haln Ion . Friends of the Earth Australia Number 41 April - May 1985 $2.50 As a service to the neglected cyclist outside Sydney we have produced a Mail Order CONTENTS catalogue ... a full range of quality parts is now available to the isolated rural cyclist. Established in 1975 Number41 Gears April-May 1985 Lightweight and wide range gearing Stronglight. Publisher Friends of the Earth Huret. Sugino. SunTour. Australia/Chain Reaction 4 16 29 Shimano. Cooperative Ltd MARALINGA: DESPERATE TOWARDS A RED Racks Editorial collective AUSTRALIAN OPTIONS AND GREEN Wide range of strong steel Sue Armstrong, Tony Atley, and alloy racks. SCIENCE ON TRIAL By Michael Wood COALITION Faye Eisentraut, Peter By Anne McMenamin Panniers Elliffe, Eileen Goodfield, By Peter Springell Forestry polici.es and practices Karrimor, Tika, Bell­ Jonathan Goodfield, Peter The British nuclear tests royal in Papua New"Guinea from and John Wishart Gravier, Dale Kitt, Ben commission and the silence of Australian colonialism to weather. Hiker Biker, in To really change the priorities Kilmartin, Fran Martin, the scientific establishment. Japanese exploitation. canvas or nylon. of the society ... requires a Susan Mueller. Rosemary very large movement ... What Trailer: Nichols. Brendan Rea. Keith sort of vehicle could do the Inc. universal hitch. Light, Redgen. Sylvia Rogers. 11 20 job?' strong. ·carries 50 kilos. Bess Secomb, Linnell Secomb BHOPAL HEAD COUNTS 1 6 page fully illustrated and detailed Catalogue Production By Bert King By Peter Mares 32 including separate Pannier Supplement and price Jan Ardill, Mary Goodfield. The role of multinationals WIMMERA WATER list. all for only $1.00. Duncan Graham. Terry operating in the Third World Kilmartin, Trish Luker. in the light of the world's BATILE CONTINUES Richard McNeil, Steve worst industrial accident. By Lyndon Fraser INNER • CUSTOM BUILT BIKES • Melzer. Richard Shelton. Standards for waste discharges CITY Colin Smith, Chris Ward, are inappropriate to 31 Glebe Pt. Rd. Robert Williams 13 Australia's river systems. CYCLES Glebe (02) 660 6605 Advertising WESTERN MINING IN Contact (03) 63 5995 or DEEPWATER LETTERS 3 (02) 600 0464 for rates and If you think 2SERFM is too serious, bookings. By Ian Grayson and EARTH NEWS 5 Tribune is the biggest Accountant Anne-Marie Delahunt SUB FORM 9 then you definitely need listening Eileen Goodfield FOE GROUPS 10 The demise of the peace selling, most widely Subscriptions REVIEWS 35 Post to bring you out of that Ben Kilmartin movement in West Germany quoted and longest or a search for new directions? Film Neanderthal like attitude. Sydney collective Nineteen Eight.i·:four running left newspaper 27 Federal Rd, Glebe Point, 771e Killing Fields Just $25 or $10 (concession) will NSW2037. 24 771e Legend cJf Tianyun in Australia. Tel: (02)6600464 NOT JUST A DROP IN Mountain support the station and bring you Melbourne collective Video In the last few months Tribune Room 14, Floor 4, 37 THE OCEAN Arms race listening Post for a year. Don't Swanston St, Melbourne. By Owen Wilkes Art articles have included: Vic 3000 Background report on the MX Art and Social Commitment mutilate Chain Reaction by tearing Tel: (03)635995 missile tests in the Tasman Sea exhihition Interviews with: NOP Senator Jo Vallentine; arms and what can be done to Books expert Andrew Mack; National Federation of Land Reprographics In South Australia, the driest The Politics of Agent Orange this ad out, just send a cheque or Melbourne Media Services state, two mining projects disrupt them. Councils activist Shorty O'Neill; the Women's Overpoll'ering Tasmania Typesetting threaten underground wa.ter postal order payable to: 2SER-FM Housing Company; political economist Ted supplies. Wheelwright; singers Margret RoadKnight, Jeanie Kasia Graphics with your name and address on the Lewis, Robyn Archer; Printing Articles by: Ex-Teachers Federation Waverley Offset Publishing back and send it to: president Max Taylor; animal liberation activist Group, Geddes St. Christine Townend; former press secretary to the Mulgrave, Vic 3170 2SER-FM Papua New Guinea government Robin Osborn; PO BOX 123 If you want a genuinely broad left weekly paper, you can't be left without it. All correspondence and Cover: Drawing by Karen Vance. Broadway 2007 Subscription rates: introductory offer: 8 issues for $4. enquiries • $2.50 recommended retail price. ISSN 0312-1372. All material in Chain Reaction is copyright@ Chain Normal rates: 2 years for $45, 1 year for $28, 6 months for Chain Reaction Reaction 1985. All rights reserved. For permission to reprint articles or graphics please write to the P.S. I would also like to donate$...... $15, and 3 months for $8. Cooperative, editors who will give all possible assistance. Views expressed by authors are not necessarily those of the lnsti_tutions: $35, Prisoners: free, Students, GPO Box 530E, publisher. pensioners, unemployed: 1 year $18, 6 months $10, 3 Contributions to Chain Reaction are invited. Please try to send items typed, on one side of the page, Melbourne, Vic 3001. double spaced and with wide margins. Keep a copy. We do not have sufficient resources and people to months $6. Tel: (03)635995 Send to: Tribune Circulation, 4 Dixon St. Sydney, 2000. return manuscripts. These few guidelines help in bringing out the magazine better and faster. The next Radio with a point - 107.5 Telex: ENV35576 edition of Chain Reaction will be published in June. Please send contributions to us by late April. areas of the Northern NCSA is quite satisfied with rir,.. Environmental Costs Territory. meaningless platitudes, as Does the USA wish to expressed in the recent issue of This coming year is a crucial remove such damage from its tr:ofile (vol 2, no I, December one for the anti-nuclear own shores? For obvious 1984). . movement, and the anti­ reasons, the environmental Not satisfied with that Subscription for 6 editions uranium movement in aspects far outweigh the exercise in futility, the particular. We should develop economics in regard to the government through its costs $12 campaigns where the emphasis imminent collapse of the US Department of Foreign is on the environmental uranium industry. Affairs, is now embarking on aspects of uranium mining in Any narrowing of the yet another bit of window­ Send Subscriptions to: Australia, right up to the uranium issue to mere drcssing, namely the possible use in nuclear economics is highly suspect I ntcrnational Ycar of Peace weapons. and detrimental to the anti­ (IYP) in l 986. Australian Left Review, For some years now, the uranium movement and the The peace movement is to economic aspects of the debate as a whole. And it is a be conned into participating in P.O. Box A 247, uranium issue have been smokescreen to hide the most harmless, ineffective activities highlighted and, initially, this dangerous end use of uranium with the intention of depriving was a deliberate ploy. The Sydney South. 2000 nuclear weaponry. it of time and-energy to pursue From Red to Green in the last intention was to lead people to Weapons of war are a major much more important matters. edition of Chain Reac/ion. believe that lower uranium source of capitalist profit Being government sponsored, The second-last sentence of prices would cause an which leads to a continual the agenda will obviously have the middle column reads automatic end to the uranium proliferation and therefore to exclude issues not approved 'Bahro is an academic theorist industry. ever-growing dangers of war, by it, such as stopping . .. ', but it should read 'Bahro I Economics fluctuate. What's including nuclear war. uranium mining, getting rid of is not an academic theorist of economic today is perhaps Uranium mining is the initial US bases, preventing nuclear the left nor an opportunist, Attention libraries, schools and uneconomic in the near future step in the manufacture of ships and planes coming to political novelty seeker.' or vice versa. Therefore, nuclear weapons and, at every Australia, and generally It is worth pointing this conducting the uranium stage, an environmental fighting for a genuine nuclear­ error out as my meaning was tertiary institutions! ,_...-., .,.,__ debate on economic grounds We're o qunrterly newspaper for Canadians concern&- Sharp overview Canhcrra crystal ball to see what is the Leeks on 'Mining the WANT TO STUDY intended use. Stockpile', ( Chain Reaction I was very pleased to read the Early in 1984, we see 39) is quite well done and interview with Gene Sharp in Dr Koch Chain Reaclion. It presented a THE ENVIRONMENT? ERA/ Ranger achieving new certainly is a good Jri.baJ Com:ian of the lliJJ UTH uranium contracts for delivery presentation of one notable good overview of non-violence UJarat Ind' ne, North Tasmania offers special opportunities of up to 8240 tonnes at US$33 school of thought about and helped give prominence to 1:esourc~ ia _requires some practical applications of library 1-Im~tenaJ to b · in this field. a pound. These two new atomic energy and its . · e 1 UJ]d -. non-violent action. Interested . s ParticuJa up a R contracts are with American materials. 1 Electric Power and It has been interesting to The interview also reminded and is r in Aborigi [->' me of how fortunate we are in {5roups tequesting acttv

The professor made much of the fact that his side was being taken by Knights of the Realm, Fellows of the Royal Society (FRS), and even a Nobel Prize Laureate. At the same time he resorted to stripping me of my Ph.D. and ignoring the fact that the one and only independent scientific researcher of the time (Marston) also Eco-socialism happened to be a Knight FRS to boot. A recent article in the National TimeslO Environmentalists and socialists pointed out that all may not be revealed, met together for a weekend because of Britain's touchiness on this discussion in late 1984 to critic­ subject. Given that, and the probability ally evaluate their common that the royal commission will end up interests and the possibilities being a white-wash job, the sheer volume for united action. Among the of evidence now accumulated is enough to many issues raised in the work­ suggest that a cover-up and carelessness shops was the need to develop had almost certainly taken place. an environmentally sound eco­ The very calibre of the test apologists nomic strategy based on broad­ that Titterton boasts of must inevitably ranging community discussion. reflect on the integrity of the Australian The meeting ended with decis­ scientific establishment, and the credibility ions to establish groups in of Australian scientists in general in the Victoria, South Australia and eyes of the community at large. More New South Wales which would specifically, it is my belief that it is now both continue discussion around obligatory for Titterton: these issues and plan and orga­ • to explain his actions to the scientific nise future conferences and w community to preserve his reputation as a publications. Over the coming e scientist of integrity; and year the groups hope to organise secure unbiased, reliable information of • as a human being of compassion to do state conferences leading up to By Peter Springell past events. The simple reason is that such all he can to secure belated financial a national forum in late 1985. For almost 20 years the rosy, reassuring accounts are designed to provide justifi­ restitution as part compensation for the Contact: Jack Mundey, Tel: official accounts of the British nuclear cation for particular government sponsored suffering of innocent victims of the tests. (02) 265 9056. weapons tests in Australia were generally activities, rather than giving a genuine I have recently also followed this up with a accepted as representing a truthful record critical analysis of such actions. For similar private letter to Sir Mcfarlane of events. It was only in the early 80s that instance, are historians likely to believe Burnett. the first doubts began to be expressed official German records of what happened In conclusion, I refer readers back to The international wildlife trade, about the conduct of the tests I. Since then, in Nazi concentration camps, and disregard earlier articles in the Earth News section of wo11h billions of dollars annually, these doubts have escalated into a major the mass of anecdotal evidence of the Chain Reaction I I on what follow-up action has been responsible for massive scandal, forcing the authorities to hastily unfortunate victims to the contrary? people can take to help the Aborigines get declines in the numbers of many set up the Kerr Inquiry, and then to go Recently I gave Sir Ernest Titterton an belated justice. species of animals and plants. further, and establish a royal commission opportunity to put the record straight5. The scale of over-exploitation into the effect of the tests. However, it appears the professor is Notes for one night only and was good results when over two aroused such concern that an Australian scientists have been deeply unrepentant6. His argument is that critics I. B. Martin, Nuclear Knights, Rupert Public MX vigil spent on the steps of the con­ hundred people turned up to international treaty was drawn involved on both sides of the controversy. of the tests have failed to produce well Interest Movement, Canberra, 1980. In part­ sulate. 'Honk Against MX' signs hear speakers, including Jean up in 1973 to prevent inter­ On the one hand, the establishment posi­ documented data to contradict the official icular, see note 128, p 78. On Sunday 3 February 1985 a were placed on busy St Kilda Meltzer, at less than twenty­ national trade from threatening tion was taken by some of the biggest line. Did he really expect nomadic Abor­ 2. A Tame & FP J Robotham, Maralinga: British A-bomb legacy, Fontana/Collins, 1982. vigil against the Hawke govern­ Road and produced much res­ four hour's notice. species with extinction. names in Australian science - Sir McFarl­ igines ro write up their experiences in an 3. D. Smith & D Snow, National Times, 4 May ment's decision to provide logis­ ponse. On Monday morning In the course of the vigil The Convention on Inter­ ane Burnett, Sir Leslie Martin and Sir acceptable form suitable for the type of 1980,p3. tic support to the MX missile after being moved on by police, many people driving or walking national Trade in Endangered Ernest Titterton -while among the critics prestigious publication which he would be 4. HR Marston, Australian Journal of Bio­ testing program began outside it was decided to continue the past dropped in to find out the Species of Wild Fauna and Sir Hedley Marston and Rob Robotham2 prepared to believe? My contention 7 is that logical Science I I, I 958, p 382. the US Consulate in Melbourne. vigil in parkland opposite the purpose of the vigil. Offers were Flora, known as CITES, was are the most prominent. under the circumstances, the video they 5. PH Springell, Search 15, 1984, p200. The vigil, the result of quick consulate. Anne Fahey, the made of tents and food. $180 formed on I July 1975 and now Marston's position is most interesting. It produced8 is surely the best that could be 6. EW Titterton, Search 15, 1984, p262. In action by Young People for Mayor of South Melbourne, collected from individuals at an has more than 85 member has been claimed3 that his original paper expected of them. particular note reference to reports on nuclear Nuclear Disarmament (YPND), was quick to offer support and emergency anti-MX meeting countries. These countries act on the extent of radio-iodine contamin­ As to the collecting of information from test safety. 7. PH Springell, Search 15, 1984, p309. commenced just a few days after to give rermission for the vigil was used by the vigil to print by banning commercial trade in ation of sheep thyroids4 was abridged, so ex-service personnel, the threat of the 8. Pitjantjatjara Council, videotape interview Hawke's secret sellout had been to contmue on the parkland. leaflets outlining' opposition to endangered species and by as to fit in better with the official accounts harsh pumtive clauses of the Official telecast on ABC's Nationwide, 10 May 1984. made public. Tents were erected and it was MX and publicising the large regulating trade to protect other of the tests. One is left to wonder whether Secrets Act was surely enough to dis­ Quoted in the Courier Mail, 11 May 1984. YPND's move provides the decided to maintain the vigil for Friday rally. species. the officially approved papers were not in courage, until recent times that is, all but 9. For example, see article in the Courier Mail, established peace movement nearly two weeks until Friday Much is to be learnt from The fifth meeting of the turn also doctored to fit the political death-bed revelations9. Only now that 30 April 1984. with an example of the kind of 15 February when a highly vigils such as those held in signatory nations of CITES will climate of the day. immunity is guaranteed to royal commis­ IO. R Milliken, National Times, 7 December spontaneous action it must successful rally against MX Melbourne. Their worth as a be taking place in Buenos Aires It is of course a fact of life that no sion witnesses, are disclosures from this 1984, p 15. adopt to overcome the burden organised by anti-nuclear useful form of immediate action from 22 April to 3 May 1985. reputable historian would ever depend source coming to light. Even then, the 11. 'Unroyal treatment', Chain Reaction 39, p 5; 'More unroyal treatment', Chain Reaction of its present slow-to-act bur­ groups was held outside the is a factor which the established Information on the Australian entirely on sanitised official reports to accounts must of necessity be now blurred 40, p3. eaucracy. Through rapid action consulate. peace movement should government's proposals is avail­ Peter Springell is a retired scientist who ran.foul by the passage of time. Furthermore, such For further information on the British tests YPND and its supporters at the The vigil also organised its recognise. able from the Parks and Wildlife witnesses probably not only lacked scien­ of CS/RO, got involved in the uranium issue in cover-up, see: B Toohey, National Times, 4 May vigil were able to obtain max­ own rally. On the Monday of Contact: YPND c/- People for Service in Canberra. Darwin, and was spirited away to A lice Springs, tific training,but their access to instrument­ 1984, p 3; B Toohey & D Smith, National Times, imum possible media coverage the eviction it was decided to Nuclear Disarmament, 252 Swan­ Contact: TRAFFIC, 53.Sydney Rd, prior to escaping to Queensland. He is now a ation and permanent records was no doubt 8 June 1984, p 17; M Diesendorf, SANA Update and public awareness. hold a rally on the next day. ston St, Melbourne, Vic 3000. Manly, NSW 2095. member of the People.for Peace in Cairns. severely limited. 