Perth Voice Interactive

FREMANTLE’S electors have voted for their council to hold a meeting to raise awareness about AUKUS. 

At a sometimes spiky electors’ AGM on Monday, representatives from Stop AUKUS WA put forward a successful motion calling for the City to “address the need for information and consultation” about the nuclear submarine deal. 

The motion also requested that “qualified representatives” from the Australian Submarine Agency, Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency, local MPs and government defence spokesperson attend the proposed meeting, along with a First Nations spokesperson and representatives of action groups opposed to nuclear weapons. 

Stop AUKUS campaign coordinator Leonie Lundy says a public meeting is a “logical step” towards transparency, provided the council agreed to hold it. 

“Defence is known to be the least transparent government department… trying to get information out of Defence is like trying to get blood out of a stone,” Ms Lundy said. 

“We don’t agree with Fremantle council assisting Defence to get social licence, but yes, we absolutely support council providing a platform for the community to be properly informed.”

At the meeting on Monday, Ms Lundy was critical of the City’s recently-released reports detailing findings from its fact-finding mission to the United States in September. 

“There has been a disappointing absence of council taking a proactive role in advocating for the safety and security of residents, the need for disclosure and transparency, and importantly, the need for community consultation on these issues,” Ms Lundy said. 

“In reality, it didn’t require a US trip at $14,000 a head to reach the conclusion that Defence and AUKUS lacked social license, and ascertained what measures they would need to take.

“The resultant report… with respect to the City’s mayor and CEO, clearly endorses AUKUS and reads like a PR spin for Defence.”

Despite this criticism, Ms Lundy welcomed the report’s conclusion that community awareness of AUKUS is “essential” and that there had been “no comprehensive audit” to determine community sentiment towards the nuclear submarine program. 

“We acknowledge the recommendation that more needs to be done to consult and inform the community about AUKUS and its impacts, and that local governments are well placed to assist,” Ms Lundy said. 

The meeting motion will appear on the council’s agenda towards the end of February. 

The Stop AUKUS request comes a week after Council CEO Glen Dougall responded to a recent anti-AUKUS petition.

The petition requested that council call on the Commonwealth government to ban nuclear submarines from berthing at Stirling Naval Base, which Mr Dougall said it had “no head of power” to enforce. 

by KATHERINE KRAAYVANGER