hands of everyday people to put the Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty in front of our decision-makers and office-holders to demand they work for Australia’s ratification.

All I can say to that is: hear, hear! I want to thank ICAN, their member organisations and supporters for all their work. I want to acknowledge the incredible individuals behind the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, particularly those who are known to some of us here, such as Karina Lester. Her advocacy and passion has been invaluable to the global push towards nuclear disarmament.

Karina's father, Yami Lester, was blinded by the nuclear fallout as a child from those tests at Maralinga. He spent his life raising awareness of the dangers of nuclear weapons and Karina continues his legacy, as did her sister before she passed, and they share Yami's story around the Asia Pacific, around the world, including in Hiroshima.

It is time Australia joined 94 other signatories to this treaty, including our close international friends, such as New Zealand. If we want to see a world free of nuclear weapons and safe from their use, then we need to be prepared to stand up and lead with those values. We must learn from the past and ensure future generations live without fear of nuclear weapons and that no-one ever again endures the pain and suffering of their use. With that, I commend the motion.

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (17:19): I thank the Hon. Tammy Franks for bringing this motion to the floor. It is important to note that Australia has a proud record of leadership in the international nuclear non-proliferation regime. Under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Australia is committed to not acquiring, manufacturing or receiving, and to prevent the spread of, nuclear weapons. Australia has long championed nuclear weapon free zones and was a founding member of the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty. Australia remains a key driving force in support of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.

We are proud that our state of South Australia, across various agency portfolios, is working in lockstep with the Australian government to support the delivery of the SSN-AUKUS Optimal Pathway. Australia is pursuing a nuclear non-proliferation approach for its conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine program within the framework of Australia's Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and Additional Protocol with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The leaders of Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, through the AUKUS trilateral security pact, have emphasised a commitment to nuclear non-proliferation despite Australia acquiring nuclear-powered submarines. Australia, a non-nuclear weapon nation, has a strong record of upholding international non-proliferation norms and will maintain this commitment under AUKUS. The agreement focuses on the transfer of nuclear propulsion technologies for submarines, not nuclear weapons.

As a responsible nuclear steward, Australia will manage all radioactive waste generated by its own Virginia class and SSN-AUKUS submarines, informed by international best practice and in accordance with Australia's international and domestic legal obligations and commitments. Australia will not produce nuclear fuel for SSNs. The nuclear fuel Australia receives cannot be used in nuclear weapons without further chemical processing in facilities that Australia does not have and will not seek. Nuclear power units that will not require refuelling during their lifetime is the type of nuclear fuel that we intend on receiving.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (17:22): On 6 August 1945, the world changed forever. On that day, the United States dropped the first atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima, and three days later Nagasaki faced the same fate. Within moments, the cities were obliterated. In Hiroshima alone, an estimated 140,000 people lost their lives, and in Nagasaki a further 74,000.

The devastation did not end with the explosions. Thousands more would die in the following years from leukaemia, cancer and from the ongoing insidious effects of radiation poisoning. Pregnant women exposed to the bombs suffered miscarriages and infant deaths. Surviving children often grew up with disabilities, carrying visible reminders of humanity's most terrible weapon.

The survivors of those bombings are known as hibakusha, the bomb-affected people. Today, only a small number remain. After living through the horror of nuclear weapons, they have dedicated their lives to ensuring that no-one else will ever endure what they did. For them, survival was not just a physical challenge; it was survival amidst overwhelming grief, sickness and even discrimination. Many hibakusha faced rejection in later life when seeking partners, as others feared their tainted bloodlines.

The concerns about the casualties of a ground invasion of Japan led to the decision to unleash the nuclear option. We must never forget a nuclear blast takes only seconds to reach its full size, yet its effects last for decades, spanning generations.

It is not only in Japan where these weapons have left scars. Here in Australia, the land itself bears witness. On 27 September 1956, Britain conducted its first nuclear test at Maralinga, South Australia. Over the following decade, 12 major trials and nearly 200 smaller ones released plutonium-239, a deadly carcinogen, into the environment.

The lasting impact of a nuclear explosion was not well known at this time. Personnel worked without proper protection from the hazards of inhalation, ingestion and absorption of the fallout. First Nations communities who lived nearby were not adequately warned and were left vulnerable and exposed to the impact. Their food and water sources remained contaminated for more than 30 years. These stories of Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Maralinga remind us that the destructive power of nuclear weapons does not stop with the blasts. It seeps into the soil, into the water and into the lives of future generations.

The Liberal Party has been supportive of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and its three main pillars: non-proliferation, disarmament and peaceful uses of nuclear power. It is worth remembering that nuclear power is the only technology that can provide reliable, emissions-free, base load power around the clock, independent from the weather.

In the past, the Liberal Party has not supported the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons that entered into force in 2021. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons is a legally binding document that prohibits nuclear weapons and related activities, with the intent of bringing about their total elimination. Those who agree with it undertake not to develop tests or produce, acquire, possess, stockpile, use or threaten to use nuclear weapons.

Australia has not signed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, despite Labor committing to ratify the treaty back in 2018. There is commentary about how the AUKUS deal, whilst not involving weapons, complicates Australia's stance on nuclear. Whilst Australia is not acquiring nuclear weapons, the use of nuclear-powered submarines could perhaps set a precedent for other non-nuclear weapon states to acquire nuclear material, thus undermining the treaty.

The opposition supports the international commitment to nuclear non-proliferation, with the NPT the preferred framework, therefore we are recommending amending this motion. I move to amend the motion as follows:

Deleting paragraphs 4 to 6 and replacing with:

4. Acknowledge Australia's ratification of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) which promotes non-proliferation, disarmament and peaceful use of nuclear technology.

With that, I conclude my remarks.

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (17:27): I thank those members who have made a contribution today: the Hon. Justin Hanson and the Hon. Nicola Centofanti. I note and I will address the Liberal opposition's proposed amendment, which would leave out paragraphs 4, 5 and 6, which would effectively deny ICAN's involvement and campaign, the global movement, and also take us back to a 1968 treaty, rather than the more aspirational 2017 treaty. The 1968 treaty was some 57 years ago now. I think it is high time that we get with the times.

I note that the Liberal opposition noted the Labor Party's words that they would ratify the 2017 treaty, and I look forward to that being effected. It will be with motions just like this in this parliament today that we will see that hard work of groups such as ICAN and those who not just work for peace but fight for peace see that outcome for a more peaceful planet.

I find the confluence of AUKUS and nuclear power with nuclear weapons to simply be a bit of a straw man argument, so I will not even bother. I would think most people understand the difference between nuclear power and nuclear weapons and so it is a furphy that is almost unworthy of addressing at this point. With that, I commend to members the motion in its original form, noting that it not only honours the anniversary but it honours the fine work of ICAN.

Amendment negatived; motion carried.