Wage Peace - Disrupt War

Strategic, bold, direct and discursive action to disrupt militarism in Australia and our region.

Disrupt Land Forces

War = Peak Toxic Masculinity

War = peak toxic masculinity

 

At Wage Peace we are not surprised to hear that misogyny is rife in our parliament. We are appalled at the way our most senior politicians treat women.  We deserve better. We continue to strive for better. We know you do too.

 

As peace activists, we know that misogyny and toxic masculinity are right at the core of military institutions. War, and the arms trade, are central to colonisation and patriarchy, attacking our human rights and our humanity.

 

We’ve created a flyer about the synergy between male domination / toxic masculinity and war culture. Download and share this call to all women and our allies to Smash The Patriarchy – Disrupt War at the Land Forces expo.

 

Land Forces 21 will be held at the Brisbane Convention Centre 1-3 June. Weapons companies and politicians will be wheeling and dealing for the latest hi-tech killing machinery, using our money to buy guns, bombs and missiles that will eventually be used against us, or people just like us.

 

Feminists of all genders are invited to a public meeting about the #DisruptLandForces campaign. Find out more about this killing expo and be part of planning to slow down, hinder and hopefully close down Land Forces 21. All levels of experience and all styles of activism are welcome.

 

 

Please come!

 

If you can’t make it in person but you would love to support communities impacted by war to participate in #DisruptLandForces, you can donate here. We hope to be able to subsidise refugee and first nations speakers to attend.

 

Smash patriarchy by taking a step towards peace. Sign up here to get involved with our campaign to #DisruptLandForces and/or kick in to support others to go.

 

Our Smash The Patriarchy – Disrupt War flyers are here. Please share, print and share more! Disrupting War is women’s business.

 

Download Landforces Take Action flyerContact us if you need reimbursement. 🙂 easy. 

Yours in peace and love,

Margaret Cate, Zelda, Miriam and the rest of our team at Wage Peace 🙂

DONATE NOW TO SUPPORT
war survivors to #DisruptLandForces

Thales – fact sheet

‘Building a future we can all trust’- Thales company slogan Global CEO Patrice Caine: ‘has his eye on Australia as a development centre’
Thales defence revenue in 2019 was $9.251 billion. Thales is the 8th largest defence contractor in the world.Global HQ: Tour Carpe Diem, 31 Place des Corolles – CS 20001, 92098 Paris La Defense Cedex +33 (0) 1 57 77 80 00 Thales has offices in: Africa: South Africa,[42] Egypt,[43] Morocco.[44] Asia: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Pakistan, India, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Japan, Vietnam, Taiwan[45] Europe: Norway, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Austria, Romania, Poland, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Turkey Oceania: Australia North America: Canada,[46] Mexico, United States South America:[47] Brazil, Argentina, Dominican Republic.

Thales Australia

CEO: Chris Jenkins
CEO Chris Jenkins with Dept of Defence rep Ivan Zlabur
CEO Chris Jenkins happily signing a deal with Dept of Defence rep Ivan Zlabur for $1 billion of our money to make bombs and bullets in Benalla
Finn St, North Bendigo VIC 3550 Tel: +61 3 5440 4311 +61 (0)2 8037 6000 communications@thalesgroup.com.au +61 (0)2 8037 6000 sales@thalesgroup.com.au Australia & New Zealand Press Enquiries +61 (0)404 073 169 alasdair.cameron@thalesgroup.com.au https://www.thalesgroup.com/en Australia has Prime Corporation status – and is one of 8 “primes” in the Global Supply Chain Program. This is primarily about grooming Australian companies to make military exports. Locations: Bendigo – Armoured Vehicles, Benalla – Munitions $1.6 billion of exports from Australia in past ten years In 2006 Thales acquired Australian Defence Industries, a major manufacturer of military equipment such as smokeless gunpowder and the Bushmaster IMV. In February 2018, Thales won on a A$1.2 billion ($946 million) contract with Airservices Australia and the Australian Department of Defence to unify Australia’s civil and military airspace under a single air traffic control system, named “OneSKY”.[26]
Thales Map of Australian Locations
Thales Map of Australian Locations

Armoured Vehicles/Tanks

2013 Thales sold 3 Bushmaster vehicles to Kopassus. This was a govt to govt contract worth $2.7 million, brokered by AMSO
Thales Bushmaster
Thales Bushmaster

