The purchase of nuclear submarines via AUKUS is turning into an open–ended nightmare in terms of cost that will deliver nothing positive for Australia’s security. Meanwhile, the need for action both on disarmament and on nuclear risk reduction has never been more pressing. Even at the height of the Cold War, the metaphorical hands of the Doomsday Clock have never been at 90 seconds to ‘midnight’, writes John Hallam in an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Dear Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Defence Minister Richard Marles:

I am writing because I note that ICAN has recently lobbied you in respect to the TPNW (Ban Treaty).

This letter is written quite independently of ICAN who have had no input into it. It is written entirely on my own initiative. Nonetheless, I am sure we are both urging the same thing – signature, ratification, and the urging of others including the United States itself (not to mention Russia and China) to sign and ratify, the TPNW. In addition I urge prioritisation of nuclear risk reduction initiatives.

I also wish to draw your attention to issues with respect to nuclear risk reduction/No First Use, and the acquisition of submarines.

The Government has expressed certain concerns over whether or not the TPNW might be in some way, quite mysterious to the workings of commonsense, be incompatible with the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.(NPT)

There is, bluntly, zero evidence that this could be the case, and absolutely no legal foundation for such a........

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