500 signatures reached
To: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese MP
No nuclear submarines in Port Kembla
The Australian Government must immediately and publicly rule out Port Kembla being selected as a base or a staging post for rotations and other visits by Nuclear powered and/or armed submarines.
Why is this important?
There is broad-based community alarm and dissent that Port Kembla is being considered as the East Coast base for nuclear submarines as part of the AUKUS agreement.
There has been no consultation undertaken or consent given by our community.
Port Kembla, as part of Greater Wollongong, was declared a nuclear-free city more than 30 years ago, and its status as a nuclear-free zone was reaffirmed only last year.
If a nuclear submarine facility was based in Port Kembla Harbour it would require the acquisition and alienation of a massive part of the harbour and the land around it. Land which is a valuable and vital asset for our existing manufacturing, steel, land transport and maritime industries whose epicentre is Port Kembla.
Delaying a decision would prolong and amplify uncertainty over exclusion zones, access to land and waterways for our emerging industries and threaten billions of dollars of investment in renewables making it a job killer.
The presence of nuclear attack class submarines in our Ports would make us a nuclear target and pose an unacceptable risk to the health and safety of hundreds of thousands of people given potential exposure to hundreds of kilograms of highly enriched uranium.
If its not safe for the people of New York City to have Nuclear submarines in their midst, it's not safe for the people of any city.