Sydney, Australia
Australian Christian bodies have urged the Federal Government to ratify the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons following its decision to purchase nuclear-powered submarines.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced this month Australia will identify “the optimal pathway to deliver at least eight nuclear-powered submarines for Australia”, in partnership with the United Kingdom and the United States.
US President Joe Biden delivers remarks on a National Security Initiative virtually with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, not pictured, inside the East Room at the White House in Washington, US, on 15th September. PICTURE: Reuters/Tom Brenner/File photo.
The decision means Australia will scrap its $A90 billion contract to build 12 French-designed diesel-powered submarines, a decision that will cost taxpayers millions of dollars in exit fees, despite the project already being years behind schedule and running over budget.
Morrison says Australia “has no plans to acquire nuclear weapons” and remains committed to nuclear non-proliferation.
But the nuclear submarine decision has caused concern among several Christian religious bodies, including the Uniting Church, Catholic Religious Australia and the National Council of Churches in Australia, especially in light of Australia’s ongoing diplomatic decline with China. On the International Day of Peace on Tuesday, all voiced concern.
In a statement, CRA said despite the Prime Minister’s comment on nuclear weapons, it had written to him in an appeal to sign the UN Treaty.
“Having nuclear-powered submarines has crossed a threshold by nuclearising our military for the first time, and I fear we will become susceptible to future escalating nuclear development and collaboration with our nuclear-armed allies,” Peter Carroll, president of CRA, said.
“CRA believes this declaration can only be guaranteed by the government ratifying the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.”
Uniting Church in Australia President Rev Sharon Hollis says the church believes “Jesus is our peace” and warned of future nuclear development.
“True security and peace comes from seeking to build relationships of trust and understanding, not through bigger military spending,” Hollis said. “Australia’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines must not lead to further nuclearisation of our military. Australian must close the door on nuclear weapons by joining the Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty.
“On this International Day of Peace, we join others in praying for peace, in Australia, and our region and in the world.”
CRA said the government’s announcement placed great risk to Australians and the environment through the proposed development and placement of military nuclear reactors in Australia which could “threaten both human and environmental health”.
Anne Walker, national executive director at CRA, said the development of the submarines will require the use of highly enriched uranium, and its mining and processing carries the threat of diseases in mine workers and nearby inhabitants, as well as long-lasting environmental pollution.
“Additionally, the nuclear reactors themselves risk becoming nuclear targets and sites of potential nuclear accidents. Even through normal use, nuclear reactors can emit radiological contamination into surrounding air, water and soil,” she said.
“CRA calls on the Australian Government to end its complicity in the global nuclear problem, by ratifying the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and pledging not to develop, test, acquire, or use nuclear weapons”.
Bishop Philip Huggins, president of the National Council of Churches in Australia, was also concerned about what the announcement meant for Australia’s deteriorating relationship with China, itself a nuclear nation.
“The time has arrived for us ordinary disciples of Jesus to pray for the healing and renewal of our relationship with the people and leadership of China,” he said.
“We know from history how events can get away from leaders and have entirely unforeseen and tragic consequences. I have spent much of my 25 years as a Bishop in small country churches with large plaques that remember local youngsters who went off to World War I and never returned.”
He referenced the September joint message from Pope Francis, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, and the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who drew from the global pandemic and “all the threats to God’s creation” to say now was the time to determine what kind of world we want to leave to future generations.
“We must pray that our international relations lift beyond the repeated limits of times past to embrace our new reality,” he said.
Morrison said the work to progress its plans would be developed over the next 18 months, alongside the UK and US, establishing a Nuclear-Powered Submarine Taskforce in the Department of Defence to lead the work, with South Australia earmarked as the site for construction of the new submarines.