2016

During the fourth Ministerial 2+2 dialogue with Indonesia on October 27 2016, senior Australian defence industry officials signed a collaboration agreement to further develop a mine-resistant armoured vehicle which was launched at IndoDefence 2016 exhibition in Jakarta. According to the official joint communique, issued by Australian Foreign and Defence Ministers Julie Bishop and Marise Payne and their Indonesian counterparts Retno Marsudi and Ryamizad Ryacudu, the design is based upon the Australian Bushmaster design developed by Thales Australia. Thales and Indonesian armoured vehicle manufacturer PT Pindad will cooperate on the design, which would be customised for Indonesian Army (TNI) needs. The vehicle is called the Sanca.
Pindad Sanca MRAP with Rheinmetall Qimek RCWS [Source: Wikipedia]
Pindad Sanca MRAP with Rheinmetall Qimek RCWS [Source: Wikipedia]
Thales-Pindad Sanca APC

MUNITIONS

2018 The Australian government announced Monday (29 June) two deals with munitions suppliers that should help secure hundreds of Australian jobs for another decade. Defence signed a new agreement with Thales Australia for the continued management and operation of Australia’s munition factories in Benalla (Victoria) and Mulwala (New South Wales). The A$1.1 billion agreement provides ensures the supply of key munitions and components for the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The government also signed a deal with supplier NIOA Munitions. Thales manufacture the following ammunition:
military small arms ammo
Military small arms – ammunition

Thales bullets

5.56 mm M193/NATO SS109 and L110 5.56 mm/7.62 mm brass & plastic blank 7.62 mm NATO ball/tracer .50 cal ball 20 mm phalanx and M55 full and sub-calibre projectiles 30 mm DEFA air-to-air and air-to ground 40 mm Q/F For practice Mk6, practice Mk 1 and 1 A/T Mk4 and HE 81 mm mortar augmenting charges 105 mm Tank 105 mm Tank L7 For L35A3 or L56A1 105 mm Howitzer M2 & M4 Zones 1–2   for M67, HE shell 105 mm Howitzer M2 & M4 Zones 3–4   for M67, HE shell 105 mm Tank L7 HESH 105 mm Tank L7 APPSDS 5”/54 naval 155 mm Ho witzer Zones 3–7 for M4A2.
Mortar 81mm being fired
This Thales Mo 81 LLR is ‘very easy to use’
Thales mortars loaded
Thales mortars are masterpieces of modern industrial technology. Apparently they will last forever (but only if you never use them)

Questionable Practices In the Realms of Corruption2 Revolving Door and Undue Influence

Thales and the Revolving Door

Brendan Nelson, former Defence Minister,  was on the “advisory board” between 2015 and 2019. 1 Former ASIO boss Duncan Lewis joined the Thales board 5 months after he left ASIO  1

Thales and “Undue Influence”2

“Defence recommends buying hundreds of vehicles from Thales, despite no need for them, just so Thales can keep its factory open” Fahy 2 Thales appears to be expert in exerting undue influence on Governments.
  1. influenced AG Christian Porter to censor key parts of the auditor general’s report (ANAO report) into procurement process for the Thales Hawkei vehicle.
  2. influenced the government of 2008-2011 to pursue  a high risk program. / 2015 appointed Nelson to its advisory board / Agreed on the contract
  3. The option was $700million higher than the other options
  4. Defence purchased 214 extra vehicles even though there was no need for them $221million associated increase in expenditure. This was to keep the Bendigo plant operating.
  5. Refused to negotiate on prices once it was locked into the “prime” “GSCP” arrangements – the government lost leverage. 2
  6. Appears to have been involved in overpricing to the tune of $16million but this was “investigated” by a friend of the family. 2/3
  7. All of this was hidden and refused until Rex Patrick fought with the government the parts of the audit report that were redacted, visible. The Government was found to have acted wrongly in redacting parts of the report.4
https://www.michaelwest.com.au/culture-of-cosiness-colossal-conflicts-of-interest-in-defence-spending-blitz/  1 Michelle Fahy reports https://www.michaelwest.com.au/department-of-defence-captured-by-foreign-weapons-makers-thales-bae/ 2 https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence/defence-to-investigate-inflated-navy-contracts/news-story/eb3381b5df79b3fc66c7e1c4b3d34449 3 https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/dec/09/government-wrong-to-censor-report-to-protect-arms-makers-interests-tribunal-finds 4 From Thales website:

Land Forces 2021

1-3 June 2021 Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre

LAND FORCES 2021 is an international industry exposition to showcase equipment, technology and services for the armies of Australia and the Indo-Asia-Pacific.

The biennial LAND FORCES exposition is a powerful forum for key decision-makers from throughout the region, enabling government representatives, defence officials, military procurement managers and senior army officers to network with defence materiel manufacturers, equipment suppliers and service providers.

From Thales Australia:

We’re passionate about preserving the planet for future generations. That’s why we operate in a way that protects the environment, preserves biodiversity and respects natural sites. We’re reducing our footprint by minimising our resources, seeking less environmentally harmful alternatives where we can, recycling and preventing pollution wherever possible.

