Lil interviews a teacher from regional NSW – proving that STEM education doesn’t need to cost us our integrity.
#DemilitariseEducation
What's Happening
Step 1: Change the policy
There are over twenty programs operating in Australian schools which have ties to weapons companies, wouldn’t it be great if the Department of Education banned them?
We think so too, and that’s precisely where we started.
Unfortunately, because this sort of thing is managed at the state level, that means that a policy change would be needed in each state and territory individually. When we came to this work, only the ACT had a policy that recommended against engaging in industry partnerships, sponsorships, or other arrangements with weapons companies (it actually says “armaments” which we found delightfully old fashioned).
On the bright side, there is precedent for such a policy, as certain industries are already banned in most states from having any “commercial relationships” with schools. These include tobacco, alcohol, gambling, and in some places, junk food. So thankfully for us (and for the children), we have already decided as a society that certain industries simply have no place in schools. Seems like a no-brainer to add weapons companies to that list right?
Now it starts to get tricky. Most of us who have been involved in grass roots activism before are probably familiar with two main types of campaign – the kind where you are trying to get a corporation to do or cease doing something, and the kind where you are trying to get the Government to do or cease doing something. But Departmental policies are not passed by Parliament, for all the world they seem to just spring into being fully formed – and it is not always clear who even has the authority, let alone the responsibility, to change or update them.
Cut to the annual national meeting of the Teachers Federation, July 2023. There is excitement in the air because everyone knows that a large anti-AUKUS motion will be put to the floor in the afternoon session. Who can say whether Department apparatchiks knew this and made a move to try to clear the air, but we received the news that morning that NSW had amended their sponsorships policy to add weapons companies to the prohibited industries list!
Queensland and Victoria soon followed, making these weapons-affiliated programs in breech of policy in all of the Eastern states of the mainland (best believe we’re coming for Tassie next!). This will be particularly awkward for iSTEM, an initiative of the Department itself.
While we harbour no illusions the campaign will continue to ensure that these policy developments are enforced, the Eastern states are home to roughly 80% of the continent’s population – and we now have policy in our tool kit for fighting the influence of the military industrial complex in the classroom.
Demilitarise UQ: A Petition to UQ from an Autonomous Student Group
This petition was constructed in May 2024 at the height of the Student Encampments. UQ students were camping out. An article comes out from Australian anti-militarist independent journal Declassified Australia pointing to millions being spent by the US Department of Defence.
Demilitarise UQ was a campaign by students at UQ aimed at exposing research arrangements with the US Department of Defence.
This petition demands that UQ pledge to cease receiving funding from ANY foreign government’s defence department. Boeing, a company that profits off of genocides in places such as Palestine and West Papua, has a centre at the St Lucia campus, and after a recent report from Declassified Australia detailing funding received from foreign governments, the lack of integrity of the University can no longer be questioned.
The report confirmed that the United States Defence Department has funded $394 million to Australian universities via grants and contracts since 2007. The article revealed that the University of Queensland was the second-highest recipient of this funding during this time- at $60.5 million.
The same institutions that educate our populous should not be allowed to profit off of violence, and it is urgent that their support of the military industrial complex ceases.
The university requested to meet. Here’s the letter we sent back outlining the broader issues.
24/05/2024For the Queensland University Leadership
To: Andrew Flannery
Chief Operating Officer
UQ
Dear Andrew
Thank you for your response to Demilitarise UQ following delivery of our open letter. The letter has more than 1100 signs. We would like to meet as soon as possible for a preliminary meeting before the UQ Student General Meeting on Wednesday. Please propose a date and time.
These are the issues for discussion:
- Boeing is the key profiteer in the genocide in Palestine. Bomb kit parts for Boeing made bombs are designed and made in Brisbane. UQ research would most definitely have been used for this killing instrument. Boeing is THE KEY profiteer from this genocide and has an invested interest in promoting and prolonging and wars in general.
