In an online webinar organised by Catholic Religious Australia (CRA) in collaboration with the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) Australia, over 50 Religious and colleagues came together on the 13 September 2021 to understand more deeply why Australia must ratify the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and what we can do to achieve this.
Anne Walker, CRA National Executive Director, who opened the event, noted that on his visit to the Atomic Bomb Hypocenter Park, Nagasaki, in 2019, Pope Francis spoke out against nuclear weapons, stating that “the arms race wastes precious resources that could be better used to benefit the integral development of peoples and to protect the natural environment.”
“Nuclear weapons pose an enormous existential threat for people and the planet, with their ongoing existence risking catastrophic loss of human life, severe environmental damage, degradation to human health, and breakdown of national and global security. It is time for Australia to end its complicity in the nuclear problem,” she added.
Those in attendance heard from Dimity Hawkins AM, co-founder of ICAN, who explained the significance of the creation of the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which entered into force on the 22 January 2021.
Dimity stated, “By global effort there is now international law that renders these weapons illegal. The humanitarian effects of these weapons were what changed the tide in this seemingly intractable issue. You can see this in the Treaty, recognising as it does the victims of nuclear use and testing, recognising the disproportionate impact of nuclear weapons on women and girls, and on Indigenous Peoples, recognising the necessity for environmental remediation and victim’s assistance.”
Also speaking was Gem Romuld, the Australian Director for ICAN. Gem shared with attendees Australia’s position in relation to the Treaty. She explained that Australia does not support the Treaty and instead supports nuclear deterrence.
“This has to change,” Gem said. “As many people as possible from all corners of Australian society need to push for this and be clear that they won’t accept anything less than joining this Treaty.”
Gem explained that there are a number of actions that Australians can take to become a nuclear weapon-ban advocate. One such action is to urge the Australian government to send a representative to the first meeting of State Parties to the Treaty in March 2022.
To find out more about supporting the work of ICAN and putting an end to nuclear weapons globally, Gem Romuld can be contacted here. Resources can also be accessed at ICAN Australia. View a recording of the webinar.
MEDIA ENQUIRIES: Sylvia MacRitchie-Hook | M: 0410 644 356 | E: comms@catholicreligious.org.au