For more information go to disruptlandforces.org #disruptlandforces Email info@disruptlandforces.org

Submarines and Thales

Australia’s $80-$100Billion Submarine Contract has gone to Naval Group which is one third owned by Thales.
Naval is 35 percent owned by Thales, 63 percent owned by French Government - Pie chart
Naval is 35 percent owned by Thales, 63 percent owned by French Government

Land Forces – A Killer of an Expo

What is Land Forces Expo?

Land Forces Expo is an international industry event to showcase equipment, technology and services for the armies of Australia and the Indo-Asia-Pacific. South Australia hosted the event in 2018.

In June 2021, it will be held in Brisbane. Its primary goals are to provide an effective platform for the exchange of ideas on key land forces issues (war games) and to take the Australian (weapons) industry to the world by bringing the world to Australia. It is an Arms Trade Fair showcasing products of war, supposedly in the name of national security. In reality, it is a huge multimillion-dollar commercial venture where the manufacturing and associated companies are the real winners and “doing business is easy”!

Who We Are

A group of citizens from a range of peace, faith and academic backgrounds, organisations and networks such as Just Peace, Wage Peace, Quakers Queensland, Peace Convergence, Friends of the Earth­, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) and United Nations Assoc Aust Qld (UNAAQ) who are deeply concerned about the rise and financial and humanitarian cost of militarism in Australia.

Our Aims

  • Raise public awareness about this event
  • Seek to ban the Expo using nonviolent action
  • Expose companies in Brisbane engaged in weapons designing, engineering and/or manufacturing and seek the cessation of these lucrative business contracts
  • Redirect the national conversation to one of forging a new economy with a focus on cooperation, mutual self-interest and creative nonviolence in international, national and local endeavours.

Our Focus

These weapons are used predominantly by military forces in authoritarian regimes, and ‘democracies’ on their own people to suppress labour, climate and democracy movements. They are used to restrict the civil rights of ethnic groups and the self-determination movements of Indigenous people. They aid the militarisation of fossil fuel and other land-based resource extraction. These weapons are sold to police forces for use in their militarised wings against civilian populations. They are also used to wage war.

Weaponising Brisbane’s industries

Weapons companies Brisbane

What Australians need to understand:

  • War-making and weapons manufacturing and trading takes precedence over funding crucial social areas such as public housing, health, employment and education initiatives
  • Australia currently pours a staggering $98.9m a day into our so-called defence forces and related agendas
  • Growth in militarism is not helpful for peace and security. A regional arms race is about money for weapons corporations and not defence
  • Australia’s national security is better served through adopting an independent foreign policy; relationship building with all our Asian neighbours; managing conflicts without violence; finding diplomatic solutions rather than depending on militarism; creating a culture of peace e.g. adding Australia’s signature to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
  • For sale and on display will be tanks and armoured vehicles; ammunition; guns; attack helicopters; weaponised land-based robots; missiles; computer/digitised interfaces for sending rockets and ammunition; camera laser systems for canons and drones to “enhance lethality” and weaponised flying drones. These weapons will kill men, women and children like yourself, but this will be euphemistically called “collateral damage”

If you are interested in participating in any of our actions please contact LFEinfo@gmail.com

 Landforces leaflet pages 1 and 2 together Final

 

Facilitating Exports: The Global Supply Chain and Landforces Brisbane

Will you prepare to stand with us in at Landforces in Brisbane, June 2021?

The weapons industry in Brisbane is rapidly developing. 

We inspected three Brisbane-based companies: Boeing, Rheinmetall and Nioa.

Being onsite gives us ordinary folk concrete information. We encounter real people going about their everyday preparation for … war crimes.

The Global Supply Chain: GSC=Weapons Exports

Boeing, Rheinmetall and Nioa are all involved in Global Supply Chain deals: Australia gives the world’s largest corporations special status and lots of money to groom smaller Australian companies to export weapons. Rheinmetall’s partner Nioa is a previously small but now-growing-quickly-with-your-tax-dollars ammunition company.

Boeing build ‘aircraft for war crimes’.  There’s the list above. 

Boeing has taken unknown $$$ in incentives by Qld Labor to set up in Brisbane. Our money for their war crimes.  Or, our money for their corporation. Period.

We went to Boeing with the message that Boeing is ‘Out of Control’.

“Spokesperson Greg Rolles said “We are here today because Boeing builds aircraft for war crimes. The attack helicopter that killed journalists in the infamous ‘Collateral Murder’ video was Boeing’s. Boeing aircraft have destroyed civilian infrastructure in Yemen, enabled an unlawful campaign of extra-judicial assassination, and left countless people in fear of their own skies.”
Mr Rolles said “Boeing’s further research into artificial intelligence will take humanity even more out of the loop. Boeing is now building armed drones in Brisbane and siphoning money out of Australian communities into the production of weapons designed to kill. Boeing is out of control.”