19, August 1984, p IO. The vigil was intended to be Plenty of hard work met with Tel: (03) 663 2846. Tel: (02)9774786 4 Chain Reaction Chain Reaction 5 toll taken by the military gov­ • The Forest Bus toured Tas­ licence reviews will culminate in Turkish ernment on political prisoners. mania with a major display, the setting of conditions by the FOE meet More than 200 000 political EARTH holding public meetings. federal government in July protests suspects have been arrested in • The Wilderness Society is 1985. Canberra's decision will Transcontinental bus trips are four years. Most have been running an expensive series of be crucial in determining the great for writing bad poems. subjected to beatings, breaking NEWS television advertisements to future of Tasmanian forest A iroup of Turkish political On a cattle farm in Busselton activists based in the Victorian of arms and legs, electric shocks, counter the industry's public management into the next exposure to extremes of hot relations offensive. century. However it also has a Near where karri forests grow. electorate of Wills has called for Friends of the Earth gathered an immediate and general and cold, burning, being hung • A pictorial account of the national significance. For the annual get-to-know. up by the feet, or rape. environmental degradation A similar review of the Eden amnesty for political prisoners Delegates travelled from afar in Turkey. The Committee for a Between I 80 and 200 pris­ wrought by logging, 'Devastated wood chip scheme in New South oners have died from the effects Forests'. and the 'Woodchip Wales has already started. and Bv bus and car and train. General Amnesty and Solidarity A. few wise ones from the east with Political Prisoners in Tur­ of torture. Only 48 have been Action Kit' have been produced. is expected to commence in Had the sense (cents?) to catch a legally hanged, but over 100 are Woodchip An alternative forest manage­ Western Australia in the next key links progressive and demo­ plane. cratic individuals and groups in now on death row awaiting ment and employment report two years. It has agreed at the execution, and a further 3000 will be available soon. National Woodchip Summit in For four days n January the Turkish community around draft We had our national meeting, have been committed for trial • A major rally is being planned Melbourne last November that · Australia. The talk was often broken The committee seriously for offences punishable by The long-awaited draft Environ­ in Hobart on 19 April. the conditions placed on the By tours. drinking. eating. death. mental Impact Statement (EIS) Tasmanian licences would set questioned the 'transition to Thanks must go to Janet democracy' which is said to The committee believes that on Tasmanian woodchipping Meanwhile Premier Gray has the precedent for reviews in international public opinion was released in early March called for feasibilitv studies on other states, and for any future Whose beans were full of bounce have taken place in Turkey. The And also to Ross and Dee four-year old military regime may help to bring about an 1985. The media has recognised the establishment o"r a pulp mill projects in Victoria or Queens­ Their farm's name I can't improvement in Turkey. In the significance of the document in northern Tasmania and for a land. The campaign to the pronounce. held elections on 6 November 1984, yet writers, artists and August and September, 1984 it and forestry now dominates the pulp and paper mill in the Huon Tasmanian licences must be organised a series of exhibitions, front pages of the local press in Vallev. These mills would use The 1985 Friends of the Earth scientists still fill the prison cells. seen as the first stage of a national meeting was held in meetings and rallies around Tasmania. (See 'Woodchip pulp\vood presently committed national campaign to protect Political prisoners in Turkish the south-west of Western Australia to raise public aware­ Exports', Chain Reaction 40). to woodchip exports. While Australia's forests. gaols are subjected to systematic Australia on 19-22 January, torture and brutality. Resis­ ness of the plight of Turkey's Woodchipping is also being Tasmanian environmentalists political prisoners. viewed as a important issue in have supported the principle of Action: For furiher information on hosted bv FOE Perth. The tance by the prisoners them­ the forthcoming state election, further domestic processing to the present woodchip situation and meeting discussed issues of selves has mainly taken the form Action: The Committee for General to obtain your copy of the Wood­ common interest to all groups, of a series of hunger strikes, Amnesty and Solidarity with Poli­ pa11icularly if the federal gt~vern­ increase local employment. they chip Action Kit and the draft EIS ment can be portrayed· as mter­ are sceptical that the studies including the administration of beginning in July 1983, and tical Prisoners in Turkey welcomes response kit send $1 to cover postage FOE Australia during the year, enquiries from all Australians. Any­ vening in state affairs. An elec­ will favour the mills. Previous repeated in January, February, and printing costs to: Forest Action and heard reports of each one wishing to express support for tion is not due until Mav 1986 reports seem to indicate that it Network. 102 Bathurst St. Hobart. May and June 1984. the committee, apply for member­ group's activities during 1984 w but dates as early as May 1985 is more profitable for companies Tas 7000. Tel: (002) 34 5566. These Independent evidence pre­ ship, or simply obtain more inform­ z and plans for the future. :::J to export unprocessed wood­ mav also be obtained from the pared by Amnesty International ation should write to the committee a:, have been rumoured. Perhaps because of the travel­ chips. Australian Conservation Founda­ gives a horrifying picture of the at PO Box 84, Moreland, Vic. 3058. a: The conservation movement tion in Melbourne. environment ling distance involved. many f- is gearing up for the campaign: The Tasmanian woodchip centres and Wilderness Shops. groups were not represented at the meeting. Also disappointing was the low proportion of women ure it has been technically station has set up a number of of the dangers. present. Radio on impossible for Skidrow to collectives to work on improving A document dated January Peace bus However, many of the group resume its 24-hour program­ and expanding the record lib­ 1951 released to the Royal reports received were encour­ skids ming schedule. rary, increasing subscriptions Commission gave instructions The Tasmanian Peace Bus on aging. and showed the diversity Radio Skidrow Sydney, a. There are no paid workers at and producing a subscribers from the Lords of the Admiralty its first tour of Tasmania in­ of FOE groups around Austra­ community radio station, first the station. It is run by volun­ newsletter, reformulating the on exposing servicemen to creased the number of peace lia. in size. organisation structure. went to air via landlines in 1982 teers who produce news and programming structure, and gamma radiation: groups in the state by approxi­ approach to and choice of issues reaching a number of community interviews, look after adminis­ setting up an independent news mately 20%. A long-neglected to campaign on. Two new welfare centres around the tration and raise money for the agency. In the application of the calculation 1959 Bedford had been restored expounded here there is one over­ groups were welcomed. Willunga inner I metropolitan area. In station. Community groups Action: Public support is vital for riding principle which must never by a team of interested people, in South Australia. and M urrav September 1983 the station went participate by producing their the station's survival. Radio Skid­ be lost sight of. It is this. All not formal members of any River Region based at Yarra­ to air on FM, its broadcast area own programs, bringing more row invites people to visit them at: radiation dosage, however small. is peace group. Funding was wonga in Victoria. encompassing the Sydney City, community involvement into Level I. Wentworth Building. harmful. The only excuse for expo­ obtained by donations from The national liaison officer, Botany, Leichardt and Marrick­ the station. Sydney University, NSW 2006. sing men to it is demonstrable members of the team and. to a Lorraine Grayson, was reap­ ville suburbs. Management problems were Tel: (02) 6604677. operational necessity. larger extent, from Hobart pointed for another 18 months, There have been many diffi­ fairly well eliminated on 24 Documents were put before business people. The 'on road' and the Chain Reaction edi­ culties, both financial and November when a new board Lord Penney which emphasised expenses were covered by the torial collective were also given administrative. The station. was elected. Radio Skidrow Penney drops the need to 'indoctrinate' Aus­ generosity of people whom they renewed tenure. relies on one-off grants, sub­ now has representatives from The Australian Royal Commis­ tralians, as well as 'propaganda' met while on tour. Among the decisions of the scriptions and donations. A the Aboriginal community, sion (into the British nuclear articles written by him and Venues were provided by meeting was the proposal that grant received in 1984 for the Girls on Tape, Women on Air, tests in the 1950s) in London others. One of Lord Penney's local peace groups and con­ FOE groups initiate discussion employment of workers and migrant groups, Redfern Legal was told in January 1985 that letters said: There were a whole cerned individuals. A good on the question of 'environ­ tramees was terminated prema­ Centre, Prisoners Action Group, soldiers were told to crawl, lie, lot of cranks in Australia selection of quality anti-nuclear mental parties'. and the most turely when the Board of station workers and students. walk and run in radioactive equipped with geiger counters films and videos were shown appropriate role for environ­ Directors took the station off All have a firm commitment to dust to see what effect it would waiting for radioactive rain.' backed by a wide range of free mental and peace groups in the the air on 24 June. the station and its practised have on them. This was despite Lord Penney said that the literature and a number of guest electoral process. After a long and bitter policy of providing equal and instructions to service chiefs ground burst test called 'Maicoo' speakers. The next national meeting struggle to get the station back unlimited access for all members that radiation was harmful. Maralinga was carried out for The response to the tour con­ will be held in Januarv 1986 in to air, Skid row resumed broad­ of the community who are Lord Penney, the man in charge military reasons. Ground bursts firms a need for this project but Victoria. ' casting for 12 hours a day on 16 otherwise denied access to of the atomic tests at Maralinga were 'very dirty stuff and were its future depends on continued Contact: For further information. July. Two weeks later this was media channels. and Monte Bello said he knew considered successful if they funding. contact Lorraine Grayson. c · - FOE increased to I 5 hours a day. The station resumes 24-hour a,bout the experiments on the killed as many men as possible. Senator Norm Sanders, Kit Hokanson and Rod Baker with the Contact: Kit Hokanson, RMB 585. Perth. 794 Hav St. Perth, WA 6000. Because most of the equipment broadcasting on I April 1985. soldiers but claims he was not Source: The Guardian Weeklr, 27 Murdunna, Tas 7178. Peace Bus in Franklin Square, Hobart. Tel: (09)3212269. was sabotaged during the clos- In preparation for this, the aware of the documents warning January 1985. · 6 Chain Reaction Chain Reaction 7 Kiwi peace Chain Reaction The New Zealand government is considering a proposal to My subscription establish an independent peace institute. The proposal went before the Labour government's I wish to subscribe to caucus in early January 1985. Chain Reaction The promoter of the peace institute. Waitakere member of D for the next four editions, $IO parliament Ralph Maxwell, believes its establishment will D for the next eight editions, $20 enhance the international pres­ tige New Zealand has gained Overseas airmail double above rates. from its handling of the nuclear issue: Nan1e ...... Rearming Historically it is time to get tough on the subject of peace and develop­ During the heady days of the ment ... small nations have a Address ...... I 984 federal elect10n, the aspir­ responsibility to opt in to the ations of the Nuclear Disarm­ struggle on the nuclear issue. The solution is unlikelv to result from ament Party (NOP) were easily w ...... Postcode...... merely leaving it to the superpowers. ,:'. definable to a single focus. w a: Simply put, to achieve a voice The institute would have both a: w in the process of power by teaching and research functions. ,:'. Gift subscription (:) electing as many candidates as Its board would comprise of ;:; possible. members from the Federation Support for Ingkerreke at 1984 National Aborigines Day in Please send the next four editions of This goal was achieved by the of Labour. Employers Federa­ Alice Springs. successful candidature of Jo tion. Returned Services Asso­ Vallentine in Western Australia, ciation. members of parliament. as well as help manage financial and a very solid vote gained in senior government officials. the lngkerreke resources (pensions or benefit other states. The NOP out­ Peace Foundation. the National I ngkerreke is an Aboriginal payments). to obtain community voted the Democrats in the four Council of Churches and the initiative designed to achieve vehicles and other camp require­ states and territories where there University Vice Chancellors self-management for outstation ments. Field officers would be was time to put together a Committee. communities. The organisation recruited from local communi­ planned campaign. The party The proposal also provides was established as the lngkerreke ties to assist in meeting organi­ was formed just six months for a disarmament ambassador. Outstation Resource Service at sation, community consultation ...... Postcode ...... before the election in Canberra. Its structure is based on the a meeting of delegates from 30 and delivery of services. Govern­ Having established itself as a Institute of Policy Studies which Northern Territory outstation ment liaison will be provided by ( A letter will be sent with the first copy viable political force, the NOP was established bv New Zealand's communities earlv in 1984. two Aboriginal directors repre­ must now settle down to explor­ Victoria University in 1983. It has only wo11 very limited senting the major language and announcing it's from you.) in~ for what and for whom it Source: :Vew Zealand Times 12 and qualified support from cultural groups (Arrernte and exists. Not the least of these February 1985. politicians and Department of Luritja) and will be based in questions is the production of Aboriginal Affairs officials, Alice Springs. Donations guidelines for Jo Vallentine to even though they admit the need Although it has the full sup­ use when it comes to voting on Shining exists for a coordinated approach port of all the Aboriginal legislation that cannot be dir­ to meeting present and antici­ organisations in Alice Springs - - ectly linked to the nuclear issue. Some signatories to petitions pated outstation community and its 30 member communities, The press widely touted the circulated in Czechoslovakia needs. Ingkerreke has not received any belief that the NDP would against the deployment of new lngkerreke is an Eastern government funding except for abstain from voting in such a nuclear missiles in Europe Arrernte word meaning 'People an interim coordinator. Lengthy Payment case. This was never a formal (including Soviet) are reported working altogether'. In keeping submissions have been written. decision of the NOP as a whole. to have been pressured to with­ with this spirit. the organisation but further government assis­ Please find enclosed a cheque or money order draw their signatures. tance still appears doubtful Abstaining on a piece of le~is­ aims to assist member commu­ $ ...... , lation can be the same as votmg Students at Prague's Charles nities to obtain land, housing because of a policy of cutting for or pay by bankcard. against it. University have found a risk­ and essential sen·ices. and also new or expanding programs in In addition to the problems free way to protest new missile -to improve basic living condi­ ·low priority portfolios in an Bankcard no ...... of the party's constitution and deployments. Early in 1984 a tions. effort to lower the national possible expansion of policy, sign appeared on the main Through the establishment of deficit. Money is urgently needed the above question will be faculty of the university bearing regional resources centres in the to cope with the needs of its Expires; ·...... Signature. addressed at the first national the simple text: 'Down with the Ti-Tree. Plenty River, Kings member communities. conference of the NOP over missiles ... if you agree with us Canyon and Finke regions, a Action: Given the present situation Post to: four days in late April 1985. don't sign your name, draw a decentralised structure will be lngkerreke appeals for financial Representatives of the party picture of a sun.' developed under the control and assistance from individuals concerned from all over Australia will be It was not long before thou­ direction of local communities. about the human rights and land Chain Reaction Cooperative, in Melbourne at the College of sands of little suns covered the The objective is to develop and rights of Aborigines. Donations of GPO Box 530E, Melbourne, Vic 3001. Advanced Education, Carlton wall. When police later white­ support self-management and $IO or more will entitle donors to washed the decorated wall, suns self-sufficiency of member receive the quarterly Ingkerreke during 25-28 April. Attendance newsletter. Contributions over $2 is open to party members only. began to appear on other walls. communities. are tax deductable. Donations can Contact: Membership and other Other schools and colleges Regional officers will even­ be sent to: The Interim Coordinator, enquiries to NDP, GPO Box followed this example. tually be employed to establish Ingkerreke Outstation Resource 5228BB, Melbourne, Vic. 3001. Tel: Source: Peace Actiun, November these centres and coordinate Centre, PO Box 2363, Alice Springs. (03)631466. 1984. their essential service programs, NT 5855. Tel: (089) 52 5855. 8 Chain Reaction Bhopal THE I On 3 December 1984 there occurred the worst industrial accident the world has known. Where? The city of Bhopal, in central India, in the state of Mad ya Pradesh. The industry? A pesticide plant owned by the Union Carbide Corporation of USA and the Indian government. . The deadly agent? A volatile liquid, methyl iso-cyanate (MIC). (MIC{s an intermediate product in the manufacture of the pesticide Sevin.) Around midnight, pressure began building up in a storage tank containing 45 tons of MIC. Within an hour, the chemical began to escape via a faulty valve. The gas hung low in the cool night air and drifted over the city. Close to the plant are the 'suburbs' of Jayaprakesh Nagar and Kali Parade, slum dwellings haphazardly grouped on government land with no electricity or water. Many of the inhabitants are 'untouchables', the lowest of the Hindu castes impoverished and illiterate, employed in menial tasks . • As the gas spread and night turned to day, the massacre became obvious We've got lead out of petrol and whales will probably still be around for our kids to enjoy. We're working hard for a --people and cattle alike lay dead. ------fairer distribution of the------world's food and an end to nuclear madness, and we've started------­ a recycling campaign. Friends The official toll is 2500 people dead and perhaps 200000 injured. of the Earth is a radi~al activist group - and that means we don't avoid controversy. We are raising issues today to make But who would say this is accurate'? a better world tomorrow. We need your support now to continue our work. Join us .

