Wednesday 28 October 2020

Australian Greens Peace and Disarmament spokesperson Jordon Steele-John has called for Defence to make both the Crompvoets report, and the Department's response, public amid disturbing and shameful allegations of murder and torture were reported today in the nine newspapers.

Australia must urgently sign and ratify the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons now that it has become international law, with the 50th nation - Honduras - officially ratifying the treaty at a ceremony over the weekend.

The Australian Greens have welcomed the news that the Treaty will officially come into effect on the 22nd January 2021.

"This is an historic day in the ongoing campaign for peace, and one that should be celebrated," Steele-John said.

Australian Greens Peace and Disarmament spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John said allegations by American Marines that Australian special forces shot and killed a prisoner because there was no room for them on a helicopter were disgraceful and appalling.

"These allegations, if proven to be true, are war crimes and the individuals responsible must face the full weight of the law for their actions," Steele-John said.

I rise to take note of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade report Inquiry into PFAS remediation in and around Defence bases: second progress report, which evaluates the government response to the initial inquiry that we had a couple of years ago. The PFAS subcommittee, of which I am a member, was re-established after the federal election last year, when the 46th Parliament resumed. It was re-established precisely with the purpose of scrutinising progress on the recommendations of the parliamentary inquiry into PFAS and the government's response to it.

The Australian Greens have called on the Berejiklian Government to reject the Mark Latham-led push for uranium mining in NSW.

"The Liberals should stop dancing to One Nation's tune and reject the push for uranium mining in NSW," said Greens Leader, Adam Bandt.

“The case for lifting the ban on uranium mining in NSW didn’t stand up to 5 minutes of scrutiny from Fran Kelly this morning. NSW Minerals Council CEO, Stephen Galilee, had no answer to basic economic questions."

Thursday 6th August 2020

Australian Greens Peace and Nuclear Disarmament spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John has called for Australian to sign the United Nation Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons on the 75th Anniversary of first atomic bombing in Hiroshima.

"Today's Anniversary is a harrowing reminder of the diestructive power of these weapons, of which there are still thousands stockpiled around the world, and why we must continue to strive for peace," Steele-John said.

Australian Greens Spokesperson for Peace and Nuclear Disarmament Senator Jordon Steele-John has called for an acknowledgment of the role Australian Government's have played in the nuclear chain and a commitment to ban nuclear weapons to mark the 75th Anniversary of the Trinity Nuclear Test.

Since 16 July, 1945, there have been 2,121 nuclear tests around the world. 21 of these tests have taken place on Australian soil.

Senator Steele-John said these tests had a devastating impact on people and planet, particularly First Nations Peoples and their country.

10 July, 2020

Today, Australian Greens Peace and Disarmament spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John has expressed his frustrations that the United States Marine Rotational Force has gone ahead, bringing COVID-19 back to the Territory after a lengthy period with no cases.

“The community pleaded with NT Labor to stop the US Marine Rotation, knowing that it would put the health of Territorians at risk and now it has.” Senator Steele-John has said. “There was absolutely no reason to put communities or the health system in the Top End at risk.

Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt has today said the government's commitment to spend over $270 billion on defence would not make Australia safer and was a reprehensible use of public money while people are still living in tents in Eden-Monaro and suffering poverty in Australia.

“Spending billions more on weapons won’t make Australia safer and may in fact increase tensions in the region. This move will just add to increasing militarisation in our neighbourhood,” said Mr Bandt.