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Australia votes against division

May 12, 2025

In this federal election, Australians were offered a clear choice between competent governance and social inclusion or divisive politics.
They decisively chose the former.

While this election was ostensibly focused on cost of living pressures, it was, in many ways, about the very spirit of the country. Trump-influenced right-wing populism was hardwired into the Coalition’s platform. Leader Peter Dutton lifted tactics directly from the Trump playbook. Apart from driving division over things like Welcome to Country, the Coalition’s energy agenda was deeply regressive, focused on promoting nuclear power, coal and gas, and opposition to the renewable energy transition.

Prime Minister Albanese now has a clear mandate to get on with the job with the shift to renewable energy. This is not a piecemeal task – it is a huge opportunity that needs more ambition.

 

Even far-right Liberal MP James Patterson admitted on election night that “the Trump factor” was significant in the outcome.

As with Canada’s recent elections, the Australian people have resoundingly rejected right-wing populism.

Grievance politics has become the default setting for conservative political parties. It started with Pauline Hanson’s party in the 1990s and has become mainstream in both the Liberal and National parties. The result of the 2025 election demonstrated clearly the limits of this approach. The community voted en masse against the politics of division.

As independent Zali Steggall said on the night, ‘people want to see issues like climate change addressed’.

Friends of the Earth has been leading the way in cultivating community-led solutions to the climate crisis. From our Yes 2 Renewables and No New Gas campaign to Tipping Point and Healthy Futures, which is mobilising the community in support of the energy transition and against fossil fuels, we are well placed to ramp up our influence and ensure a rapid transition to renewables, storage, and energy efficiency and an end to fossil fuel production.

Our anti nuclear campaign – FoE’s longest running campaign – has achieved a significant win in terms of shifting the public debate away from this dangerous technology. With pro-nuclear advocate David Littleproud likely to stay on as leader of the Nationals, we will need to stay active and organised.

The Don’t Nuke the Climate initiative has welcomed the clear rejection of nuclear power by Australian voters. You can read the response here.

There is lots of significant detail in this outcome:

  • Nuclear as an option for domestic energy is now dead. Australians have voted for a future that is powered by renewable energy
  • The Coalition’s strategy of unleashing anti-renewables propaganda has failed. Its attempt to undermine offshore wind has instead been met with increased votes for the ALP in key seats like Gilmore.
  • It is important to note that the Coalition is losing seats to the ALP and Climate Independents, not parties to their right
  • Votes for The Greens remained strong
  • Most of the Climate Independents were returned, many with increased margins. Other independents, like Alex Dyson, built their support, putting conservative incumbents closer to losing their seats
  • Far-right parties like ‘Trumpet of Patriots’ polled very poorly
  • Despite efforts by the Coalition to seize outer suburban areas, the fringes generally solidly backed the ALP. As one commentator put it last night, ‘there was no rebellion in the commuter belt’
  • The shift away from the major parties continues. The base of the Coalition is now boomers, and Gen X and millennials are now the largest voting blocks. This will continue to push Australia towards progressive politics
  • The power of the Murdoch press to swing elections is in continued decline – this was on full display last night as Sky After Dark commentators urged the Coalition to go (even further) to the right

We want to acknowledge the extraordinary efforts of the seven regions that opposed the LNP’s plan to force nuclear reactors onto their communities. As FoE campaigner in the Latrobe Valley Wendy Farmer said on the night, ‘now the seven regions can focus on building a future with renewable energy, working for our communities’. Communities around the country have fought hard this election and we’d also like to give a special shoutout to local groups like Good for the Gong in the Illawarra who have been championing the case for offshore wind. These groups have been on the frontlines of a difficult fight, building the community power our movement needs to win big change.

