Make a submission to the Inquiry into Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament!

As part of the joint Australia-Japan International Commission on Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, the Prime Minister of Australia has initiated a Federal Parliamentary Inquiry into Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament. The inquiry will to examine the set of international nuclear treaties involving Australia-including Australia's uranium exports bilateral agreements-and to report on how they may be made more comprehensive or effective and how they may advance Australia's objectives in this field.

We strongly encourage your input, however brief!

This is a key opportunity for international civil society to comment on Australia's performance in international disarmament and nuclear diplomacy.

The Inquiry is is an opportunity to influence the Australian Government to take up a lead role for nuclear disarmament and to drive strengthened international initiatives in the lead up to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference in 2010; to recognise nuclear insecurity issues and to reject any proposed expansion of nuclear reactors; and to require a range of strengthened safeguards as pre-conditions on supply of Australia's uranium exports-including on nuclear disarmament, nuclear waste management, security and safety issues, as a step toward phase out of uranium exports.

This Inquiry should give lead consideration to a proposed Nuclear Weapons Convention to bring about the elimination of nuclear weapons and recommend that Australia champion this initiative before the United Nations, see: http://www.icanw.org/nuclear-weapons-convention

The Inquiry will conduct a review of the NPT and examine a range of other nuclear treaties-including steps to bring the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) into force and for a proposed Fissile Materials Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT) that must prohibit reprocessing and the separation of weapons-usable fissile materials as a key step toward an end to the production of fissile materials.

This Inquiry also provides a lead opportunity for a critical review of Australia's nuclear cooperation and uranium exports agreements across the board and in particular the treaty signed with China by the previous Federal Liberal Government.

The Joint Standing Committee on Treaties (JSCT) is to inquire into and report on: 

• The international treaties involving Australia which relate to nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament.
• How these treaties advance Australia's objectives in this field.
• How the treaties might be made more comprehensive or effective.
• How inter-parliamentary action can assist in strengthening treaty-based aspects of the nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament regime.
• How the Committee and the Parliament can contribute to the work of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament.

This is a key opportunity for civil society to comment on Australia's performance, positions and potential future role in international disarmament and nuclear diplomacy!

Submissions should be emailed to jsct@aph.gov.au and are due by 30 January. The Committee will report on 18 June 2009.

For more information on the inquiry contact: The Committee Secretary on (02) 6277 4642