Andrew Wilkie (Denison, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Australia continues to refuse to sign the treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons, even though over 50 nations have signed so far and close to 100 more are expected to. Australia, along with the US, has even tried to derail the treaty's progress. This is an historic treaty—one that's being led by countries without nuclear weapons and that bans the production, stockpiling, testing, possession, hosting, use and threat of such weapons. It recognises that any use of nuclear weapons would have catastrophic consequences for our planet.

When we see the posturing by the leaders of the US and North Korea in recent months, it's easy to see why so many Australians care about this. That's why I was proud to sign the ICAN Parliamentary Pledge, which is a commitment of parliamentarians around the world to support the treaty and urge their governments to sign up.

Australia needs a more independent foreign and security policy and shouldn't keep blindly following the US. If we were more independent, we'd realise that this treaty is essential, because nuclear weapons, regardless of whose hands they're in, are a threat to everyone. The government must listen to the community and sign up to this treaty, because a complete abolition of nuclear weapons is the only option for us.

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