- The recent Declassified Australia report confirmed that the United States Defence Department has funded $394 million to Australian universities via grants and contracts since 2007. The article revealed that the UQ was the second-highest recipient of this funding during this time – at $60.5 million. The US Defence Department operationalises military research and weapons sales on behalf of the “military industrial complex”. US weapons have been overwhelmingly used to kill millions of civilians during this period.
- We see alarming signs of “state capture” as described in the Confronting State Capture Report (2022) https://australiandemocracy.org.au/statecapture. It asserts that the hollowing out and repurposing of institutions is one of six key mechanisms by which private actors exercise power to shape policies in the service of their own narrow interest. E.g. Dr Greta Nabbs Keller is the deputy director of a “Defence Research Unit”. Greta Nabbs Keller is ex-military. In her position she has paved the way for Gen Mick Ryan to occupy an adjunct role as a “lecturer”. There is no academic consensus for his ‘opinions’. It is believed that he serves the Pentagon and weapons industry interests
- We are concerned that more Australian and US Defence Department, military and weapons industry money comes through the opaque UQ Corporation which is not accountable to the public or public education.
- We also see signs that the engineering department has been militarised. We have heard from students that potentially, most engineering academics are current and past military. Many are working in weapons development. First year engineers are recruited with a discourse on sustainability and ideal contribution to society. By second year, they are funnelled via ‘projects’ to military and “space” oriented work. This perspective has been articulated in a letter to the Chancellor, by Adjunct Professor David Hood and Emeritus Professor Colin Apelt – both long serving members of the Engineering faculty (letter attached).
- Regarding “Defence” which is used as an excuse for this militarism: The climate crisis is the only real security threat for Australians.
- UQ should demand proper funding from the government for the education of students.
These are things that we think should be urgently addressed if the university is turned around from being a place that explicitly facilitates genocide.
Students for Palestine have a set of clear demands, which we fully support. The university should have no ties with weapons companies, nor take money from foreign governments.
Yours sincerely,
Lachlan Booth
Demilitarise UQ
24-5-2024
How is David McBride’s prosecution in the public interest?
By KATHRYN KELLY
Whistleblower David McBride is facing five national security-related charges, carrying up to life imprisonment, for leaking information to the ABC.
Independent MP Andrew Wilkie last week put a motion in Parliament noting that military lawyer David had been warning Defence about command failings and about the conduct of the war in Afghanistan since 2014. When no effective action was taken, Major McBride provided information to the ABC which raised the alarm on the matters before us in the Brereton report, and subsequently he was arrested. Wilkie’s motion further called for all charges against Major McBride to be dropped. The information he had provided to the ABC formed the basis of the “Afghan Files” broadcast in July 2017.
The Hansard of last Monday, November 30, provides Wilkie’s explanatory speech on why these charges should not continue, referencing also whistleblowers Witness K and Richard Boyle as well as the cases of Julian Assange and lawyer Bernard Collaery. Both the government and Labor voted against debating the motion. This is a shameful situation.
Attorney-General Christian Porter gave the explanation that the separation of powers requires that the government not interfere in judicial matters and that it is the responsibility of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (CDPP) to decide whether or not to proceed with prosecutions. However, he didn’t acknowledge that the Attorney-General’s consent was required for the prosecutions of Witness K and Bernard Collaery to take place under the National Security Information Act (NSIA), a situation that is not required for most criminal cases.
Only five MPs voted to debate the motion – Andrew Wilkie, Rebekha Sharkie, Adam Bandt, Helen Haines and Zali Steggall.
Porter also gave no explanation as to why the issue of the leaking of information on possible war crimes in Afghanistan had sat before George Brandis for years and no action was taken on the prosecution. Why then did Porter, or, he would have us believe, the CDPP, suddenly decide in September 2018 that Major McBride should be charged? Especially as the case does not appear to meet the CDPP criteria for prosecution.
While generally Porter’s justification would have validity, and non-interference by government in judicial affairs is a strong and fundamental principle of democracy, there are powers that can be used if a miscarriage of justice is seen to be done. Section 71 of the Judiciary Act (1903) gives the Attorney-General those powers.