FRIENDS OF THE EARTH • ~ Friends of the Earth groups By Bert King render it harmless. but this was being • ADELAIDE 120WakefieldSt,Adelaide, serviced . • PENINSULA PO Box 319, Seaford, • Any gas escaping the scrubber should SA 5000 MIC reacts with almost anv other sub­ • Vic3198 have been burnt off in a 24-metre flare Many Bhopal residents will never see • BLUE MOUNTAINS 9 Harvey St, stance. The most likely explar1ation for the • PERTH 790 Hay St, Perth, WA 6000 catastrophe is that water entered the tank . tower. This too was shut down. again. • Katoomba, NSW 2780. (047) 82 2701 (09) 321 5942 • The warning siren which sounded had MEMBERSHIP A workman had been washing out a pipe • BON ANG Tingalla, via Bonang, Vic 3888 PORT PIRIE PO Box 7, Port Pirie, become commonplace and was ignored. A • MIC and 1-napthol yield N-methyl Dear Friends of the Earth • that had not been properly sealed, under • BRISBANE PO Box 667, South Brisbane SA 5540 (086) 34 5269 instruction from a novice supervisor. critical panel in the control room had been carbamate. a carbaryl. • Old 4101 RY DE 18 Kokoda St, North Ryde, about two hours before. removed. preventing warning of the leak The carbaryl series of pesticides were Please find enclosed my membership • CANBERRA PO Box 1875, Canberra NSW 2113 (02) 88 2429 The plant had been closed for main­ showing up on the alarm panel. introduced in 1956 by UC; Sevin and • • Excessive amounts of MIC were in fee of $ ...... (as per rates below). • City, ACT 2602; 116 Lewin St, Lyneham SYDNEY Floor 2, 787 George St, tenance for two weeks before the accident. Temik are their tradenames. The carbaryl • ACT 2602 (062) 47 8868 Both the storage tanks and the pipes storage. The German company. Bayer. range has replaced DDT because, unlike Name ...... • Sydney, NSW 2000 (02) 2113953 who produce MIC in Europe. only produce • COLLINGWOOD 366 Smith St, UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND connecting them were under repair. DDT. carbamates degrade fairly rapidly . An Indian scientist, Dr Srinivarsan it in small quantities for immediate use. At reducing dangers to humans through Address ...... • Collingwood, Vic 3066 (03) 419 8700 cl- SRC, University of New England, Bhopal. the production process was prone • DARWIN PO Box 2120, Darwin, NT Yaradarajan. made the first statement storage in body fat and to wildlife. • Armidale, NSW 2350 about the cause of the disaster. He told a to frequent breakdown so MIC was stock­ Sevin is a contact pesticide with slight • 5794 (089) 81 6222 piled. • UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY POBox364 meeting of scientists in Lucknow that the systemic properties. recommended for use Telephone ...... • EL THAM PO Box 295, Eltham, Vic Wentworth Building, University of gas leak was caused by a small amount of CS Tyson. a safety inspector for UC in against insect pests on fruit. vegetable. • 3095 (03) 435 9160 Sydney, NSW 2006 water in the tank of MIC. This started a the USA. attests to the poor safety cotton and other crops. Phosgene. an • LATROBE UNIVERSITY c/-TheSRC, Membership fees: ACT $20; NSW $20 • UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUST­ runaway reaction. generating heat and procedures and inadequate inspections of intermediate product in its manufacture. is ($13 concession); NT $10; Old $15 • La Trobe University, Bundoora, Vic RALIA Guild of Undergraduates, Uni­ pressure. MIC boils at 39°C; there is the Bhopal plant. An operational safety well known as a highly poisonous gas used ($10); SA $10 ($5); Tas $10; Vic $24 • 3083 (03) 479 2977 versity of Western Australia, Nedlands, evidence that the temperature in the tanks survey in 1982 had listed ten major in the First World War. Its permissible ($18); WA ($10). • MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY c/- SRC, WA 6009 reached 60°C. The relief valves which deficiencies. Employees and their super­ level is I part per million (ppm). MIC is • permitted MIC to escape were meant to even more dead Iv. The safetv standard for Chain Reaction is sent free to all • Macquarie University, North Ryde, WHY AL LA 77 Meares St, Whyalla, visors at the plant were poorly traine,9;" • NSW2113 allow the pressure to drop. But cracks in often maintenance workers signed docu­ MIC has been set as low as 0.02 ppm. members of some Friends of the Earth SA 5600 (086) 45 2457 the tank wall show that the valves did not • NEWTOWN PO Box 169, Newtown, ments thev could not read. Recent staff MIC is water-soluble and attacks the groups. Some groups also send mem­ • CHAIN REACTION Room 14, Floor 4, relieve the pressure quickly enough. reductions due to cost-cutting at the plant eyes and lungs. Damage to the lungs can • NSW 2042 (02) 517 2139 bers newsletters and provide discounts • 37 Swanston St, Melbourne, Vic 3000 The faults in the safety system add up to would have done nothing to improve cause longterm damage to the rest of the at their bookshops. Check with your • OAK LE I GH 69 Waratah St, South (03) 63 5995 an overwhelming indictment of Union safety. body through reducing the supply of local group for details. Make cheques • Oakleigh, Vic 3166 Carbide (UC) and its Indian management: oxygen. and damage to lung tissue leaves it • NATIONAL LIAISON OFFICER payable to Friends of the Earth and • OI~GANIC FRUIT AND VEGETABLE • There was no computerised early Methyl iso-cyanate vulnerable to infection such as bronchitis post to the group nearest you. Dona­ • CO-OPERATIVE 408 Smith St, Lorraine Grayson, c/- FOE (Perth), warning system. unlike a similar UC plant and pneumonia, about ten days after the 794 Hay St, WA 6000 (09) 321 2269 There arc four chemical reactions involved tions are very welcome. • Collingwood, Vic 3066 (03) 419 9926 at Institute in West Virginia. USA. in the production of Sevin: damage occurs. •e • The cooling system of the MIC tanks · Atropine treatment will save many was out of order. • carbon monoxide and chlorine vield patients' eyes. If not treated. a membrane • Any MIC that escaped the tanks should phosgene (carbonyl chloride) • will grow between the undilated tissue have passed through a vent scrubber to • a_mmonia and methahol yield methyl­ around the pupil and the cornea. causing amme blindness. Many Bhopal people were thus Berl King is an experienced engineer. • phosgcne and methylaminc yield MIC affected. Chain Reaction 11 What price an untouchable? national Enterprises reveals the vast empire Pastoral ists and conservationists of UC. Over 250 subsidiaries operating in Legal actions for compensation for the 52 countries report back to UC's head­ are currently struggling with victims of Bhopal will be tortuous, involving quarters in Danbury, Connecticut or UC Western Mining Corporation both Indian and US law, and both UC and Canada in Toronto. UC is thirty-seventh over water rights at two locations the Indian government. An army oflawyers on the scale of US industry in terms of sales have descended on Bhopal like leeches for Western in South Australia. One is Rox by and is the third largest US chemical the pickings. company after Dow and Dupont. l_"he Downs. The other is at Kingston, Under US law, negligence does not have company's products cover an amazmg site of large coal deposits which to be proved. There is strict liability, no range - chemicals and plastics, industrial matter how the substance escapes. But UC gases, metals and carbon products, bat­ could supply the state's proposed will mobilise their defences and use delaying teries and automotive products, agricul­ $1000 million power station. actions and manoeuvring behind the scenes. tura I products, food processing and Justice will be despairingly slow. What can Mining in Ian Grayson and Anne-Marie packaging, electronic components and the victims or their relatives expect? In the medical pr?ducts. . . Delahunt report from Adelaide. USA, compensation for aircraft accidents UC was 111corporated as Umon Carbide South Australia does not have an abundance is about $300000. In Spain, it was $70000 & Carbon in 1917, adopting its present per victim when a truck of LNG (liquified of water. It is often referred to as the driest name in 1957. The company has a long state in the world's driest continent. How­ natural gas) ran into a holiday camp. One history of expansion by acquisition, and estimate for Bhopal is around $25000. ever on 6 December 1984, the Western for many years remained a loosely knit Mining Corporation (W!'-'1_C) and Briti~h There is the possibility of a lump sum federation of businesses. Operating profit t Petroleum (BP), the two Jomt venturers m settlement between the Indian government has been declining since the early 1970s, and UC, eliminating legal actions. But it the giant Roxby Downs mini1_1g project, from $1005 million in 1974 to only pulled off a coup. Th~ largest licence ever would be naive to expect a simple, quick $79 million in 1983. I settlement. Recent reports suggest the issued for the extractlon of underground Indian government plans to file a lawsuit Lessons to be learnt I water in South Australia was granted to against UC in the USA on behalf of the the companies for their mining operations victims, and to hire a law firm that There are gigantic lessons to be learnt in I at Rox by Downs by the South Australian specialises in mass disaster cases. the chemical industry after Bhopal - just • Roxby Downs I government. . . However the Indian government, with a as Three Mile Island caused a shock wave Under the terms of an 111denture agree­ 49% share in the plant, surely has a share of in the nuclear industry. But the changes I ment entered into earlier with the com­ the responsibility. Blame also lies with the that result need to protect people, not just panies, the state government had offered ~o state and national governments for the company profits. I make water supplies for the project avail­ lack of housing regulations and their failure Bhopal has raised broad ethical questions able. In such a dry state the available to prevent slums growing so close to a relating to the role of multinationals in options were extremely limited. The ?esal­ potentially dangerous plant. India may Third World countries. It is sometimes I inisation of seawater 270 km away m the said that environmental protection is a ' Spencer Gulf and the exorbitant pumping have won the World Series cricket, but at Bhopal, the Indian government lost much luxury of rich nations. The success of the I costs were rejected as too expensive. The world respect by their poor management ecological movement in developed countries River Murray was considered but its and supervision of the plant and also by in limiting (some of) the activities of I available supplies are heavily committed their collusion with UC to cover-up their chemical corporations has had the effect of Union Carbide in Australia I and in times of drought supplies would be negligence. forcing the companies to move their In Australia, UC operates on a relatively cut. The groundwater basin below the operations to the Third World, where small scale, essentially involved in two I mine site at Olympic Dam contains wa~er Action against Union Carbide generally there are less stringent environ­ consumer products packaging and dry which is much too salty and too expensive mental standards. cell battenes: UC phased out its manu­ I to treat. Around the world there have been actions For example, the manufacture of pesti­ facture of agncultural chemicals in western Just JOO km north of Roxby, however, against UC and MIC. In December, Brazil cides that are banned or restricted in the Sydney a decade. ago, leaving behind drums I there is a seemingly huge water supply stopped the unloading of a freighter USA are now made in 'formulation' plants of the deadly poison dioxin in storage in its the Great Artesian Basin. This underground carrying 13 tonnes of MIC in 68 drums in the Third World. UC has one such plant plant at Rhodes. (Senator Mason of the water source underlies one-fifth of the from UC's West Virginia plant, destined in the Philippines, producing and selling a Democrats d~ew a_ttention to the unsolved ~~,~ continent and contains water of a suitable for a pesticide factory in Brazil. The number of restricted pesticides such as problem ?f d1spos111g of this menace.) qualilty. It was decided upon as bein& the governor of Rio de Janeiro state declared DDT and Heptachlor. India has pesticide Also, 111 early l 983, U(' sold off its, I only feasible water supply for the proJect. MIC could not be used, stored, or trans­ plants owned by multinationals UC, !CI, P<;ilyth~ne manufacturing plant in Altona So critical is the water from the Great ported in the state. UC officials were Bayer and Hoechst. V1ctona, to Commercial Polymers ' I Artesian Basin to Roxbv's economic via­ reluctant to receive the returned shipment. This raises the question of pesticide use , UC's batteries are marketed under the I bility that t~e spec_ial water l_icence for the Meanwhile a Scottish planning authority in developing countries. Oxfam, the British Eveready_' or .'Energiser' brand name and project was issued ma secretive manner by has knocked back a UC plan to manu­ relief agency, estimates that 1.2-2 milion are ma<;Je 111 _Smgapore and Sydney. In the I the South Australian government. Vital facture MIC and Sevin in southern persons suffer acute pesticide poisoning, packag111g field, 'Glad' plastic food wrap I reports upon which the licence was assessed Scotland. and pesticide-related deaths number about and bags are UC's big products. There is were not made public until after the licence US has suffered financially on the stock !0000 each year in developing countries. also ~nother company, Chemos Industries I was granted, despite complaints from exchanges (but it was the Indian poor who There should be less reliance on pesticides ?f Bnsbane, _which was bought out by UC Democrat member of parliament, Ian really suffered). Since Bhopal, UC is no and more education in their proper use, 111 th~ I ~70s; 1t markets aluminium foil and I Gilfillan, the Conservation Council of longer a multinational with a shiny image. but this is difficult when those in control plast,1c film and bags under the 'Oso' label. South Australia and the Campaign Against From the early days of the environment I encourage their overuse. Nicaragua's Oso products do not refer to the parent I Nuclear Energy (CANE) in Adelaide. movement in the USA, UC has been efforts towards achieving the sensible use company. In addition, UC markets a wide Kingston The supply of water to Roxby Downs considered 'uncooperative'. The latest of pesticides provides some hope. range of gener~I and specialty chemicals in l has caused problems for WMC since the addition to its record was in February 1985 Bhopal is a classic case of grafting a Austraha that it manufactures overseas start of the project. To haul water from the when the US Environmental Protection high-technology, dangerous industry onto UC Australia & New Zealand Ltd I proposed borefields at the edge of the Agency fined UC $3.9milli?n for waiting a low-technology infrastructure. Pressure e~ploys about 1000 people, and orerates Great Artesian Basin, a road had to be until September 1983 to notify them that a needs to be placed on multinationals such with a (gross) profit around $8 million a I constructed beside which a pipeline will 1979 study indicated that one of its as UC to maintain identical standards at year. Its headquarters is at 157-167 Liver­ eventually be laid. This road had to be chemicals used in dyes, drugs and textile home and abroad, regardless of lax local P?01 St, Sydney (GPO Box 5322, Sydney) bulldozed through Aboriginal sacred sites finishing, diethyl sulphate, causes skin laws, and to take responsibility for trans­ with a branch in Melbourne at 14 Queeni Ian Grarson and Anne-ll4arie De/ahu111 are cancer in mice. ferring technical skills in pollution control Rd (GPO Box 1227L). acth•e cimse1Tationists and memher.1· of" the Perusal of books such as Who 011'ns and environmental management to deve­ Campaign Again.w Nuclear Energy in Adelaide. Whom and The World Directorv qf'Multi- loping countries. Chain Reaction 13 12 Chain Reaction at Cane Grass Swamp, and only after a ation Foundation has recommended they for Roxby to become the largest single prolonged physical blockade by the Kokatha be nominated for world heritage and the industrial consumer of underground water Conservationists also point to WMC's What point is there in conducting environmental people was an alternative, more expensive area be declared a national park. in Australia. In full production it will recent track record on water disputes in route, involving a detour, reluctantly agreed Conservationists and scientists fear require 33 million litres of groundwater per South Australia, in particular the proposed impact studies if they only serve the interests of to by Roxby Management Services (RMS), Roxby's bores will literally suck water day, most of which will be used for mining of coastal coal deposits at Kingston. the mining companies? To seriously consider operators for the joint venturers. away from the springs causing them to dry industrial processing. Having finally constructed the road and up. They are concerned about the loss of Conservation groups in South Australia KINGSTON such abuse of invaluable water supplies in such an sunk their first bore, the companies then unique species of freshwater shellfish and claim water as a public resource has Early in 1984 WMC purchased land proceeded to haul the water day and night grasses, survivors of an era when Australia effectively been privatised by WMC and overlying large coastal coal deposits at arid part of the world clearly demonstrates that by truck convoys to their then newly was a much wetter continent, which are of that existing environmental law is totally Kingston in the state's south-east. Over Western Mining's profits override everything and constructed pilot plant 100 km away. (The immense scientific interest. The Curator of inadequate. CANE organiser, Kathy Paine, $IO million has been spent by the company pipeline is still yet to be laid). What Marine Invertebrates at the South Aust­ said: surveying the deposit. that they have no sense of social or environmental appeared at the time to be legal provisos ralian Museum, Wolfgang Zeidler, has The granting of a special water licence without The state may need a new coal power were placed upon this borefield operation. warned these unique habitats could be adequate provision being made for public station in the 1990s and potential sites near responsibility. Only community groups appear The state government had earlier stipulated wiped out by any reduction in water comment makes a mockery of the state's suitable coal deposits were being evaluated able to stop the excesses of companies like the operation was only to be on a trial pressure. environmental law. The Great Artesian Basin is by the Stewart Committee, set up for this basis. Further ongoing studies on the effects There are freshwater snails and small crustaceans already under severe environmental threat. The purpose. Mr Stewart, the chairperson of Western Mining. The government appear to have of the mine's water consumption, previously unique to individual springs that are survivors of numerous bores sunk over the past 80 years have lowered the water pressure, older bores no the committee. was previously the general agreed to, had yet to be completed and a much wetter age. Yet here they are out in the manager of WMC and his appointment done nothing. (Kathy Paine, CANE organiser) assessed. Only then would the companies desert. There is nothing like them in the world. longer flow, and new bores have to be sunk deeper and deeper to get the water. Roxby will has been criticised by members of the be granted their special water licence. RMS, unable to deny that their borefield Kingston community. Peter Lewis, Liberal farmers whose water supply was at*'stake, They also say Rox by staff frequently drive escalate this threat enormously. Water is already formed the Underground Water Protection It appears the South Australian govern­ operation would threaten the springs, was being extracted faster than its natural replenish­ member for Malice, also stated to the local around Finnis Springs Station as if they ment had now become the victim of its own asked by the state government to conduct ment rate. press. that people in the south-east know Committee and fought the proposal. themselves own it, without so much as a The newly proposed mining method, 'g'day' or other civilities. Manager and indenture bill with the joint venturers. It further environmental studies on the WMC continually refute these claims in that Mr Stewart's family have 'an excellent had agreed to make water supp lies available Mound Springs. Recognising the cultural grazing property which could become the wet dredging, is yet to be environmentally part-owner of Finnis Springs, Reg Dodd, the Adelaide press, 'ludicrous' and 'non­ assessed. The South Australian Minister of is unimpressed. He says the operators are for the project, yet at the same time had significance of the springs to the local sense' being their favourite adjectives. The subject of a compensation claim as it is expressed reservations about the environ­ Arabana Aboriginals, the government also located in the immediate vicinity of the Mines, Ron Payne, claims that preliminary not happy about offers of pumped water manager of WMC, John Reynolds, in a assessments of the wet dredging concept from RMS as required by law, when their mental acceptability of the borefield oper­ requested the Department of Environment letter to the Adelaide Adveniser, claimed coal deposit'. ation hence the necessity for the further to conduct anthropological and archaeo­ made by WM C now show the likelihood of springs inevitably run dry as a result of that if wastage from free-flowing pastoral WM C obviously want their own deposit considerable cost savings over the pre­ Roxby's water consumption. 