You can read the whole media release here.

Rheinmetall and Nioa

Rheinmetall is another of eight ‘PRIME’ contractors involved in the Global Supply Chain Program. There’s a prize if you can list them. Is Saab in or out? Leidos?

“Disarm Rheinmetall!”, Kassel, Germany.

In Germany, our friends at Rheinmetall Entwaffnen [‘Disarm Rheinmetall’] conducted a weekend of actions against Rheinmetall in Kassel Germany where they make tanks and ammunition. Activists blocked two factories for 3 days.

We visited Rheinmetall in Brisbane in solidarity with the German actions. It is an immense facility on some of the last free river land in Brisbane representing further militarisation of Indigenous lands. 

Watch our video to hear the story of Rheinmetall in Australia

Rheinmetall’s weapons business takes money and support from both tiers of government.

  1. State Labor provided $170million according to a rusted-on Labor supporter on Twitter. 
  2. Federal Governments have rewarded Rheinmetall with “Global Supply Chain” status for weapons exports plus various contracts such as the 225 ‘Boxer’ armoured vehicles. 

Rheinmetall have their Military Vehicles Centre of Excellence (MILVEHCOE) – in the suburb of Redbank. You may have seen the PM riding in a tank there last week. MILVEHCOE sounds like a glorified mechanic’s pit-stop but it is a weapons dealership facilitating “additional builds and design programs”.  They assemble weaponised vehicles and make munitions all the while searching for ‘markets’ (read communities of ordinary people) where their weapons and ammunition can be used.

A major concern for the German activists are Rheinmetall’s weapons transfers to Turkey which is initiating dangerous airstrikes in Kurdistan. 

But our focus is Indonesia. Rheinmetall are already trading weapons to Indonesia which will NOT #MakeWestPapuaSafe. We see Indonesia buying weapons and using those weapons on their own people in law enforcement and military contexts. Indonesia is involved in distinct and increasing human rights abuses in West Papua.

Rheinmetall will be a big player at the LANDFORCES 2021 weapons trade event in Brisbane in June where everyone will be #makingakilling. 

NIOA with Rheinmetall – a team making ammunition for war crimes.

Where would the PM go next? Thinking we might catch the media associated with a prime-ministerial visit, we visited Nioa which has teamed with Rheinmetall to take money from the people of Queensland. Nioa was set up by Robert Nioa in the 1970s for the manufacture of ammunition for “sport” but they have … expanded.

Watch our video at Nioa, on Lomandra Drive near the BITA at Pinkenba

NIOA are also beneficiaries of the Global Supply Chain Program.

  1. Nioa’s factory has just received $11 million from the Feds to build a 5 story office building. That is a free office building as far as we can tell. 
  2. The new partnership Rheinmetall NIOA Munitions is set to make munitions – bullets and automatic machine-gun chains – for export, including ammunition for the US F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme.

(Interestingly, Mr Nioa is married to Bob Katter’s daughter Eliza who is a major financial supporter of the Katter Party). We presume these exports will go to 

  1. Indonesia to the police and to the TNI Indonesian Defence Force via Prabowo the Minister for Defence who is already a designated war criminal
  2. The Philippines which has a known systematic human rights abuser in President Duterte. He is likely to use weapons on his own people, to suppress both journalists and community based actions against injustice: against people in movements for the poor, ethical trade, justice, climate and environment.
  3. And maybe they can stir up some trouble in the Solomans again, or Bougainville or PNG and score some deals.

What next? Landforces 2021.

We must never stop exposing the weapons’ companies interest in promoting violent conflicts to sell their products. Truly they are #WarProfiteers.

You are our friends, colleagues and followers. You are the people MOST INTERESTED IN the RISE of MILITARISM in Australia.

We need you to actively work with us in making plans to disrupt this militarism at every point. We need you with us when we take action. We need new forms of action beyond social media. It is not enough to know what is going on. 

Will you prepare to stand with us at Landforces 2021?

Boeing is trying to sell attack helicopters to Australia now. Rheinmetall is fixing arrangements with Indonesia. They will be pushing for contracts and dealing with dictators at Landforces 2021 a massive land-weapons trade event in Brisbane in June 2021. They will be joined at Landforces by our old friends EOS who are also exporting in the region.

Join us as we organise toward Landforces 2021. Are you interested in being on our core team for Landforces?

Which targets would be best? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

Yours in peace,

Margie and Miriam, Zelda, Cate and the team.

References:

Bankrolling the Qld parties 

Boeing.com.au Boeing offers Apache helicopter program

Rheinmetall disarm 

Benarnnews.org Prabowo human rights 

 

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