It is testament to our strong judicial system that those powers have not had to be used, but it does not mean they should never be used. Major McBride’s case, as well as those of Witness K and Bernard Collaery (whose actions led to the Australian government’s bugging of the Timor-Leste government offices being exposed) and Richard Boyle (ATO whistleblower) are clear instances where the injustice of the prosecutions is strong and is clear justification for the powers to be used.
The prosecution of these whistleblowers does the government no credit as they are acting in the public interest, not for any gain for themselves. They are people of integrity and should be lauded for their actions.
It is no coincidence that this government is refusing to implement a strong Commonwealth independent commission against corruption. It is also no coincidence that it is cutting funds to the National Audit Office and the ABC, institutions fundamental to our democracy that have identified serious deficiencies in proper spending accountability and other areas of administration by the government. So it is perhaps no surprise that the government is punishing whistleblowers so severely.
In this situation of lack of accountability, it is crucial that whistleblowers are encouraged to bring wrongdoings to public notice. In some other countries – for example, the US and South Korea – there are rewards for whistleblowers who provide information leading to prosecutions. A royal commission into the adverse treatment of the whistleblowers referred to here, and of others, and into the effective legislative protections and possible rewards needed for them, should be urgently instituted.
Kathryn Kelly is co-convener of the Coalition of Supporters of Bernard Collaery and Witness K.
First published in THE CANBERRA TIMES December 8 2020. Used with permission of the author.
…because War Crimes Matter
Members of the #ToxicSAS have been issued with ‘formal notices’: they will have to defend acts defined as ‘war crimes’ against poor people in Afghanistan. See article below.
This is the same militarisation, born of #foreverwar, that has poured into US culture. It is now being enacted by a #militarisedpolice in response to the largely nonviolent #BLM movement. White supremacy and colonisation are at its roots.
We acknowledge and remember that this militarised supremacy first rolled out in Australia aimed at Aboriginal people with a sustained wave of violence.
Even though the #ToxicSAS get massive media coverage, we suggest there are several elements missing from public discussion that a keen peacenik’s eye will want to point out. It is up to us to force these issues into visibility with voice and action.
Save this Image: Save this image and the one below to your phone AND to your computer and use it regularly when you comment on this issue. Share it when the issue hits the news. Comment on new articles.
Your Voice: Promote veterans voices: Remind people that veterans have demanded the exposure of these war crimes. They have different reasons. But they have taken risks and are front-line affected. For example, their peers continue to suicide. Truth and facing up is an important element in psychological healing. They were used by the corrupt States of USA and Australia: Trained as killers. Now training the Indonesian police and spreading the US bastardry.
Your Voice: Call for the release of the Brereton Report: Even Andrew Hastie, the WA member of parliament, an ex-soldier, has requested for the Brereton Report to be released and be transparent.
But it is not clear yet that we will see it. This is the Defence Minister’s responsibility and Raytheon’s person on the inside @LindaReynoldsWA is highly problematic. Contact her and politely berate her.
Your Voice: Ensure trials are heard in the open: We are witnessing more and more secret trials. It turns out that even our own activist trials at Pine Gap were practice for this sort of excessive secrecy. War Crimes trials must be heard in the open so we can understand the dynamics of militarised, industrialised abuse.
Your Voice: Use the hashtag #NameSoldierC: The Soldier involved in killing the unarmed Afghan man in the wheat-field, as revealed earlier this year on Four Corners, should be named. Other alleged murderers in our society are named before trial. Please, use this hashtag. Follow @Wagepeaceau on twitter. There are still not enough of you on twitter!
Your Voice: Make Governor General David Hurley visible and central – and his band of Top-Brass – throughout any trials. Wage Peace urges you to OFTEN remind people that “Governor General” General David Hurley was Chief of Defence when these murders occurred. Like Kerr before him he did the work of the US. Ask why the ‘investigation’ Hurley oversaw, came up with nothing despite the helmet-cam recording and the credible report by a witness.