'Pumped studies. A classic catch-22. It is difficult to logical reports on the area and that an bores was eliminated by the government's mined at Kingston. Kingston, a small see how the government could have refused assessment be undertaken 'he/ore borefield viously proposed mining method involving water is not the same', says Mr. Dodd, 'the ongoing bore-capping program, Roxby's community of only 1500. has no deep the dewatering. springs should not stop flowing.' the licence despite its doubts. development proceeds'. · water requirement would be catered for water port for the proposed power station. Roxby's borefield is on the rim of the These requests were not fulfilled. The Many local people remain suspicious The Arabana value their springs, not and no net increase of water usage from the so shipping in alternative supplies, if and and are adopting a wait-and-see attitude. only as a water supply, but as natural Great Artesian Basin situated at the closest . anthropological and archaeological reports Great Artesian Basin would occur. when necessary. would not be possible. point to the mine in order to keep haulage were still incomplete when the special In December 1984, Councillor Ralph springs. According to Paul Reader, former Conservationists say this is just 'passing This would effectively give WMC a mono­ England stated: Aboriginal Heritage Researcher, in the and pumping costs down. Unfortunately water licence was granted. It appears the the buck' on to the pastoralists, who have poly, enabling them to hold the state to for the operators, scattered around the The District Council of Lacipcde would require Antikiranva, Arabana and South Aranda indenture bill has left the state government an established practice ofallowing bores to ransom over coal prices, and if the project Lands: - area and surrounding the borefields, are a powerless to enforce its own recommend­ free-flow. This is more economic giving commenced it would be difficult to stop or assurance that Western Mining would not be series of 50 natural springs known as the ations. The environmental report on the permitted to change to the open cut method Engineered alternatives are not good enough. stock a larger grazing radius. They further reverse any environmental damage due to should the wet dredging method prove to be Great Artesian Mound Springs. These mound springs was completed, but only claim the government bore-capping pro­ huge capital outlay. A power station alone The recommendations of the Environmental uneconomical, even if preliminary works on the Assessment arc likely to be unworkable. In the natural springs, which have been of cultural made public after the granting of the gram is having almost no success due to is worth $ I 000 million. new power station had already commenced. significance to the Aboriginals for thou­ past, bore capping programs have not succeeded licence. South Australian Premier, John insufficient government funding. Presently Kingston is a pastoral and farming area. in bringing springs back to lite, in fact springs sands of years, are causing big headaches Bannon, told CANE 'there is no statutory Conservationists like to point out that only four or five bores are capped per year, very dependent on ground water for its the company which conducted the environ­ eventually collapse in on themselves after a in the boardroom of WMC. Containing requirement for a period of public comment some of which are free-flowing bores left produce. To mine the area's coal deposits period of disuse. There is no justification for the unique flora and fauna, found nowhere on such reports'. mental studies on the ground water for issuing of a water licence while the effects remain behind by mineral exploration and petrol­ which lie underneath the local aquifer, WMC at Kingston, Kinhill Stearns, also else in the world, the Australian Conserv- The special water licence paves the way eum companies. unknown. WMC proposed going through the local conducted the ground water study for aquifer and releasing over 200 million litres WMC's other large project Roxby The operators of Finnis Springs Station of usable groundwater dailr into the sea. Downs. claim to have been given little say in the I rrigators in the area, the Biscuit Flat matter. Both the indenture bill and the Irrigators Association, at a meeting, special water licence were passed without claimed the Department of Mines and BACK AT ROXBY their consultation. 'I first heard of the Energy actually helped WM C by suggesting It now seems another dimension may soon granting of Roxby's special water licence changes to the computer modelling (used be added to the Rox by water dispute. Just when I read it in the newspapers', says Mr to predict the effects on local groundwater) a few kilometres south of Lake Eyre is Dodd. in order to 'lessen the impact and bring the Finnis Springs Station, a large pastoral Another point of contention is the figures down to acceptable levels as far as property, adjacent to Roxby's borefield. anthropological report, the object of which government departments would be con­ The owner-operators are of Arabana was to precisely assess the cultural and cerned, but certainly still not acceptable to Aboriginal descent - the traditional mythological significance of the mound us'. inhabitants of the area. WM Chas admitted springs to the Arabana. The traditional At one stage of the campaign some some mound springs on nearby properties inhabitants operating Finnis Springs Stat­ locals suggested that they would have to will run dry as a result of the borefielQ ion, where most of the important springs get the 'greenies' in to publicise the issue, operations. Finnis Springs Station is 6he arc located, claim never to have been however this was not necessary as even­ of these properties. The special water licence consulted for this study either, despite the tually even the Liberal and National Parties allows WMC to drop the water table in the fact that they are the affected party. opposed Western Mining's proposal. local area by two metres. Having observed the protracted Cane The proposed mining method has now According to the indenture bill, a survey Grass Swamp dispute between the Kokatha been dropped and replaced by another of existing uses of water in the area was to people and RMS along the borefield road proposal which WMC says will use less be carried out and submitted by RMS, m 1983 they are naturally apprehensive water. The original mining method was not with the application for a special water about their own position. The Arabana are rejected by the government, the Department licence. The Department ofM ines says this currently taking stock of the situation and of Mines or the Department of the Environ­ survey was submitted but 'only some' local seeking legal advice about the protection w ment, institutions which conservationists users were directly contacted. of their water rights 0 u. claim should have acted as public watch­ The operators of Finnis Springs claim Contact: Campaign Against Nuclear Energy, Protestors enjoy a dawn wash under emergency showers at Roxby Downs uranium mine, August 1984. dogs. It was· rejected when a group of they have never been cons.ulted by RMS on 291 Morphett St, Adelaide, SA. 5000. alarmed people, many of whom were local this issue as required by the indenture. Tel (08) 51 3821. 14 Chain Reaction Chain Reaction 15 been purchased by the government. It is worth noting this constitutes about 4.3% of PNG's total land mass of 46 million hectares. Having secured rights to timber from the owners in exchange for a royalty payment, the central government then has to attract a foreign investor to exploit the Desperat timber. In exchange the government gains revenue, increased employment, and usually requires the company to provide some social infrastructure (airstrips, roads aid-posts, schoolrooms etc). Such services are otten very important for residents in and around the forestry project simply opti n because the areas favoured with tropical hardwoods are often very poorly provided with government services. The Asian connection UJ 0 As a result of these policies, combined z :!; with rising Japanese demand for logs, ,c some (mainly Japanese) corporations did invest in PNG's forestry industry. How­ ever PNG was a relatively marginal orestr in supplier to the Japanese market since Japan's demand was largely being met Ill from South-East Asian sources. Yet froin PNG's point of view Japan was the crucial market. Up until 1979 Japan was pua Ne u1n virtually the sole buyer of PNG's logs. This monopoly position was broken in 1979 when a company started exporting logs to Korea. As a result of this sale PNG's guideline minimum export prices were raised, in some cases, by almost 100%. Si nee the late l 970's Asian, as opposed to Japanese, capital has entered PNG's The Australian contribution emphasis on the sectors that were likely to forestry sector. This trend was exemp­ give the highest returns on any investment. lified by Korean eapital's involvement in Facing a severe revenue shortage A major factor in PNG's forestry sector The Bank noted that the forestry sector the Kapulik project, attempts by a Philip­ in the 1980s, Papua New Guinea has been the influence of colonial policies. was one of PNG's best prospects for pine conglomerate to exploit the luerative is desperately encouraging In l 94? the Australian colonial government economic growth. It recommended that Yanimo area and the logging project I established a Department of Forests in the PNG's forestry be opened up to exploitation have researched which involved a Singa­ foreign investment in logging unified Territory of PNG. This department by international capital with emphasis on pore based company. None of these projects. Michael Wood looks at attempted to encourage the development the development of log exports. A very companies had previous experience in the development of the country's of sawmills throughout the Territory. It rapid increase in log exports was to be the timber industry despite PNG's official was thought that this emphasis would achieved by the establishment of a few forestry policy of the time that stated any forestry policies from Australian result in the Territory being able to satisfy large logging projects operated by foreign foreign company wishing to be involved colonialism in the 1950s to Asian its o.wn demand for timber, and also spread corporations. in large log export developments should multinational exploitation today, capital and employment opportunities The broad thrust of the Bank's recom­ have a good international reputation in the throughout the Territory. Rights to log mendations the development of a operation of tropical hardwood projects. and the effects of these policies were granted only on the eondition that the foreign-controlled export-orientated forestry The entry of these inexperienced firms on Papua New Guinea's eco­ operator would establish a sawmill and sector has been followed by PNG up into PNG was also associated with nomy and people. process a set amount of timber. until the present day. The result is that increasing public disquiet concerning the . ~hese polieies had the effeet of preventing PNG's forestry industry is now totally forestry sector. The attempts of the mdi~enous entrepre_neurs from entering dominated by foreign, especially Japanese Philippine company. Heturi Meja, to By world standards Papua New Guinea the forestry seetor smce none could raise (PNG) is well endowed with tropieal capital. exploit the Yanimo area were. especially the capital required to establish a sawmill. Despite indications, outlined below, that in 1982, a matter of continual comment rainforest. PNG's Offiee of Forests has As a result all forestry concessions were reeently noted that eompared to the major the forestry sector may not be under the in PNG's newspapers. Heturi Meja tried owned by Australians. Insofar as the effective control of the PNG government, to get the PNG government to guarantee South-East Asian producers of tropical colonial government during the 1950s and hardwoods (Indonesia, Malaysia and the it still attempts to attract multinational that it would borrow the capital to early 1960s was primarily interested in corporations to invest in forestry. The establish the project. The Philippine Philippines) PNG has a much higher preventing an indigenous elite from forming operable forest volume per capita. Given government has done this largely by company proposed to employ over 700 and thereby allowing Australians exclusive increasing its rights to timber in desirable expatriates on the project hence reducing this comparative abundance the Office of access to various fields of economic activi'ty Forests believes that the exploitation of areas. The areas chosen have usually been the local employment effects of the then its policies in the forestry sector must close to shipping, associated with econom­ development. The company also tried to forests should provide very considerable be judged a success. benefits to PNG's citizens. ically accessible stands of timber and were, ensure itself an annual return of around ideally, sparsely populated. By mid-1978 24% on its investment. The then Minister In this article I want to critically assess rights over 2.2 million hectares of land had of Forests strongly supported the Heturi this argument by first briefly reviewing the Multinationals as log exporters Meja proposal and even over-ruled his current organisation of forestry production In 1965 the International Bank for Recon­ Wood is an anlhropologist ll'ho has own negotiating team's position and do11e /kid work i11 the Western Pr<)l'ince, PNG. adopted one more favourable to the in PNG, then outli'ning the nature and struction and Development (IBRD) made Some of' this research co11cer11ed the social distribution of the major costs and benefits a report on the economic development of impact .of' a loggi11g project i11 the Western company. It was also the case that the of forestry projects. PNG. This influential report called for an Provi11ce. Minister's own personal lawyer was, at 16 Chain Reaction Chain Reaction I 7 the time, acting for Heturi Meja, and was could. on current rates of consumption, a director of its PNG subsidiary. The disappear within 50 years. networks among PNG's emerging elite and their alliances with different foreign Winners and losers companies can have a'.1 importa_nt in­ It is by now com1:1onplacc th~it th_e exten­ fluence on forestry projects - ofter: at sion of commodity production 111to the the expense of official government po hey. Third World often creates and intensifies Alliances with the elite are also important social inequalities. Forestry in PNG is no for the foreign companies - with the exception. defeat of the Chan government negot­ iations with Heturi Meja were broken Those bearing the major environmental off. The Somare government is currently costs of Jogging arc also usually those who attempting to attract other foreign firms receive ]~1st out of the project. The to 'develop' the Vanimo forests. landowners whose timber is to be Jogged Jose all riohts over the timber. Moreover Dependency and the centr~l government believes that it desperate options must own anv land required for follow-up agriculture or reforestation. Ideally acquis­ What has emerged from past and current ition of such land is supposed to take place forestrv policies is a sector which from the prior to the commencement, but in so1:1e govern'ment's point of view is about in >- cases no attempt has been made to acquire. 0 balance, that is. revenue from export tax, land for 'post-harvest' development. If a: corporation and income tax and the c~ntral it land is acquired for such purpos_es ther: the co As indicated earlier the national govern­ government's share of rovalties only slightly 0 original landowners Jose a crucial basis to_ a: ment is a beneficiary. but only marginally exceeding its expenditure on administration their autonomv and securitv. In the case of since revenue from forestry just exceeds its and development expenses. Ho:,"'.ever, the follow-up agricultural dcvelopm~nts, they expenditure in that sector. Th.~ other lev~l benefit of the forestry sector to c1t1zens and may find themselves converted mto cash of government that docs benefit are PNG s government has been reduced by the crop producing peasants working small provinces-they receive part of the royalty, substantial leakage of potential surplus out blocks while being closely controlled by and also receive from the central govern­ of the sector (and the country). One astute state officials and foreign developmer:t ment a payment of l .2SCJ{ of the value of observer has estimated that this leakage experts. If no follow-up development 1s any exports deriving from the province. was a bout KI 3 million ( l K is about planned then the owners n~ay be left witi? a Increasingly provincial governments are Australian $ l.30) a year. This loss of denuded environment and little opportumty entering into partnerships with foreign potential surplus was ·due to inefficiency to generate further _income t!1eir major corporations interested in logging. How­ and transfer pricing.* asset, the timber, havmg already disappeared. ever, since forestry operators seem to run Given these sort of figures it is worth While Jogging proceeds landowners do at a loss or make relatively small profits the asking why PNG pe_rsists with its current effects on provincial revenue may be fairly emphasis on develop mg the forestry sector. have the chance to accumulate surpluses from royalties and wag~s. Yet of th~ total minor. While policy advice from international On the rather poor evidence available it finance agencies such as the !BRO and royalty of K3.20 a cubic metre of timJ?er logged landowners usually only receive seems that government in PNG is not a World Bank and alliances between the major beneficiary of forestry projects. It is indigenous elite and foreign capital are K0.8. the remainder being divided between the provincial and national ~overnn:cnts. clear that the landowners receive the least imp~rtant factors it is also the_ case the from such developments with foreign PNG government confronts fiscal and Wage labour may be short-hved or 111ter­ mittent and whatever surplus is saved has investors gaining the most. The landowners balance of payments diffi~ulties. The to an extent accept logging projects and government believes that durmg; the 1980s to be productively invested. Opport~_n_ities for profitable investment arc often difhcl!lt their limited short-run gains possibly the price of most ~if PNG's maJor ~xport because they have been offered no alter­ commodities are hkelv to decl111e 111 real to find in areas favoured by loggers. While the project may develop infrastructure that native. Moreover they know, as much as terms bv between twenty and forty per did Keynes, that in the Jong run they will be cent. Tllere is little reason to doubt the crucially benefits landowners, in som~ cases the benefits may not be long-last111g eg dead. Some kind of'development' is better rough accuracy of such projections. It is than none at all. The problem for them is alS()known that Australian aid is likely to cheap roads and bndges get washed away and are not rebuilt. In one case a company that in the long run the forests may also be decline during the 1980s. Hence it is possible dead. It is incumbent on us to think out that PNG co1Ild confront a severe revenue was obliged to build and staff only one schoolroom. While admirable, without constructive ways of preventing this from shortage with imports massively exceeding occurring while at the same time meeting exports. In this context forestry_ app~ars to further oovernmcnt support such a dev­ elopmerrt is not, in itself, likely to result in the landowner's aspirations for appropriate be one of the very few poss1b1ht1es by and prompt social and economic development. which the PNG state could quickly increase the emergence of well educated children. its revenue. World Bank's claim that timber Moreover logging companie~ are g~n~r­ allv interested in short-run profit max11ms­ In the interests of brevity. I have avoided prices would steadily rise in real terms has referencing this paper. Full details of sources arc had a strong influence on the government's atii.rn and trv to minimise costs hence found in mv paper 'Logs, Long Socks and Tree­ choice of forestrv as a sector to be fulfillment of" obligations concerning social leaf People: the timber in~ustry in the West~rn encouraged. This optimistic forecast was, infrastructure is often perfunctory or Province. PNG.'. Anvone mterested macqumng in part. based on the World Bank's belief avoided. Given transfer pricing it_ is d!(ficuh a copy of this paper ciiuld write to me c . · Chain that the forest areas in developing countries to accuratelv establish the profitab1hty of Reaction. I have relied largely on the tollowmg forestry projects in PNG. Even wh~rejoint_ useful works: *Whether exports benefit a poor economy ventures are established with a maJonty of • C De'Arth. 7he Thrml'mrny People: Social depends critically on the price. When global the equitv in indigenous hands it seems !111pac1 of" the Goga/ Ti111her Project. !vfadang corporations buy from and sell to their own that the foreign investor is likely to be the PnJ\'ince. IASER Monograph no 13. Hebamo subsidiaries, they establish prices that often have Press, Port Moresby. 1980. major beneficiary. In one case :vherc a •AI Fraser Issues in Papua New Guinea Forest little connection to the market price. Such foreign firm had only 25% equ1~y 111 a 'transfer prices' as they are called, deviate from Policr, Institute of National Affairs. Port market prices to maximise the total profits of the Jogging project, through a_ market111g and More.sbv. 1981 management agreement It was able to >- • W J Jonas 'Capitalism in periphery: the Papua parent corporation. Often, if taxes are higher in 0 Above and right: Log export jetty .an.d the exportmg country than in the importing one, secure about 84% of the total export value a: New Guinea Timber Industry', m J Camm and sawmill operated by West New Bntam it is advantageous to direct the exporting of the output even before receiving any cf. R Loughran (eds). Neil'caslfe SIU dies in Geo­ co graphy~ University of Newcastle, 1979. Timber Company at Kimbe. subsidiary to undervalue its exports. dividend. 0 a: 18 Chain Reaction Chain Reaction 19 The events of the 'Action Autumn' in late 1984 attracted point and hence, according to NATO significantly fewer people than had been expected by West logic, it is here that Soviet tanks would ~egi!1.rol]ing over the fr_ontier. Fulda Gap German peace movement organisers. Conservatives gleefully 1s ml11tansed ( on both sides of the border) celebrated the demise of the peace movement. with thousands of troops and hundreds of Peter Mares, an Australian anti-nuclear activist resident in army installations, including depots of conventional, chemical and atomic wea­ Frankfurt, argues that the movement is just struggling to find a pons. There is even a board game on sale in new focus and motivation. 'There are many people in West the USA, called 'Fulda Gap: First Battle­ field o!'the Next World War', which coolly Germany who would dispute my analysis and I in no way wish to takes mto account the destruction of the claim that I possess the absolute truth on such a complex issue. whole area. American soldiers have been My hope is to provoke discussion, especially within social directed to play this game before man­ oeuvres to help develop their strategic movements in Australia, as I feel there are a great many parallels thinking! and a great deal to be learnt from experiences made in Germany.' When it became clear that the 1984 I But this run of events is explainable, and manoeuvres would take place in other could perhaps have been predicted, had parts of Germany it appeared that the PERSHING II one onlv been able to stand back far decision to target actions around Fulda enough "to take a critical look. In West Gap might fall flat. However there was still MISSILES Germany's Hot Autumn all effort was plenty of military activity going on; in concentrated on stopping an imminent Fulda gap 'routine' manoeuvres occur on event: the stationing of the first new 300 days of the year. DAMPEN missiles. The optimism and idealism which The decision to disrupt manoeuvres was made this aim seem achievable crashed surrounded by a great deal of controversy MOVEMENT head-on with the reality of political power in the peace movement. A number of its structures in West Germany. The missiles prominent figures, including ( ex-Green) MOOD arrived. parliamentarian and ex-NATO general It is not surprising, and in fact probably Gert Bastian and the novelist Heinrich unavoidable. that this climax should be Boll, spoke out publicly against the planned followed by a slump. A new orientation is actions, warning of the danger of violent required. and a new analysis. After the confrontation and arguing that it is not the shock of such a defeat. time is required to movement's role to set itself against the restock on motivation, the individual normal soldier, who is, after all. only prerequisite for involvement. Motivation following the orders of those higher up. arises from the perception ofa way forward They had somewhat missed the point. and it is this 'way forward' that the peace Instead of a simple call 'No Pershings! No M utlangen is no longer in the papers Cruise!', an attempt was being made to every day. It is over a year now since the movement in West Germany is currently seeking. Despite their limited success, the politicise completely new areas, to demon­ first Pershing II missiles were stationed in strate that the missile stationing was not an the small town in southern Germany and events of the Action Autumn show some of the potential directions. isolated event. The aim of disrupting the mass sit-down blockades that took manoeuvres was not to annoy individual place in the 'Hot Autumn' of 1983 are a soldiers, but to expose the role of such thing of the past. During l 984's 'Action manoeuvres overall. They are not just war­ Autu'1'.n' the on-site peacecamp the NEW games to keep the boys amused, but tactical oldest m West Germany- was struggling military preparations. an integral part of to survive, suffering a shortfall of both DIRECTIONS, US and NA TO strategies. It is these money and activism. A desperate plea for strategies, and the military infrastructure help touched the consciences and pockets POSSIBLE accompanying Pershing and Cruise, which of West Germany's peace movement, and make it likely that these weapons may one for t~e moment the crisis is past. The camp PROTESTS day be used. This is what many in the peace continues to work as a small centre of movement wished to make clear. 9ir.ect. opposition, a minor but persistent 1rntat1on to the smooth running of the NA TO nuclear weapons system, but in the long term its future remains uncertain. OFFENSIVE The difficulties experienced in M utlan­ gen are an indication of the peace move­ MILITARY ment's problems generally. While some found the Hot Autumn of 1983 to be only STRATEGIES IN lukewarm, last year's Action Autumn was definitely cold ·m comparison. At almost PRETTY every e\·ent the participation was way he peace activist's autumn began below organisers' expectations, with often with the call to hinder NA TO manoeuvres less than half the hoped-for numbers. The at the end of September 1984. PACKAGES gleeful speculation from some conservat­ Every year in West Germany, as in other ives that the peace movement is dying can parts of the world, the Western alliance no longer be so easily shrugged off; much goes through the routine of muscle-flexing of the force and vitality of 1983 is gone, the in the form of major troop exercises. For level of discussion in society and the the last few years this massive NATO political influence of the peace movement mobilisation has been centred around arc considerably reduced. Fulda Gap, an area roughly I 00 km north­ Pe1er Mares is an Aus1ralian cw-remzr living east of Frankfurt. NATO strategists regard C oncentration was focussed explicitly and s1wzring in Frank/im. He has 1rnrked 11·i1h Fulda Gap as the potential starting point on the current US military doctrine 'Air 1he Campaign Againsl Nuclear Energy and of World War III. It is here that the Land Battle' (ALB). According to ALB, puhlic radio s1a1ion 5i.1iv!M-FM in Adelaide. Warsaw Pact stretches to its most westernly the purpose of military operations is not to

20 Chain Reaction Chain Reaction 21 'prevent defeat' but to 'win'. ALB is the or even starting point for US Rapid that took place in the media beforehand. It Coordinating Office of the peace movement this plan, which essentially removes the bringing about change. Despite atomic military manifestation of the spirit of the Deployment Forces and the movement was hoped that the more symbolic action in Bonn, 400 000 people. The 210 km emphasis on grassroots decision making. weapons, the ability to plan and fight a war Reagan era, a decidedly offensive strategy (and storage) of military hardware en route of a human chain, which took place in human chain was to link the US base where (The Moscow-orientated KOFAZ faction is still very much dependent on the willing­ taking into account such measures as a to the Third World. The military import­ Fulda Gap on the final Saturday, would the first Cruise missiles are to be stationed is also against the dissolution; they wish to ness of the majority of men to act as 'preventative first strike'. ('At the level of ance of various large scale civil projects, draw around 100000 people. That only in 1986, with an (un)cmployment office in limit criticism of Warsaw Pact militarism.) soldiers and of women to provide for their atomic weapons there can be no difference like the much protested western runway of 40 000 turned up was proof for the conser­ the industrial Ruhr area. As with the The differences within the movement psychological and physical well-being. between first strike and retaliation' wrote the Frankfurt airport, or the equally vative media of the peace movement's demonstrations in Stuttgart and Bonn, the became most obvious in relation to the Three years ago women made this an US Colonel Hanne.) The whole doctrine is motorway A6 from Frankfurt to decline, and they could speak of nothing aim was to make plain the social conse­ Nicaragua demonstration at the beginning issue, carrying out actions under the motto constructed on the premise that a limited becomes obvious. else. Even some sections of the peace quences of massive military spending of November, just before the US and 'Die Schll'estern he/fen nicht mehr' ('the ('tactical') nuclear war is not only possible movement argued that the'failure' of Fulda unemployment, failing social services etc. Nicaraguan elections. The action was to sisters aren't going to help anymore'). but also winnable. The aim is to push the showed the need to steer a more middle · There were numerous points, even within show support for Nicaraguan independence Many men in the peace movement regarded battlefield as far east as possible with the TARGETING THE course .. and to reverse the trend of'radical­ citv areas, where the chain came nowhere and self-determination, and opposition to this as a side issue and preferred to immediate use of conventional, atomic and isation' and 'marginalisation' that threatens near to being closed. In Hamburg, organ­ the aggressive and militaristic US foreign concentrate on the missiles. The lack of chemical weapons (the 'integrated battle­ MILITARY to alienate large sections of the population. isers had reckoned 160 000 but in the end policy. A heated debate arose in the women organisers and speakers in the field'). In practice this means attacking Many activists had a more optimistic they claimed 80 000 had participated. The coordinating group over the proposal that peace movement today is an indication deep behind enemy lines with fighter planes BOARDROOMS analysis however. What had been under­ police estimate was 20 000, the Green's and SPD and Socialist International Chair­ that the priorities have not changed much and missiles (including Pershing lls). taken in Fulda was a fundamental shift of the Social Democrats' was around 40 000. person (and ex-West German Chancellor) since. Over the previous ten months the ALB conf1icts with official NATO def­ emphasis, away from the obvious threat of Whatever number you chose, they all pale Willi Brandt should be invited to speak. By refusal campaign had not been marked by ence planning which envisages ( on the Pershing and Cruise, to the much more in comparison to the 400 000 who gathered a small majority the SPD group managed immense success and the Tage dcr Vcr­ basis of the nuclear deterrent) repelling any complex, but equally important back­ before the town hall in Hamburg in 1983. to get their way. This decision- was,5een as ll"eigcrung also passed relatively unnoticed. 'conventional' attack back to the border ground of military planning and prepar­ The 20 October demonstrations showed highly provocative by many peace and This is a further indication that the with 'conventional' means, but which ation. In the weeks leading up to the that 'peace' can still mobilise hundreds of 'Third World' activists, as the SPD had, in optimistic analyses following the Fulda excludes an invasion or attack into foreign disruption of manoeuvres it was possible thousands ( even with bad weather) but it years of government, played a supporting Gap action remain some distance from territory. There is considerable pressure to bring ALB and related strategies con­ also showed that the growth of the peace role in exactly the sort of international reality and leaves the future of the peace from the USA to get the other NATO stantly into public discussion, to force movement cannot be automatically as­ political oppression which was here to be movement, like the future of M utlangen states to adopt ALB (and its even moi:e debate on issues where there had previously sumed, and that mass demonstrations criticised. The current conservative foreign peace camp, somewhat unclear. Never­ offensive update ALB-2000) -and 1t ?,: been silence. That 40 000 came should be cannot be maintained with the intensity policy ( and the decision to deploy Pershing theless actions which concentrate on the already has the support of some sections of seen as a positive sign, a demonstration of that was possible in 1983. Many activists and Cruise) has its roots in the era of the overall structure, and which involve a the West l::uropcan military. (General increased awareness of the 'new' issues and feel that it is necessary to broaden the aims Social Democratic Governments of Brandt more fundamental analysis than the call Glanz, Inspector of the West German T he week of action in late September of passive support for the chosen form of of the movement, to politicise new areas and Schmidt. 'No Cruise!', seem to me to be necessary. Infantry has already signed his 'in principle' around Fulda was based in a number of action. The whole movement against and thus set new goals, in order to reawaken Around 25 000 turned up for the demon­ Disrupting manoeuvres and refusing to do support for the ALB-2000 concept.) It is peace camps.