A nuclear submarine military base will put our community at risk

The government has proposed to build a nuclear submarine base in Port Kembla, without public consultation. We’re coming together to build our voice and shape our community’s future.

In the southern suburbs of Wollongong we have a strong community. We love the place we live – the beach and the water on one side, and the escarpment on the other. We have a long working class and migrant history and have seen a lot of change over the past decades. We know what it means to struggle, and to look after each other.

At a time of global instability, a military base in our port would put a war target on our community’s back. The base would take over the port, impacting jobs and bringing thousands of US military personnel to our streets. We’d be forced to live with the threats of nuclear fallout over our suburbs. Instead of investing in our community’s future, the Australian government is giving $368 billion to the US and UK. When our governments choose to send our money to power hungry global leaders instead of our own communities, we know the system isn’t working for us.

If we come together, our community is strong enough to protect our future. We can build our collective power and take action to force the government to choose our interests. We can stop the military base and build stronger communities, now and for the future. We’re organising alongside friends at Wollongong Against War & Nukes (WAWAN), check out their great work here.

Sign up for our September community event

Join us for a community event on October 10 to meet your neighbours who are concerned about a nuclear base in Port Kembla.

We can protect our future and build a stronger community together.

What’s the risk of a nuclear base?

At a time of global instability, a military base in our port would put a war target on our community’s back. The base would:

• Threaten our suburbs with nuclear fallout (with most of Port Kembla in a 1.4 km evacuation zone).
• Be at least twice the size of the Western Sydney Airport
• Take over the port, impacting jobs and restricting access to the area around the port.
• Evict people from their homes to make way for the base.
• Host four thousand US military personnel, putting pressure on our health, community and public services.
• Cost 200 billion of taxpayer money to build (which could pay to build 1000 hospitals!)

When our governments choose to send our money to power-hungry global leaders instead of into our communities, we know the system isn’t working for us.

Sign the petition against the base

Wollongong Against War and Nukes, in collaboration with GetUp, have a petition against the nuclear base. You can sign the petition here, or tick the option when you sign up for updates on the community event above.

Want to find out more about the nuclear submarine base? Check out the links below where we got our info from:

• Cabinet documents released through government information requests on the ‘Use of ports in Port Kembla or Newcastle by the military or defence industry’ reveal Port Kembla as the preferred location for the AUKUS nuclear submarine base.
• ABC: ‘Concerns Port Kembla could be a military target if it becomes an Australian nuclear submarine base’.
• Illawarra Mercury: ‘Port Kembla can be a submarine base or container port – but not both, documents show’.
• Illawarra Mercury: ‘Most Port Kembla homes in evacuation zone if a nuclear submarine accident occurred’.
• The Guardian: ‘As Aukus spending and delays blow out, will Australia’s nuclear submarines ever materialise?’.