Opinion article: March 8, 2010

For the first time in history, we have an American President and a growing number of global political leaders calling for a world free of nuclear weapons. The Rudd Government came to office articulating the same vision

The Prime Minister talked of reactivating middle-power diplomacy, and nuclear disarmament being a high Government priority.

This week in Washington US President Obama has reaffirmed his commitment to nuclear disarmament by ordering the US Department of Defence to rewrite (again) its draft of the new US Nuclear Posture Review, amid frustration in the White House that the document fails to reflect Obama’s aspirations for a nuclear-weapons-free world and an end to ‘‘cold war thinking’’.

However, the freshly released Australian Government response to the unanimous recommendations of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties Inquiry into Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament indicates that rather than strongly supporting Obama’s vision for nuclear weapons abolition, Australia has dropped the ball on nuclear disarmament.

Although the Government has taken some promising steps, as it moves towards the latter part of this term, the government’s disarmament record regrettably falls well short of its promises.

Rudd was the first serving Australian Prime Minister to visit Hiroshima, and on June 9, 2008 he wrote in the visitors’ book at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, ‘‘Let the world resolve afresh, from the ashes of this city, to work together for the common mission of peace for this Asia-Pacific century, and for a world where nuclear weapons are no more.’’ Rudd then initiated the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament, cochaired by former Australian and Japanese foreign ministers Gareth Evans and Yoriko Kawaguchi, which delivered its first report last December.

On October 13, 2008, Rudd asked the parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Treaties to conduct a wide-ranging inquiry into how Australia’s role in nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament might be more effective. This cross-party committee, chaired by ALP backbencher Kelvin Thomson, concluded, ‘‘It is time for concrete, demonstrable action to break down the current international stalemate and achieve a world without nuclear weapons.’’

Aside from reaffirming continued Australian support for long-languishing measures such as a comprehensive ban on nuclear tests, and a treaty to cut off production of fissile material for nuclear weapons, the most forward-thinking aspects of this report called on the Government to make clear internationally its support for the adoption of a Nuclear Weapons Convention. In effect, it urges the Government to get to work to deliver on its promise to push a global treaty to abolish nuclear weapons.

However, now that it has had the opportunity to mull over the recommendations of the JSCT report, the Government’s response is lacklustre and disappointing. On a Nuclear Weapons Convention, the Government responded, ‘‘The Government is firmly committed to a world free of nuclear weapons and recognises that at an appropriate time, the international community may need to explore possible legal frameworks, including a Nuclear Weapons Convention, for the eventual abolition of nuclear weapons. ‘‘It nonetheless sees this as a long-term goal.’’

This misses the opportunity to grasp cross-party support on a vital global issue and move forward. It fails to seize the international momentum on the issue — and even risks getting in the way and setting back the international effort rather than helping to lead it. While weakly genuflecting towards a Nuclear Weapons Convention, this diplomatic language is qualified to the point of meaninglessness and mumbo-jumbo. It is bereft of commitment and leadership and effectively puts Australian work for an abolition treaty off the table. The Government needs to fill the gap between its rhetoric and actions on nuclear weapons.

It would have widespread public support in doing so — a Lowy Institute Poll in 2009 found that 75 per cent of Australians agreed that nuclear disarmament should be a top priority for the Australian Government. Such a convention is supported by 135 nations at the UN General Assembly and by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.

There is a real danger that the Government will skate through to the next election having done little more than create an expectation of strong action, but then ducking from developing and implementing government policy in a vital area affecting the security of all Australians.

Setting and implementing government policy in a crucial security area cannot responsibly be outsourced, and the Government is running out of time to deliver on this election promise.

Now is the best opportunity since the Cold War to realise the vision of a world without the most destructive weapons the world has ever created. It is a vision the overwhelming majority of people all over the world yearn for. Australia must seize the opportunity now to match policy with rhetoric and bring the vision of a world without nuclear weapons a step closer.

Published in the Canberra Times. Associate Professor Tilman Ruff is chairman of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. He is one of two invited NGO advisers to the Co-Chairs of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament.