MEDIA RELEASE

Australian government urged to act on nuclear weapons threat

Thursday, 17 September 2009

ICAN - the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons - has welcomed today's call by a federal parliamentary inquiry for Australia to play a leading role in ridding the world of nuclear weapons through a global Nuclear Weapons Convention (NWC).

"Australia can help end the threat of nuclear weapons and war and support a roadmap for the elimination of nuclear weapons in a structured and verifiable way," said ICAN Campaign Coordinator, Dimity Hawkins.

"With the right political will, a Nuclear Weapons Convention would see the world free of these ultimate weapons of mass destruction within 10 to 15 years."

The recommendation supporting the Nuclear Weapons Convention is part of a new report by the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties following its examination of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation treaties.

The report has also urged the Australian Parliament to actively call for the abolition of all nuclear weapons.

"We warmly welcome the Committee's recommendation and urge the Australian government and Parliament to take up this global challenge and champion a Nuclear Weapons Convention," said Dr Sue Wareham, Board Member of ICAN.

"Recent years have seen important international moves opposing chemical and biological weapons, land mines and cluster munitions," said Dr Bill Williams, Board Member of ICAN and President of the Medical Association for Prevention of War (MAPW).

"It is now time to get serious about abolishing the worst weapons of all and Australia has an important role to play".

For further comment, please contact:

Dimity Hawkins: Campaign Coordinator ICAN Australia: 0422 612 702
Dr Bill Williams: ICAN Australia Board Member and President of MAPW: 0428 616 245
Dr Sue Wareham: ICAN Board Member: 02 6259 6062 or 0407 924 152