Say NO to AUKUS

Threat to the North

The Four Corners programme Trading Fire (screened in early November 2025) highlighted the threat facing Australia, especially here in the north, due to AUKUS and the FPA.

These comprehensive and expensive defence deals with the U.S. and the United Kingdom include the hosting of foreign planes and submarines.

These may even carry nuclear weapons, as the Australian government has the policy of not requiring the US to disclose this.

No AUKUS & No Nuclear Weapons

FoE FNQ recently wrote to the Prime Minister, Minister for Defence and Minister for Foreign affairs and asked them to:

1. Withdraw from the AUKUS deal.

2. Ensure that any foreign planes, boats and submarines entering Australian land and waters are not carrying nuclear weapons.

3. Sign and ratify the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear weapons ( known as the TPNW) as promised in 2018.

You can read a full copy of the letter below.

ACTION: Tell government that you don't want AUKUS - and that it should sign and ratify the TPNW. Make your voice heard! 

Friends of the Earth FNQ's letter

Concerns About Nuclear Weapons & AUKUS

Friends of the Earth Far North Queensland (FoE FNQ) is deeply concerned about the nuclear threat to both humans and wildlife, especially in the Far North and in the West of Australia, for the following reasons:

Nuclear Weapons Non Disclosure Agreement

We understand that nuclear weapons on US planes may be regularly operating out of northern Australia. Defence Department secretary Greg Moriarty apparently admitted that, while the "stationing of nuclear weapons" in Australia was prohibited under the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty, that treaty did not prevent visits by the US bombers.

"Successive Australian governments have understood and respected the longstanding US policy of neither confirming nor denying the presence of nuclear weapons on particular platforms.".'1

AUKUS & Nuclear Armed Submarines

We are also alarmed by the AUKUS deal which, apart from its huge cost and the commitment to store nuclear waste, appears to allow submarines armed with nuclear weapons into Australia. The Australian Defence website states:

'From as early as 2027, AUKUS partners will have a rotational presence at HMAS Stirling of one UK and up to 4 US, nuclear-powered submarines. This rotational presence of UK and US nuclear-powered submarines at HMAS Stirling will be known as Submarine Rotational Force – West (SRF-West)'.2

Surely this opens the door to visits by US and possibly even UK nuclear armed submarines under the non disclosure of nuclear weapons policy by the US.

We therefore request that you take the following steps:

1. Withdraw from the AUKUS deal which is increasingly unpopular with the public. Anti-Trump sentiment is growing in Australia as the US becomes dangerously unpredictable. A first step might be to initiate a wide ranging Parliamentary review of AUKUS to correct what has been a deeply undemocratic process.

2. Demand any foreign planes, boats and submarines entering Australian land and waters are not carrying nuclear weapons.

3. Sign and ratify the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) as promised in 2018.

    

   

Rally initiated by the Independent and Peaceful Australia Network to oppose the AUKUS security pact and to support the TPNW.

Photo by Matt Hrkac  Creative Commons Attribution 2.0

There now exists a unique opportunity to step back from the toxic dependence on the US which has led Australia into so many wars. Foreign and defence policies are required that sow peace not discord - such as increasing overseas aid and stopping arms exports to countries contravening human rights.

ACTION: Tell them it's a NO to AUKUS and join this call for peace. 

1 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-15/defence-wont-confirm-if-us-bombers-carry-nuclear-weapons/101978596?utm_campaign=abc_news_web&utm_content=link&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_source=abc_news_web