- Hurley oversaw the war crimes.
- Hurley’s ‘investigations’ of war crimes led to nothing until he left the post. Activists experienced the violence directly at Swan Island – that’s when the violence was revealed at the parliamentary Senate estimates.
- Hurley must have lied about the state of the war to the Australian people and to the parliament, in line with the lies of his US counterparts
- Hurley allowed the soldiers to keep returning to the US Security Forces where they were positioned as killers for the US army, for which they were glorified as reward.
- Hurley himself was rewarded with career moves: First Governor of NSW and then to the role as so called “Head of State”.
Like Archbishop Hollingsworth before them, men in positions of power overseeing abuse must be removed from roles of prominence. If you called for the fall of the patriarchs of the Catholic Church, you should also be calling for the fall of the patriarchs of the Australian Defence Force.
These men used the wars to promote themselves into positions of further abuse: Gen. Peter Leahy for example is on the board of a significant arms dealer. Gen. Mike Hindmarsh operates in the Middle East facilitating arms deals through his position as as Senior Officer in the UAE Presidential Guard [security forces].
Link the #ToxicSAS to US militarism and colonisation: Because #BlackLivesMatter. We know that dangerous policing has its roots in militarised culture. #Afghanistan and #Iraq matter. #WarCrimesmatter.
Please reply to this email and contact us with your thoughts.
Yours sincerely,
Margie and the Wage Peace team
Publication info: Sunday Telegraph ; Surry Hills, N.S.W. [Surry Hills, N.S.W]31 May 2020: 5.
AUSTRALIAN special forces soldiers have been served with formal notices accusing them of committing war crimes while fighting in Afghanistan.The extraordinary development comes four years after investigations began into rumours that special forces operators were involved in unlawful killings and cruelty while in Afghanistan. In recent days, a number of soldiers have received notices from the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force, NSW Court of Appeal Judge Justice Paul Brereton. Most are former soldiers although some are understood to be current members of the ADF. The notices advise the soldiers he intends to make adverse findings against them, and gives them a period in which to justify or explain their actions. Those adverse findings include breaches of the Law of Armed Conflict and other misconduct allegations. The soldiers have several weeks to respond, then Justice Brereton’s final report will go to the Chief of the Defence Force, General Angus Campbell, along with a series of recommendations. This could include criminal prosecutions. Current members can be recommended for discharge from the army. The report is due to be handed down in July and will ultimately go to the government. “Further dissemination of the report or material within it will be a matter for the Chief of the Defence Force,” an IGADF spokesman said. The Department of Defence has had to develop contingency plans to deal with the mental health fallout from such a finding against previously revered soldiers. President of the Australian Commando Association and the RSL Greg Melick said the inquiry was not yet complete. “The mere fact the notices have been served doesn’t imply guilt and it is inappropriate to speculate until the process is complete,’’ he said. “The speculation has been very damaging to the health and welfare of not only many veterans but their families.’’ In a separate but parallel inquiry, the Australian Federal Police continue to investigate two allegations of war crimes allegedly involving two special forces soldiers. One is known only as Soldier C, while the second is Australia’s most decorated war hero, Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith. With regards to Soldier C, the AFP said: “The Australian Federal Police received a complaint from the Minister for Defence regarding footage aired on the ABC, concerning the actions of ADF members and the death of a man in Afghanistan. “The AFP has commenced an investigation and will not comment further while it remains ongoing.” Mr Roberts-Smith strongly denies wrongdoing and is suing Nine for allegations it published against him. The case continues this week. Mr Roberts-Smith’s lawyer Mark O’Brien was asked to confirm whether his client had received an adverse finding notice, and if so whether he would like to comment on it. He said: “I have no comment on any part of that question.’’ CREDIT: Ellen Whinnett; Exclusive |
References
Veteran Suicides – Australia launches inquiry into military veteran suicides
At War with the Truth – The Washington Files
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