On the flight over from Brisbane, a woman in a seat near to me started up a conversation and we told each other why we were travelling. She had some sadness to share but was genuinely interested in why I was going to Perth and wished me and all those involved in the conference and the campaigning we do, the very best.

It was great to be with so many like-minded people on the Friday, and to be at the Naval Base in Rockingham, looking out to HMAS Stirling on Meeandip/Garden Island. The Base is ‘home to the RAN Submarine Training and Systems Centre, Training Centre West Complex, Defence Communications Station Perth, and a trials, research and support facility’ – a site for the AUKUS submarines when they finally get here. Though small in number we made our presence felt at the Naval Base where we listened to a speaker, and then at the BAE Systems site close by where we had another speaker, and a short ‘die-in’. Two of us wore the Quaker tabards and white poppies were distributed. We also went to a park not far away to enjoy a performance of drumming and a fish and chip lunch.

In the evening, as some of us were about to enter the room in the library where we were to hear speakers at a public meeting, a young man passing by was curious and asked what the meeting was about. AUKUS was mentioned and he asked what that was and could anyone come to the meeting. So, he joined us. The speakers that evening were former WA Premier Carmen Lawrence, former ALP politician and now Independent Senator Fatima Payman, Professor Lisa Natividad of Guam University, and Greens Senator for WA and spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Jordan Steele-John. Jo Vallentine facilitated well.

The organisers of this conference are to be congratulated on the number of different speakers on a variety of topics relating to the many issues we are all concerned about.  All the arrangements for catering, the stalls, activities and the very convenient venue were well chosen and organised. There were links on zoom (not an easy task) to include some of the speakers and messages, including a recorded one from Jeremy Corbyn. Regarding numbers, these varied but at one time on the Saturday I counted about 80 people in the main room and about 30 on zoom. Speakers included academics, writers, ex-military personnel, politicians including Greens Defence spokesperson from NSW David Shoebridge, as well as activists currently involved in protests such as the WA Disrupt Barrup Hub group. The number of overseas speakers, including from Guam and the Philippines, was important to help understand the colonial violence on their homelands.

The information contained in the talks, the questions and discussions raised, were at times overwhelming, but always absorbing and interesting. For me it was a steep learning curve – there was and is, still so much I don’t know, or wasn’t aware of.  AUKUS has to be the biggest project to oppose, and it represents so many of the core problems around the nuclear issue, weapons manufacture, US incursions and warmongering, costs, and secrecy.  There are many aspects which can be focussed on and there are experts who can assist with crucial information to use – some of them were at this conference. As a last exercise on the Sunday, we had discussions in groups looking at ways we might move forward.

The conference drafted a 2024-Conference-Declaration which, among other things called for an end to the nuclearisation of Australia, and specifically for the Australian government to:

• Terminate the AUKUS agreement/treaty.
• Terminate the 2014 Force Posture Agreement between Australia and the USA, which sees a permanent rotation of 2500 USA Marines stationed in Darwin
• Withdraw all ADF personnel from all areas of the world outside of Australia’s immediate territorial boundaries, with the exception of Peacekeeping forces
• Declare that Australia will not be involved in a war against China, or any other country, or allow Australian territory to be used to support such wars
• Support an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the Middle East and unequivocally condemn the genocide that is occurring there and cease supply of any weapons components

IPAN put videos from the conference on their website which may be of interest to Friends

And what can Quakers Australia contribute? We are one group of many who are included under the umbrella of IPAN. The role and work of the QPLC, Jessica Morrison our peaceworker, individual Quakers all over Australia, with other groups like Friends Peace Teams, the connections we have, are all ongoing and valuable, making contributions in different ways.

The chosen, discerned area of focus for Jessica’s work, Arms Trade Transparency, in my opinion, compliments the areas being investigated and highlighted by IPAN. We learn from each other and can support actions proposed when they arise.

There are so many different topics to deal with but working towards an Independent and Peaceful Australia we can advance together.