The military are arguably the most expensive and polluting industry on the planet. We call on the Australian goverenment to cut this wasteful, polluting industry.
Speak Out: BRISBANE, King George Square, 11am.
Greens Senator Larissa Waters,
Peter Arndt- Catholic Justice and Peace Commission,
Daniele Viliunas-Medical Assn for Prevention of War, Andrew Dettmer- AMWU
Kim Stewart - Friends of the Earth on military pollution
Brisbane Church, Peace, Environment groups and Trade Unions will rally in King George Square on Tuesday morning at 11am calling for military spending to be cut in the upcoming budget.
Organiser Mrs. Annette Brownlie from Just Peace Qld, claims the agreement to host US military forces in Australia and recommendations from the 2009 Defence White Paper, indicate that real military spending will rise dramatically above the $27B outlined in last years federal budget which equates to over $1000 for every man woman and child in the country.
“The planned purchasing of 12 submarines at $3B each is just the tip of the iceberg” she added.
“Building of facilities to enable US troops access to our land, air and naval facilities as a result of the recent agreement betweenAustralia and the USA, has the potential to cost us dearly” said Mrs. Brownlie.
“There is even serious consideration for building a naval base on the Brisbane river capable of hosting nuclear submarines and other naval craft” “the costs are not only monetary, they include risking an arms race in the Asia-Pacific, targeting of Brisbane in the event of a missile attack, and many other negatives”
"We are urging all Australians to let the Treasurer know they we not want to be part of further militarization of the region with ridiculous amounts of money to be spent on submarines, other military hardware necessary for interoperability with the US military and drone bases on Cocos Island.
“Available resources should be spent on domestic and regional prosperity, community building and environmental protection. This is what provides us with REAL security. Spend for the Defence OF Humanity, Not AGAINST it!" said Mrs. Brownlie
From the International GDAMS Organisers:
Over 130 different actions will take place in 40 countries worldwide; emphasising the staggering amount of taxpayer money that goes toward military spending. Amidst global economic and climate crises, groups will be calling for a shift in spending from war and militarism to expenditures on human need.
An annual report on global military spending from the Stockholm International Peace and Research Institute (SIPRI) will be released on the same day, and is expected to show an increase.
“Almost every country with a military is on an insane path, spending more and more on missiles, aircraft, and guns, while the planet is in crisis,” said John Feffer, Co-Director of Foreign Policy In Focus, a project of the Institute for Policy Studies. “These countries should be confronting the real threats of climate change, hunger, disease, and oppression, not wasting taxpayers’ money on their military.”
“We are not only talking about money”, added Colin Archer, Secretary-General of the International Peace Bureau. “The world is misusing some of its most brilliant brains, which are desperately needed to tackle issues like the energy crisis and the challenge of creating millions of new jobs”.
The global actions will be unified in their message that $1.6 trillion-plus in military spending is an enormous waste of money. Each local event, however, will develop its own specific focus. Among the various events there will be street theater in Dhaka, an outdoor press conference in Istanbul, a parliamentary debate in Yaoundé, protests against military bases in Okinawa, a peace village in Oslo, a high-level seminar at the UN in Geneva, flash mobs in Oakland and Toronto, Tax Day leafleting in Bethlehem, PA, a “walk of shame” in Washington, DC, and more.
The first Global Day of Action on Military Spending was last year in 2011 and featured GDAMS events at the international, national, and local levels. Activists produced videos, constructed powerful public displays and performances, held press conferences and seminars, and mobilized public opinion in favor of reducing military spending.