This is a summary from FoE Australia: https://www.foe.org.au/australia_votes_against_division

Adelaide FoE Notes, FoE

Submission to the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties re “Agreement … for Cooperation related to Naval Nuclear Propulsion”

March 25, 2025

Philip White wrote a detailed submission, which he summarises:

“We strongly believe that the Agreement should not be entered into in the first place. The proposal for Australia to acquire nuclear powered submarines should be rejected on security, safety, nuclear non-proliferation, environmental and economic grounds. Given that both sides of politics have committed themselves to these submarines, it would take some political courage to reverse course. If the government does not have enough political courage to make the right decision now, then it should encourage the US and UK governments to do the arithmetic and quickly come to the conclusion that they can’t build submarines fast enough to supply Australia without degrading their own nuclear propulsion programs. The quicker everyone acknowledges this and exercises their right to terminate the Agreement, the less money will be wasted.”

The full submission can be downloaded:

240826JSCOTSubmission – FoEAdelaide

Adelaide FoE Notes, FoE, Nuclear

Boothby campaign: Renewables or Nukes

February 24, 2025

Friends of the Earth Adelaide would like to announce a new campaign to inform residents in the electorate of Boothby (SA, marginal ALP) of the dangers of the Coalition’s nuclear energy policy.
We will soon begin posting leaflets in as many letterboxes in Boothby as our legs and our finances will reach. As much as we can afford, we will use Australia Post’s ‘unaddressed mail’ service, but that is not cheap. We are therefore calling for volunteers to help us deliver leaflets by hand.
The outcome of the forthcoming federal election will be critical for the direction of Australia’s climate and energy policy. It is vital that voters know what they are voting for and understand the consequences.  Limited resources will probably restrict us to Boothby, but we are very pleased that people are campaigning in other electorates, including the neighbouring electorate of Sturt.
The electorate of Boothby extends from Millswood and Blackforest in the north, west to the coast at Glenelg, south to Marino, east across to Blackwood, Belair and Brownhill Creek, then north to Cross Road.
In order to reach the whole of Boothby (over 85,000 letterboxes), we will need donations and volunteers. If you are able to help with letterboxing, please send us an email at adelaide.office@foe.org.au  You don’t have to live in Boothby and you can deliver as many or as few leaflets as you like — no pressure. Leaflets will come in bundles of 100.
If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to this campaign, please go to the following link
https://www.foe.org.au/donate_to_friends_of_the_earth_adelaide

Thank you for your support and for all the work you do to achieve a nuclear free, sustainable future.
Philip White on behalf of Friends of the Earth Adelaide.
Authorised by Cam Walker, Friends of the Earth 312 Smith St, Collingwood, VIC, 3066.
A full list of Boothby suburbs can be found at https://electorate.aec.gov.au/
A map can be found at https://www.aec.gov.au/redistributions/2017/sa/final-report/maps-data.html

Actions, Adelaide FoE Notes, Climate, FoE

What happens when we can detect nuclear subs?

March 16, 2023

New details of the AUKUS defence and security pact have revealed Australia will buy three second-hand US Virginia-class submarines early next decade (and potentially two more), subject to approval by US Congress.

Australia will also build a fleet of eight nuclear-powered SSN-AUKUS boats at Adelaide’s Osborne Naval Shipyard. The first will be delivered by 2042, with five completed by the 2050s, and construction of the remaining three going into the 2060s.

It’s estimated the program will cost between A$268 billion and A$368 billion over the next three decades.

Make no mistake. Modern submarines, especially nuclear-powered ones, are one of the most potent and effective weapon systems in today’s world. That is, until they aren’t.

Our analysis shows they might soon be so easily detected they could become billion-dollar coffins.
[…]

Subs in the ocean are large, metallic anomalies that move in the upper portion of the water column. They produce more than sound. As they pass through the water, they disturb it and change its physical, chemical and biological signatures. They even disturb Earth’s magnetic field – and nuclear subs unavoidably emit radiation.

Science is learning to detect all these changes, to the point where the oceans of tomorrow may become “transparent”. The submarine era could follow the battleship era and fade into history.

— read the full article “Progress in detection tech could render submarines useless by the 2050s. What does it mean for the AUKUS pact?” at theconversation.com

FoE, Old_Notes