* The actions were numerous Pershing and Cruise began with much people's motivation. The Fulda actions stration in Bonn, which was once again military service for example, could signal also known that West German soldiers and varied: forest walks to inspect military smaller numbers, and it took three years to can be seen as an attempt in this direction, well below expected numbers. The conflict the way from an an1i-111issi/e movement, to have been involved in manoeuvres based sites, discussions with soldiers. blockades build up a mass base for protest. Now, in but it does not look like being an easy centerin~ around Brandt reached gross a broader movement against militarism. on the ALB strategy. of military vehicles ( often tanks) and the light of past experience, the attempt process. There are for example, powerful proport10ns when he came to speak. The task is extremely difficult. The The US military recognise the difficulty installations, graffiti actions and tampering has to be made to change from an anti­ interests within the peace movement, Shortly beforehand, several dozen police essentially conservative nature of society in convincing the Europeans to give their with equipment. On the Friday the various missile to an anti-war or anti-militarism especially those linked to the Social Demo­ officers with drawn batons, gathered to the means that, while a perceived new threat complete support for a 'defence' doctrine camps joined up for a combined action: the movement. This takes time and crat Party (S PD), which will actively right and left of the stage (which had been (like the new missiles) can be a successful which foresees the destruction of most of occupation of, or at least the deliberate Fulda was the point. Forty thou- oppose such a change, as it automatically sealed off from the crowd). A large section point of departure for political activity, their own continent. Hence the USA trespass onto the troop practice area sand is a calls the role of the West German army and of the crowd responded to this insult by questioning an already existent structure attempts to sell it in a different packet. The Wildf1ecken, a 72 sq km area containing membership in NA TO into question. These throwing rotten eggs, paint bombs and (like NATO or compulsory military service) 'Roger's Plan' (OS General Rogers is the barracks for 3000 soldiers, ammunition issues are too prickly for the SPD; they fireworks while Brandt spoke; he had to is much harder. It is, however, not possible Commander-in-Chief of NATO) argues stores, a missile base, radar equipment, NEW GOALS prefer a more superficial approach of shelter behind body-guards holding open to remove the new threat without first that due to the Warsaw Pact's 'conventional and around 20 shooting ranges for tanks. opposition to the missiles. umbrellas. altering the structures which create it. military superiority', Western Europe must Wildf1ecken is in constant use and there MAY MOTIVATE The peace movement in West Germany massively 'upgrade' its conventional forces, arc plans to 'improve' it with more shooting is not disappearing, just undergoing a in order to 'raise the nuclear threshhold' ranges and an added !0000 soldiers. The TIPTOEING FROM ANTI­ period of recuperation. There will certainly (the point at which it first becomes local population have protested against the A MOVEMENT be a new wave of mobilisation centering 'necessarv' to use nuclear weapons.) The plans; they get little enough sleep as it is. AMONGST THE MISSILES TO around the planned deployment of Cruise Roger's Plan is similar to ALB, envisaging US and NATO strategies not only increase (to begin in 1986). My fear is that concen­ a 'deep attack' into the opponent's territory the likelihood of nuclear war, but the daily ANTI­ tration on this one event mav lead to a but excluding nuclear and chemical wea­ preparations for war have a severe effect FACTIONS repetition of the same experience. Half a pons. However, as these weapons are under on social and natural environments. Resi­ million will demonstrate before parliament the control of the US military, the Roger's dents suffer especially from noise pollution MILITARISM and the missiles will come anyway. The Plan actually serves to integrate West and a "Joss of recreational space and the result could be a slide back into disillusion­ European forces as a conventional com- environmental destruction caused by daily ment and a feeling of powerlessness. A ponent of the ALB concept. . . activities such as tank practice and inces­ broader anti-militaristic movement would Other US strategies were also highlighted sant detonations is also immense, not to not stop Cruise in the short term either, but by the Fulda Gap actions, most notably mention the damage caused when over it would provide a more solid basis on 'Reforger' and the 'Wartime Host Nations 60 000 soldiers are involved in large scale which to continue the struggle after Cruise Support Agreement'. .. . manoeuvres! After returning from Fulda myself, Reforger is an acronym for 'Return of The number of people involved in the tanked up on inspiration and energy, I was Forces to Germany'. Envisaged is a sit­ peace camps was not as high as had been much inclined to share this analysis. But uation, like a military conf1ict in Central coming from Adelaide, and having only hoped in the hundreds rather than the Although there are important dif­ Europe, where the US military feels it thousands. It is probably true that many previously experienced such numbers at T hese tensions within the peace move­ T he final event of the Action Autum~ necessarv to suddenly strengthen the 'peace friends' ( Friedensfi·eunde) were football grandfinals, the last Saturday in ment manifest themselves at different was the 'Tage dcr Vcrll'eigcrung' ('Days of ferences in the problems faced by the 300 000 troops already stationed in West hesitant to become involved in direct Fulda had perhaps given me an overdose levels. The Coordinating Office in Bohn, Refusal') at the end of November. This was peace movements in Australia and in Germany. West Germany's practical sup­ action, especially given the scare campaign of optimism. Observing the rest of the an alliance of involved organisations, is a campaign to convince young men to West Germany and in their organisa­ port for the stationing or transfer of US autumn actions from a more critical currently debating its own dissolution. refuse military service, based on the argu­ tion and history, there are lessons for troops is assured under the Host Nation *There were also camps in some other areas, distance (via alternative and conventional One faction, representing groups such as ment that since the stationing of Pershing the movement here in the experiences notably Hildesheim, where British troops are media) my enthusiasm was somewhat the Christian organisations, feels that the II missiles, the role of the West German Agreement. A ma.ssive movement of US stationed and are in training for 'civil war' reported in 'Head counts'. Chain troops may, however, be related to a dampened. office is becoming increasingly the instru­ army can no longer be said to be purely conditions (that is, preparation for service in The 'Human Chain from Hassel back to ment of party political interests. Hence defensive (as it must be under the West Reaction invites readers to comment conf1ict somewhere else, especially in the Northern Ireland); and around Hansu, where on the observations made in this article Middle East, should US interests there be the companies NU KEM and ALKEM are both Duisburg', the 'Peace Star' in Stuttgart and they recommend a move away from an German constitution). This attempt to threatened. The Agreement holds none­ involved in reprocessing and fast breeder reactor a large demonstration in Bonn (all on 20 organising role to a loose information alter the military system from below, seems and how they relate to the strategies of theless, making West Germany a staging, technology, the military side of nuclear power. October 1984), mobilised, according to the exchange. The SPD faction are opposed to potentially to be an important way of the peace movement in Australia.

22 Chain Reaction Chain Reaction 23 Not just a the a

have finished in the lagoon of the world's first proposed with target zones at Oeno largest atoll, K waj ale in,. in the Marshall Island, atAotearoa's Chatham Islands and The MX missile tests to be held Islands. This gives a flight path of about at Wake Island. The splashdown zones for in the Tasman sea are vital to 6500km, while in real nuclear war, the the MX were more secret and were only the perfection of first-strike ac­ missiles would have to fly over 8000km. identified as BOA-1, BOA-2 and BOA-3 Also, the flights to K wajalein are in an east­ (BOA standing for Broad Ocean Area). curacy for these missiles. This west direction, whereas in reality the miss­ The committee's secret report was partially report by Owen Wilkes des­ iles will go in a north-south direction, over released in 1984, and when publicised in cribes the activities and faci lit­ the North Pole. The USA suspects that the November 1984 in Aotearoa it caused a Earth's rotation, the upper atmosphere, and minor stir because it mentioned the Chath­ ies associated with the tests variations in gravitational force will have a ams. The prime minister, David Lange, said and suggests ways in which different effect on a north-south trajectoy that the New Zealand government had not peace activists can harass and than on an east-west one. This is the reason been consulted, and that his government for wanting to test launch into the South would not have consented to the tests. disrupt them. (Aotearoa, the Pacific - over a longer distance ( about It turns out that this is not the only use of Maori name for New Zealand, 11 OOOkm) and in a different direction. Aotearoa considered. A confidential mem­ has been used instead of its orandum entitled 'Does Kwajalein Missile. Range Have a Future?'3 notes that studies colonial title.) had been made of the possibility of shifting the Kwajalein facilities to a new location. The MX missile is widely regarded as one The memorandum, dated 10 September ,,: z of the most dangerous developments in the 19 81, notes that: :J w nuclear arms race. The MX will be a land­ () The best site [location and name classified] with <( based intercontinental ballistic missile w islands spaced far enough apart to permit accurate n. (ICBM). Each missile will have ten war­ measurement ofre-entry and impact by triangul­ heads and these warheads will each be ation, involved precipitous volcanic islands with The MX tests - not just nuclear sabre-rattling. about 20 times as powerful as the Hirosh­ rugged surfaces, posing very difficult and costly ima bomb. More importantly, the MX in­ construction problems. By December 1983, three MX tests had The missiles themselves and the dummy Normally a missile test involves vast corporates a very advanced guidance system A poor quality photocopied map accompany­ been held, with at least another seventeen to warheads will transmit data ('telemetry') amounts of data being relayed between war­ which gives it the accuracy necessary for ing this memorandum appears to show the go. Lieutenant-Colonel Dick Heilmchief, while in flight. This will include information heads, aircraft, ships, land-based facilities pre-emptive destruction of Soviet missiles Kermadec Islands as the 'best site'. Certainly public affairs officer at Vandenberg, was about speed, acceleration, height, temper­ and the USA. The aircraft and ships are in their hardened silos. MX will be able to the description would fit the Kermadecs. quoted as saying: 'We have to seek a location ature, guidance system performance and so fitted with satellite communication antennas fly 13 000 km and come down within 30 m of The memorandum notes the need to test that is somewhere further away', but he on. This data is recorded by a fleet of seven and most of the data will be transmitted its target. over longer distances and in different direc­ could not say where. specially instrumented Boeing 707 s, known back to the USA in this manner. Extensive Also significant is that MX will be based tions from what was possible at Kwajalein, as advanced range instrumentation aircraft use is also made of ordinary high frequency in silos which are themselves vulnerable to a and points out that: (ARIA). Besides telemetry receivers these (short wave) radio, and it may be that the The Tasman Sea tests aircraft, as well as some of the Orions, carry USA will require access to short wave radio Soviet first strike. MX is thus the perfect ... if the KMR [Kwajalein Missile Range] candidate for a US first strike - it has the derived models are inexact, then the billions spent various kinds of tracking and photographic facilities in Australia and even Aotearoa. accuracy and power to destroy Soviet nuc­ on improving the hard-target kill capabilities of The present tests were secretly arranged equipment. According to the SALT-2 treaty, neither lear deterrent forces and it is too vulnerable US strategic offensive missiles may have been with the government of Malcolm Fraser The USA is also using two advanced the USA nor the Soviet Union are allowed to be held back for a second-strike US wasted. Worse still ... the United States, with about three years ago, and were secretly range instrumentation ships (ARIS). These to encode the telemetry transmissions so the retaliatory attack. It is a missile for starting smaller warheads, may be ineffective against agreed to by the Hawke government with­ are big ships top-heavy with all kinds of Russian spyships will be able to eavesdrop and fighting nuclear wars, rather than a hardened targets because of unmeasured inac­ out caucus or cabinet being consulted. fancy antennas used for tracking and telem­ on any US data. curacies caused by unknown or imprecisely known Hawke merely requested that the USA hold etry reception. Other smaller vessels will The two scheduled tests are probably not retaliatory weapon for deterring them. MX natural forces. was renamed 'Peacekeeper' by the Reagan the tests in international waters rather than probably be used for retrieving the warheads the last the USA hopes to hold in this part of administration but somehow the name The memorandum carries on in what one in Australian territorial waters, to reduce after splashdown. the world. It is quite likely that the US navy doesn't seem to have caught on. hopes is a flippant way by commenting the visibility of Australian involvement. Since the tests will be in international will want to test its Trident-2 in this direc­ that: Permission was given for American aircraft waters there is nothing to stop the Soviet tion too. Trident-2, a follow-on from the MX missile blasts off from Vandenberg. The only way to resolve the uncertainties concern­ to operate out of Sydney. Union participating as well. The Soviet Trident-I ( already deployed in the Pacific Background to the tests ing the exactness of trajectory and accuracy pred­ Each of the two test missiles will probably Union has several big tracking ships fot. region aboard Trident submarines), has a The USA has already carried out one iction is the absurd option of fighting a nuclear carry ten dummy warheads. The main ob­ monitoring its own tests and spying "on vastly superior capability. Together with such test, which came down in the vicinity war. [The next best thing is to test] on a north­ The MX tests in the Tasman Sea are not the 1 jective of the tests is to measure the accuracy American ones. Since US missile tech­ MX it will make a US first strike feasible. result of an impulse to frighten Aotearoa of Oeno Island, near Pitcairn Island. This south azimuth and aiming at a target with geodetic of these warheads. This is done by using nology is far ahead of Soviet technology, the with some nuclear sabre-rattling. The tests was regarded as a successful test at the time and atmospheric characteristics which differ from hydrophone buoys anchored to the seabed Soviet Union can get a free ride by observing Kwajalein. have actually been planned since at least but the much more accurate MX missile which record the splash as the warheads hit what the USA does and how successful it is. Taking the buoys 1981 and it probably works against US requires precise measurement of the factors It can now be recognised that the test zone the sea From the timing of the splash record­ The Soviet Union will probably learn a lot interests that they have been revealed just which influence its accuracy, hence the new to be set up in the Tasman Sea is the one ings, the splashdown location can be pin­ about how to make its missiles fly more from the boys recently. There are important military reas­ test series. described as BOA-3 in the SSTSS report. pointed to within 15 m. The buoys will float accurately in a north-south direction. Geog­ ons for having them. In 1981, the final report of an ad-hoc Much of the information about BOA-3 was at the surface, and each will have a small raphy prevents the Soviet Union from testing The target zone will probably be about All MX tests start at Vandenberg Air committee set up to make a' Strategic Systems censored out of the report as released, but it radio transmitter to send splash data to in this direction; it cannot do so without lOOkm in diameter. The USA will have to Force Base in California and up until now Test Support Study' (SSTSS) concluded was noted that the aircraft involved would special P-3 Orion aircraft cruising in the flying over the territory of other nations. So reveal its location several weeks in advance that it was necessary to carry out tests of be staging out of Sydney, and it was stated vicinity. It has been reported in Australia the Tasman tests will probably result in of the tests to allow publication and dissem­ Owen Wilkes is a researcher working with Peace both the MX and the navy's Trident missile that: 'The exact location of the BOA-3 that these buoys have already been planted Movement Aotearoa. 2 technological advances for both sides of the ination of warning notices to mariners and in the South Pacific. The Trident tests were impact area is not yet firm.' in the ocean. arms race. aviators to keep out of the way ofthe incoming 24 Chain Reaction Chain Reaction 25 freedom of navigation to be impeded by a ARIA aircraft. Some of these planes will upper atmosphere which affect the accuracy Pacific Nuclear-weapon-free Zone; why make their presence known in no uncertain of the re-entering warheads. Gippsland should we allow our freedom of navigation way - their engines produce considerable activists could try to have the Omega station to be impeded by a US Nuclear-missile noise during takeoff. This noise problem, in Victoria shut down for the duration of the Greenpeace voy~ge Test Zone? plus the likelihood of physical interference tests. with the planes, will probably ensure that Lorac. During the missile tests a temporary the planes are based at Richmond RAAF very high accuracy radio navigation system Other anti-test protests base rather than Sydney International Air­ called Lorac will probably be set up on the Several Australian peace and port. Richmond already serves as a staging Australian mainland. It will consist of four There are a wide range of facilities in Austral­ point for Starlifters flying from Operation small transmitter installations, and is used disarmament groups are forming ia and Aotearoa which may be used, openly Deepfreeze to the big US bases in the interior for accurate positioning of the ships and peace squadrons or considering or covertly, by the USA in the course of the · and west of Australia. aircraft when they track the warheads and the. effectiveness of water-based tests. Peace activist groups near these facil­ There will be up to nine P-3 Orions for accurate positioning of the DOT buoys. ities should make their own investigations participating in the tests, monitoring any Using simple radio direction finding equip­ actions as ongoing protests. and plan actions at or against these facilities. DOT buoys left unmolested by the peace ment peace activists could track down these Their source of inspiration is These actions may be designed to publicise fleet. stations and mount vigils or other forms of the Greenpeace organisation the use of the facilities, or, preferably, to Ports. The ARISs will probably need to protest. whose boat the Vega (also impede their use. dock at an Australian port for refuelling and Communications. All sorts of communic­ Airfields. There will be all sorts of aircraft provisioning. In addition the USA has prob­ ations facilities may be needed. When miss­ known as Greenpeace Ill) supporting the tests. Undoubtedly there will ably chartered a vessel of the type used for iles are tested at Kwajalein a big satellite recently circumnavigated Aus­ be several Starlifter loads of equipment to servicing oil rigs to implant and maintain the antenna is used to relay all the data back to tralia, its crew involving them-:­ be airlifted into Australia, possibly by way DOT buoys. Maritime unions may be able the USA This antenna is identical to the of the Operation Deep freeze base in Christ­ to help in identifying this ship. Peace squad­ Project Sparrow antenna at W atsonia, Mel­ selves in actions. where appro­ church. There may even be outsize equip­ ron port blockades and other protests should bourne, and it is conceivable that W atsonia priate and in discussions with ment that requires the use of Galaxy trans­ attempt to keep these ships out of port, or may be used to relay data from the Tasman activists and the general public. ports. Six Caribou terminal area support attempt to keep them in once they have got Sea tests. aircraft will serve as runabouts during the in. The NASA satellite telemetry antenna Many groups, recognising the site at Moruroa in the South Pacific, circumnavigatingAustrnlia, it gave tests. Omega. According to the 197 6 official at Orroral Valley near Canberra could also achievement of New Zealand volunteered to take l"'ega on the forbidding to the Daintree cafopaign in la.te lv1 According to the SSTSS report up to Range Instrumentation Handbook, 5 the be used for monitoring the missile tests. If activists concerning the visits of 5500 k~ voyage from New Zealand. ;\nd and then in Darwin i.n Jt1ly 1.984 sup po rte sixteen aircraft may be involved in the tests Omega navigation system is utilised during high frequency communications are to be so the missions of Greenpeace 111 (renamed an action to stop a consignmentofuraniutn themselves. This will include the seven missile tests for measuring winds in the extensively used the USA may try to make nuclear-powered ships, are for the voyage) began and these acted as a leaving from Europe: From there Jhey ...-::~-:,---,--,--,---,--,--~:--:--:c-c---c---c---:---c--~ looking to their methods to gain catalyst for widespread protest throughout sailed to the. Monte Bello Islands (site of a similar stand in Australia. The South Pacificriations including Australia British nuclear weapons testing in .. the and New Zealand. ' 1950s) where the crew investigateci the extensive water-based cam­ . In 1972 the newly elected governments significant radioactive contirnination.'The paigns in New Zealand in which m both these countries each pledged to voyage continued down the west coast to Greenpeace played an impor­ suppf;bJ,..;,''.'2 F-11 b} 12:)7 631,lU; 5. Range Instmmentation Handbook, I July Pacific Conimittee, the Campaign Against ments in Australia and Aotearoa continue combinations ofarrroachcs is very important now that the winds 1976, USAF Eastern Test Range, Patrick AFB, Nuclear Ships and the Australian Campaign/or to maintain a high profile, and to work 'o.f change arc blowing. Florida. Independence in New Caledonia. together and support each other's initiatives. .-I 1111£' .it c.\!enamin am/John 11 "ishan are /,(If h 111£'!!1/Jers ofFriends o/"!l1e Nuclear Disarmament Party election material, December 1984. Dmh (Adelaide) and 1/ze Co1111111111is1 Panr o/"A11s1ralia: · 28 Chain Reaction Chain Reaction 29 capitalist countries. People in socialist countries arc not bombarded by corporate advertising, and in general their The political consequences Nuclear Disarmament Party consumer tastes are far less exotic than in the rich capitalist nations. However there are many similarities in underlying of environmental harmony The \imitations_of the NDP, ~s a case point, emerged in the 1984 attitudes that modern is always better, that more is better, that Our starting point is the belief that the achievement of an el_ect1on campaign. As a _v~h1cle to express support for nuclear d1sarny1ment and oppos1t10n to uranium mining and military big is beautiful. environmentally sound society /world requires fundamental W_hat does not follow from all this is that socialist principles changes in how society is run and what principles guide bases 1t had value, but the critics could justifiably ask what would the NDP _do about jobs, poverty, foreign trade, education, are. irrelevant or that we can move away from the global development. Even if one is only concerned to save a single e1:v1ron_mental crisis under a capitalist order. For capitalism, endangered species it is more and more obvious that protection of women's nghts? What about immigration, or Aboriginal self- 9etermination?_ Nuclear disarmament simply isn't the central wit~ private profi~ as its driving force, has shown itself to be an the particular habitat is not enough. Aggregate environmental environmental nightmare - - wasteful of material reserves. issue from which all other considerations can be derived or degr!ldation of sea, air and land threatens major changes to exploitati\:e of human beings. extremely unjust in how wealth the Ide support systems for humans and many other living things traced. The fact that nuclear war, if it occurred would make all the other issues irrelevant, doesn't mean that ev~rything else can and security are distributed. If this is sometimes .blurred in on a global scale. Australia, it is very stark in countries like South Africa, El b~ either explained or solved through adherence to nuclear Manv factors have led to this situation, but massive indust­ Salvado_r or II:doncsia .. Dependent e_conomies. impoverished disarmament. The nuclear arms race is onlv a result of twentieth rialism, and growth-orientated economies are central. Almost populaf1ons. ru111ous agncultural practices tell a sorry tale. These century industrial civilisation and the rivalries between different everywhere one looks, this trend is dominating development and arc the end products of individualism and 'free' enterprise. shaping the human future. blocs. A frightening consequence. but a consequence. nonetheless. Only by q,llectivc thought and action can we stand a chance of Now the essential political point is that it is big companies, arresting e11vironmental degradation, the threat of new and For the NDP. the basic question of causes will remain its powerful governments and privileged elites who are largely in den1stating wars. and a scramble for food and other resources in control of this process and who primarily benefit from it. stumb_li~g block. Its me1:1bership will have to formulate a full set of pohc1es based on a philosophy of how society works and what which the age old inc4ualitics of sex, race and class manifest (However vast numbers of people have been encouraged to themselves even more sharply than at present. believe that a bright future for all lies in more material goods, must be cl:anged to e\imi_nate tfie nuclear industry and military further 'modernisation' and an expanding gross national bases_. Tl11S process 1s likely to split the membership, some product.) It is against the interests of the elites to admit that our refus111g to look at the root of problems, whilst others will come Red and Green to. believe that radical cha1_1gc is n~cessary. If the former position present path of super-industrialisation is risking major environ­ Our conclusion is that the move\ne!11 or party we speak of above W\ns 0~1t, _tl~en _the party will r~mam a~ a protest group, probably mental damage. Those who want an ecologically viable society :nust be_ both _Red and Grc~n. m _its character. combining the witl:i d11111111sh111g 1_mpact -- 111effect1ve 111 the long run. If the confront a powerful ruling group which vigorously resists any 1de,:ls of equality and collcct1v1ty m human life with respect for attempt to radically alter social goals. Their wealth and power radical w111g prevail_s then the party will find itself pushed out of environmental laws. tl:e comfortable ma1!1stream, and hence facing the problems and depend on keeping the system basically as it is. The battle royal It is a matter of some debate whether the time is ripe now for disadvantages experienced by other radical parties. over nuclear power and the suggestion that renewable energy such a political formation. Some initiatives have alrcadv been alternatives are wiser provides a good illustration of just how tak~n. but full discussion amongst environmentalists. ferninists. tenaciously the big companies and their friends will fight to Ecology Party soc_1ahsts and peace activists is essential ifa new formation is to be protect an irrational industry. ~ solidly based and thought out in its direction and policies. f:·ollowi1_1g the West German experience. there has been a lot of Of course, the exact constellation of political forces varies from P~rhaps there'll _be dif_fcrent attempts at coalition and combin­ mtcrcst 111 '.he dcvelop:11ent of a Greens-type party in Australia. country to country. In the socialist states, private corporations ation out of which will come a new party. There is no doubt and big capitalists are largely absent in the key domestic Many environmentalists correctly see that the ALP is not committed to strong environmental action. even when at the though_. that _the environmental problems of our civilisation are industries (although trade with the west and joint ventures with bccom11115 _endcnt to more and more people, providing the basis policy level i_ts position is reasonable. That it has a strategy which foreign transnationals are playing a bigger part in economic life). to~· a political movement oi real consequence. pl,~ces parliamentary reform at the centre of the political However. powerful central government and privileged elites rhosc w~o formed such a party would determine the details. re ma 111. umversc, and that its membership is overwhelmingly wed to the We would like to sec the organisation as: In Australia and other capitalist countries, the role of status quo. These features have long characterised the ALP, transnational cor'npanics is very influential in determining how thoug\1 the Hawke government has gone further in putting the • indigenous in its character. based on Australian conditions society is organised and what is produced and consumed. party 111to t_he arms of the banke_rs and other money barons. rather than as a copy of some overseas model. The f~1ct 1~ that the :"-LP. ~esp1te the continuing presence of a • l'.,lVing a. b\g emphasis on grassroots decision making and small mmonty fanrnnng socialism. has since its formation in the act1_o_n, avo1dmg the centralism and elitism of most existing How to change this? l 890's always been a party content to reform some of the S\'stem's poht1cal parties. Two enormous obstacles block radical change in a society like aspects without fundamentally changing society. • • concentrating_ on popular mobilisation rather than on parlia­ Australia. One is the integration of the majority into the p1:cscnt At the san:e time m~n:y do n~t see the Commun.ist Party or mentary stra'.cg1es for change, but participating in elections - mould --- the massive popular ignorance about where our path of other reyolut10_n~ry sociahst parties in Australia as an acceptable l?cal and n11t10nal because this is part of Australian political development is leading, combined with a fear of change, of losing alternative. This 1s p_artly because the existing socialist countries' Ide and a1: important arena of struggle. what we have now. The second barrier is the concentrated track record_ 01_1 en".1ronmental protection is not good, and also • respect.mg the value. and independence of more specific technological ~nd_financial might of the ruling group; allowing it becai:se socialism 1s conceived of a centralised bureaucracy, orgamsat1ons and campa!gns. attemi:tin~ to draw people together to often contam dissent, and where necessary, repress it brutally. devoid of grassroots democracy and the room for expression of across areas of. C.Of!C~r.n \:Ith out dommatmg or trying to substitute for these spec11Ic 1111tiat1ves. In modern mass societies, the basic locus of power cannot be creative _ideas which diverge from the accepted orthodoxy. Of shift~1 without the successful prosecution of a strategy which course, 111 our country at least 40 years of anti-communist The time is right for a free exchange of ideas about future mobilises a very large number of people in ac/il'e support of prop_aganda,. C?ntaining gross distortions of fact, also goes a long directions for the environment movcm-ent. change. (Even then the exercise is hazardous, as Chile in 1973 wa:y If! expla111111g why so many people have negative views about show~): lnd_ividual examp\e.and minority group efforts can have socialism. a f)­ ... only by accepting the positive policy of (Il fitted hand-in-glove with the legal strategy er: keeping waters as clean as possible, as opposed ;;:: to the negative policy of attempting to use the of all dischargers and their bureaucratic -, representatives at appeals - nominate a >­ full capacity of water for waste assimilation, (Il could the nation adequately protect its water third party on which to blame water n. <( resources ... nutrient pollution. The developing scenario Tttf WIMMEJZA ~tV[fl 5TfM ::;; In comparison a Victorian Environment across Victoria. New South Wales and South Australia is to blame farmers' use of land lakes) and in areas in northern Victoria: off has deep implications for the tackling Protection Authority (EPA) statement indicate that there is very little movement ... of pollution in the Murray River which is says: superphosphate fertiliser. The appeal dec­ is10n refuted this diversionary tactic. into the sub-surface waters and consequently effected by 26 sewage discharges from Some wastes may be discharged to the environ­ into the drainage. Surface run off takes pract­ Victoria, either directly to the mainstream Quoting an agricultural scientist appearing ically none. (p34) ment in limited quantities without causing for Dimboola Shire, it said: or indirectly to its tributaries. Albury/­ harmful effects. These wastes are generally non­ What the decision didn't say however, W odonga alone discharges approximately persistent and biodegradable. Organic wastes Yes my experience certainly throughout the although it was continually emphasised 20 million litres of sewage· per day to the such as domestic sewage fall into this category. whole of Victoria and the east coast of Australia during presentation of evidence, is that The receiving environment is said to have a is that the application of superphosphate to land Murray River. The dissolved salts content certain ability (assimilative capacity) to cope leads immediately to either a take-up of part of superphosphate application and alleged of Myrtleford's sewage discharge to the the phosphorus by the plant, the balance j?iOes run-off to rivers only has relevance in Ovens River tributary is licensed by the into a stable precipitate which stays in the s01l ... steeply sloping terrains. The Wimmera Victorian EPA for a permit of 3000 parts Lmdon Fraser is a memher o{ 1he Wimmera Ribbon reed growth chokes the Wimmera near the Little Desert National Park, south Soil tests that we have taken in a variety of River is situated in the southern portion of per million (ppm), which means that the River Conserm1io11 Group. ]0'!111 Kirhy ll'orks places including Dutson Downs (the location of the flat Murray-Darling Basin. wilh Friends

It's a shame that when a group of technical writers and producers from an ABC background get together on an issue such as the arms race, they use a formula for their structure of presentation. One of the these look like mere theatrics?). Apoca~vpse producers, Cathy Miller, told me that this Now spra1'tg to mind, as did Baudrillard's .video is one of a series of ten Classroom comments on the warlike nature of Cop­ Video's 'Resource Tapes '84'. Arms Race pola's filmmaking (and appropriate aesth­ received the 1984 ATOM (Australian eticising of warmongering). Teachers of Media) award for social issues. The Killing Fields is essentially a rather It is intended as an introduction for upper disjointed narrative about an American primary level students to concepts involved reporter based in Phnom Penh and his m the debate over the arms race. Fair friendship with a local Cambodian who enough, but there are analogies conven­ worked as his assistant. The film opens iently used 'to make it easier for children to with Sydney Schanberg (Sam Waterston) relate to' that are misleading and in many attempting to reach a Cambodian village, ways damaging. rumoured to have been the accidental The way in which children first learn to victim of a US bombing mission around think about this issue is important to their the Cambodian-Vietnamese border. It is development of a long-running, more August 1973, according to the typewritten mature appraisal. For example, Arms Race words on the silver screen. We all know, at begins by proposing that 'things are the least, that the 'Vietnam War' is still in full way they are' because of our basic aggres­ swing; we are told precious little else. His Haing S Ngor as Dith Pran in The Killing Fields. sive 'instinct to be dominant where pos­ assistant is the gentle and courageous Dith sible', and follows with 'nowadays instincts Pran (Dr Haig S Ngor), who ingeniously are backed up by weapons'. The message is helps Schanberg arrive at the town, which regime, Pran's struggle to stay alive, The Legend of Tianyun Mountain, Young research worker meets the wife of a political outcast in The Legend of Tianyun Schanberg's desperate attempts to learn of Mountain that, because of these animal-like instincts has been devastated. For some reason the directed bv Xie Jin, colour, 35 mm, 125 and here the already misused image of two are arrested by rather crazed troops or his friend's fate. However, while it mav minutes. Available from Ronin Films. reign of the Gang of Four, to the perky and Song betrays him to marry a dull but seem worthwhile to affirm the bond of the dingo appears -children will find it police. Schanberg is annoyed at losing a T cl: (062) 48 0851. questioning generation of China's 'New correct young party cadre, Wu Yao. easier to understand that if dogs fight, then scoop story. friendship, portrayals of people seemingly Age'. The film's spirited picture of political It is Song's best friend who stays Joyal to senselessly k1llmg each Other tend to Reviewed by Anna-Maria Dell'oso. so do people. Next thing we know it is a couple of and moral integrity and the repressive the disgraced Luo Qun. supporting him undermine noble sentiments about human dangers of purges ( of whatever descrip­ Students are led from the outset into an years later, sometime in 1975, when the dignity. Those who saw Mr Memories o('Old Bei heroically in his political struggles. They Lon Nol gov~rnment collapses, the US tion). caused hot debate in China. where marry and live in great poverty and apologetic, Westernised view of the way Which brings me to another problem: jing at the 1984 Sydney Film Festival will things are out there. An}1s Race could have embassy evacuates, and the Khmer Rouge have some idea of the warmth and charm the film was temporarily withdrawn, des­ political humiliation. take over the capital. (It might have been that of the apparent senselessness of much pite its international awards. taken a more useful vantage point, that of of what is going on in the film. It is difficult of the Chinese cinema, a heart-felt intensity After twenty years. a changing political the unequal distribution of wealth in our the whole country, but who knows? The that succeeds with Western audiences in Xin Hie, the director, made the Chinese climate has come to pay its dues to the film does not tell us.) We hear later, from to establish what is happening because masterpiece. Tll'oAclressesin 1964. !twas world, with a view of the determination much of the 'dialogue' is really in the form spite of a bizarre style that borrows from misguided loyalty of people like Feng that overpowering nations have to hang on journalists chatting in the French Embassy, the West, strangely re-processing Holly­ immediately suppressed. Xin Hie was Quinglan and Luo Qun. and Song Wei, used as a place of refuge from the new of quick shouts, the content of which is silenced for 14 vears until after the fall of to the habit of war in spite of the obvious easy to miss. The fact that so much was wood's corniest film mannerisms with great with a failing marriage, is forced to delve symptoms of suffering before them. This rulers, that the latter are in fact fragmented success. the Gang of Four. deeply into her conscience, her confused forces in rivalry. Pran, also in the Embassy, unintelligible to me helped to foster the Under its often overwhelming melo­ concept is not too difficult for children to impression that what was being said, for To our perhaps jaded Western eyes, emotions. to grow painfully towards a new begin to grasp. Children display an early is forced to leave by the Khmer Rouge and Chinese cinema is a kind of Walt Disney drama, The Legend of'Tianyun Moulllain future. expects to meet his death because he had example, at the 're-education' sessions in is clearly the complex work of an artist of and innate interest in justice, just the the Khmer work camp was meaningless. with innocence, rather than sentimental The film's actors are required to age opposite to the unnatural quality of aggres­ worked with an American. The remainder calculation. Even the most melodramatic integrity and insight. The story is told in a twenty difficult years; their performances of the film revolves around Pran's exper­ We see these sessions through Pran's eyes, series of flashbacks; we oscillate from past sion that this video imbues us with. Are we and they are clearly meaningless to him. scenes, the most full-blown takes of techni­ are very fine, particularly the ensemble to believe that we just can't help it? ience of the work camp to which he has colour cherry blossoms, search for a to present, with a glimpse of the future. acting between the three generations of been sent, his escape during the Vietnamese The mental and physical violence caused Song Wei is the deputy head of a depart­ There is also a dash through information by the Khmer Rouge in the film gains, sincerity of feeling rather than leaving us women. The cinematography, by Xu Qi, is invasion, and his crossing over into Viet­ with the suspicion that our emotional ment rehabilitating those who suffered grand. lush and affecting. with many that leads to worrying statements such as nam (we guess) where he is reunited with through this underhand technique, an aura being unjustly branded Rightists under the 'The Americans wanted to end the war of senseless brutality. Of course, I am not vulnerabilities are being exploited. circular and spinning shots reminiscent of the now covered-in-glory Schan berg. Schan­ The Legend of' Tianyun Mountain, Gang of Four. She is a thoughtful. slightly Alfred Hitchcock. creating a deja 1·11 with the Japanese quickly so during the berg, in the meantime, had been awarded making a comment about the Khmer worn-looking woman. who is married, war developed the world's first atomic Rouge, only one about a method of per­ directed by China's finest director, Xie Jin, intensity in the flashbacks. '. this is a true story, as they say) the Pulitzer is an utterly delightful and engrossing film, somewhat unhappily, to the head of the The Legend c~('Tianyun Mounlain is the bomb.' Prize for his coverage of the Khmer Rouge suasion in a film. We could perhaps have department.Sung Wei is forced to confront been told something about the ideology of not only because it is so exotic and political sort of engrossing film that, despite its epic Throughout Arms Race the presentation takeover. but because it is also so familiar and the past, when, in 1978, a young research length one is sorry to sec end. It ranks" of images of war and of excellent film clips this now infamous regime, even something worker. Ling Yun, visits her to recount her Despite some able acting and the skilled of an historical explanation. Instead the emotional. It has touches of a kind of among the great Chinese cinema classics. of cruise missiles in action, etc, serve directing, the whole thing does not work. sprawling Gone Wi1h The Wind historical strange adventures in the Tianyun thoroughly deserving China's Best Film somehow to only enhance the image of the horrors of its massacres are left at the feet Mountains. One reason for this is that the men's of that ubiquitous devil, Marxism. Under romantic melodrama, complete with a Award of 1981. modern war machine. And this Australian relationship is sentimentalised. The music Marxism, we are prompted to believe, magnificent original sound-track, that film In flashback, we return to 1956. Song Anna-Maria Del/'o.m is film rn·ieH·er fc>r video sadly focuses almost exclusively on (by Mike O Id field) and the cinematography people are emptied of their senses. buffs complain. 'they don't make anymore'. Wei and her serious-minded friend. Feng ,he Sydney Morning Herald. · the northern hemisphere, and never men­ attempt to play on the emotions, using Spanning over twenty years of Chinese Quinglan, are enthusiastic members of a tions the Pacific Region at all. With the Finally, The Killing Fields imitates its survey team assigned to develop the techniques which in fact inspire suspicion. object and bombards the senses of the history, 771e Legend unfolds, like a complex impending avalanche of teaching aids You know the sort of stuff lingering, and beautiful silk, as a story of passion, Tianyun Mountain area. She falls in love available for Peace Studies, it's not neces­ unfortunates in the cinema cum chamber with an idealistic young Communist, Luo close facial studies at some moment of of horrors, becoming another rather violent betrayal, disillusionment and courage. It sarily first in, best dressed. great decision, with musical trembles of portrays the lives of three political gener­ Qun. They plan to marry. But the lovers film with a happy ending. are crossed by polities ( rather than the Video anticipation. The suspicious feelings are ations of Chinese, from the innocent and Jeni Stocks is coordinator of the Peace Studies unfortunate because the story itself is quite Peter Elliffe is a member of the Chain Reaction ardent post-revolutionary youths of the stars). Luo Qun is branded a Rightist in the Arms Race: Where do we stand?. Project at the Inner City Education Centre in moving the hopes and fears for the new collective in Sydney. 1950s to the alienated realists under the 1957 purge. and, under great pressure, Produced by John Davis; assisted by Stanmore. 36 Chain Reaction Chain Reaction 37 making begs the whole question of the relevance of art to social struggle. Possessed as both an expression of horror at The images are many and powerful and the Fascism or War, and also as a visualisation of recurring motif is the human form 'bent' to current ideas about political or social oppression express the artists' sense of alienation and horror. and their effects on the individual mind. The techniques commonly used are those of The potential gap between social concern and fragmentation, di?tortion and exaggera~i~~- T,o the expression of individual emotion can be judge by the reaction of n:iany of the exh1b1t101: s perceived as already realised in the work of John visitors it still seems to be important to emphasise Perceval. To pass from his Exodus from a that this distortion was deliberate. It wasn't that Bombed City to his Survival, also J?ainted in 1942 these artists couldn't draw well. They could. and exhibited at the Anti-Fascist show, is a Tucker for instance, was a much better draughts­ terrible and confusing experience. At one moment person 'than some of the Realists. we are looking at an emotional depiction of an Jack Maughan's Man (1931), a pen and ink objectively awful event; at the next, we are seeing drawing of a working man, hangs ~lo_ngside his in the hideous grimaces of the figures a cynical der.iction of the relationship between mother and satire of Civilisation (1931 ), a depiction of the child, a horror of life itself. rt morning rush to work in the fact?ries: the workers, all with bent backs, trudge m orderly Such painting is not politically helpful to the Art and Social Commitment: An End to the City files to the doors of forbiddingly tall buildings working class. Charles Merewether points out of Dreams, 1931-1948. Curator: Charles behind which rise even taller chimneys belching that this horror and fragmentation is what Merewether. Queensland Art Gallery to 28 AJ?ril orderly streams of smoke. ':N orkers and buildi_ngs survived the immediate concerns of the war 1985. Previously on show in Sydney, Adelaide and chimneys are generalised, but the Man 1s a years. This, and a commitment to art. This was and Melbourne from September 1984. Catalogue particular man. These two pictures illustrate two expressed by Tucker, also; 'Being an artist is published by Art Gallery of New South Wales, approaches to social comment in art: satire and something that you have to do, a private 176 pages,$ realism. The spectator can see, as he or she goes compulsion . eqmvalent of a state of consciousness'. Tucker Reviewed by John Warnock. round the exhibition, even in the works of the Realists, that the individual bodies begin to welcomed Viktor Lowenfeld's description of how, express their suffering way~ that resemble for the 'haptic' artist, ' ... the importance of the Number 109 in the catalo~ue to this exhibition _ii: environment diminishes and experience is inore depicts a demonstration m a street of terrace those in the more satmcal pictures such as Tucker's Tram Stop, Image of Modern Evil 26 and more confined to the processes that go on in houses near the wharves. An orderly crowd of the body as a whole . . . and their various men and women marches to the pedimented (1945/46). In Counihan's At the Meeting 19~2 ( 1944) the light catches and flattens the planes m emotional effects'. Charles Merewether quotes pillars of a rich man's gate. Their leaders ca_rry this passage in the introduction to the catalogue placards proclaiming resistance to oppression the coarse faces; and in his At the Start of the Top left: Detail from Tram socially-responsible artists should produce hope­ March 1932(1944) the bodies droop and resemble but does not ~o on to show, as Humphrey and the promotion of world_ peace. But th~y are Stop, Image of Modern Evil ful paintings, that artists should be good citizens. McQueen does m his The Black Swan o.fTrespass, stopped at the gate and policemen are trymg to rounded heavy sacks. . . . . 'lt.26, 1945/46, Albert 1;ucker. This was especially emphasised during the War. how reactionary this Idealist belief is. confiscate a placard; another two policemen are The curator sees in the Social-Realist pamtmgs Bottom left: Detail from Sometimes, as a result, workers (almost exclus­ and their evident sympathy with the oppressed an I don't know who would blame him for using force to arrest a man; and xet anot~er Exodus from a Bombed City, ively men) were idealised, even to the point of stepping around this thorny thicket; after all, Mr policeman is harassing a woman who 1s attend mg expression of hope f.press a (Realist/Social-Realist) and those made in des­ street, a privileged young woman is lying on the protest against oppression and war, a. John pair (Surrealist/ Expressionist), and to demon­ grass reading a book, unconcerned about the Perceval did in Exodus From a Bombed Citv strate that they have in common a compassionate struggle so near to her. She is obviously ( 1942). This, for me, is one of the most mwin.g 'vision of the individual body bearing the marks Irresponsible. and dramatic pictures in the exhibition: tht sad of violence or denial'. In this charming oil-on-canvas tract, called and harrowed people stream out of the wredced To let the pictures speak for themselves does Street Demonstration and painted by Harry city, leaving the dead behind to be ravaged by nts not dispose of the problem of the involvement or Macdonald in I 945 / 46, the necessity of individual red in tooth and claw. The horizon is almost OLa detachment of artists from the struggle for commitment to political action is se! forth diagonal so that the world itself appears to b-; equality, but it does free us to consider the uncompromisingly; it invites us to take ~ides. atilt, off its axis. The picture was first exhibited in problem in our own time informed by the This exhibition acknowledges the senousness the Anti-Fascist Exhibition in Melbourne in experience of the past. The exhibition presents of the issue but does not take sides. Charles 1942, an exhibition to which many artists of the works of those Australian artists who tried to Merewether provides an ardently _committed different temperaments and aims submitted tepict 'the heart of the modern condition as the introduction to the catalogue, but 1t becomes works. The war, as Bernard Smith said in a recent e(perience of individual loss, of alienation, and significant that the te~ 1:1sed in the !itle is :social radio interview, caused many artists to think in fncgmentation', and shows us that they were the commitment', not 'political con:in:i(tment. 1:"he political terms. even when they rejected actual he1i;, to an understanding of the individual in debate about the social respons1b11ity of artists political involvement. SOG,nty informed by Baudelaire, the Symbolist was an important one in the years of the Albert Tucker's The Possessed ( 1942) is another paim~rs and Freud. However, since the forties Depression and the Second World War: there of the pictures that appeared in the Anti-Fascist our utderstanding of the mind and of the self and was an interest in considering how an artist's Exhibition, although its creator was uneasy about of socr:ty has increased - we are developing a concern about Australian society could be participating as an artist in an event organised for more h~Iistic appreciation of the individual in translated into action for the building of a new a political purpose. He admitted this some years society, ~ne that might more successfully sustain society. The catalogue notes appear t? interpr:et later: the strugtie to achieve a common culture. This the artists' 'social commitment' as thelf commit­ At this time I was in a state of confusion about exhibitionoffers workers in that struggle, espec­ ment to art, to the imaging ?f the human responsibility, social issues, ... and the obligations of a ially middk-aged ones, support in our perennial condition in their day. It n:ay md~ed be c_on­ painter. It was shortly after this that I came to the problem of tow to relate social involvement and sidered that the creat10n of images 1s the pnme realisation that art has its own forms, structures and mdi"'.idu~l g10wth; when to join the demon­ duty of an artist, but this endeavour may or may principles and, for me, a greater validity than politics. stration m the,treet and when to retire quietly to not be a commitment to 'society', to the workmg In the Forties, Tucker's private feelings of horror the garden witl a good book. class. An image is not an idea, o'. a progra~, or a Left: The Cable Layers, I 946, and the feelings of the public about Fascism and John Warnock ism ABC writer and actor living in political movement; so a commitment to image- Roderick Shaw. the War coincided. It was possible to read 1he Sydney. 38 Chain Reaction Chain Reaction 39 • ', ) ' j - ~t:,' • / Overpowering Tasmania: a briefing paper

~ ~ 1 on power supply and demand by Bob ' ', Burton, The Wilderness Society, Hobart, December 1984, 46 pages, $3. /RElllEVIIS Reviewed by Ann Lowder - / / The Tasmanian Hydro-Electric Commis­ sion's single minded determination to build more and more power stations led to its attempt to dam the Franklin, one of Australia's last wild rivers. The defeat of that attempt hasn't caused the HEC to reassess its course, according to the Research Officer of the Wilderness Society, Books Bob Burton. In Ove17Joll'ering Tasmania he argues that the HEC's forecasts of The Politics of Agent Orange: The future power demand are wildly inaccurate Au~tralian experience by Jock McCulloch, Hememann, 1984, 252 pages, $14.95 (soft and that the state government's mis­ cover). management of power developments would lead to higher power charges and will Reviewed by Phil Shannon conspiracy but an 'involuntary collusion of ultimately cost many jobs. sorts' has united these vested interests There is, he says, a sizeable power US ingenuity reached new lows in the against the veterans. sixties. Ecological devastation was prac­ surplus, which will grow in the next few tised on Vietnam as the USA attempted to In this fight, however, McCulloch years with the completion of the Pieman 'alter the landscape of a country for political weakens the veterans' case a little by Scheme. The surplus will persist into the ends' through a massive defoliation and c_hamp10nmg their cause ton uncritically at next decade if the projected King, Henty crop destruction campaign, as Jock McCul­ tunes. He presents the veterans in the Anthony and thermal power stations are loch discusses in The Politics of Agent glossy myth of the noble Digger. He denies completed. that the Australians could have committed Orange. The inevitable consequences of Premier Robin Agent Orange was one of the chemicals any war atrocities. His distaste for the Gray's policy will be massive subsidies being used in Operation Ranch Hand, a ten-year 'indignity' of such 'dark' charges flies in the offered to energy intensive industries irrespective $120 million program to denude cover and ugly face of the historical facts about the of the numbers of jobs created, in a desperate denv food for the South Vietnamese crimes, the rape etc of ,1ll aggressive wars. attempt to soak up surplus power. H 1s concern for truth and justice, for the guerrilla resistance (the National Liber­ The rep<::rt provides a detailed critique veterans, wobbles when he asserts that the ation Front) and to force one in three of _the pohcy of hydro-industrialisation My Lai massacre was within the bounds of South Vietnamese peasants to flee to wh1cl! he argues is not only no longer hamlets and cities under the control of the '.war ethics' and 'does not prove US working but is distorting the direction of USA ('fleeing Communism' we were duti­ involvement in Viemam was criminal'! the state's economy. He argues that the McCulloch does recognise, however, that fully told by our Free Press). early s_uccess of the policy in facilitating the the veterans are crrnservative. They believe Twelve months spraying could destroy estabhshment of Comalco, Temco, Elec­ that Vietnam was a good cause and do not 'enough food to feed 600 000 people for a trona Carbide, EZ and APPM also had its year' boasted the generals. One helicopter oppose the wider abuses of chemicals used limitations. could destroy an acre of rice in five seconds. in agriculture, Their only political differ­ ~nce with the RSL is over compensation In recent years the ability of hydro-indus­ $8 There were problems, however, with this · s· $325 $20 (pension, 'high-technology answer to the politics of for exposureto chemicals in Vietnam. The trialisation to create jobs has faded as the Single cop1e . $i4 veterans ca• thus be bought off (as in the national and international economies have (institutio_ns iEAS, dole) national liberation'. Peasant deaths, can­ 4 issues 'individuals) and \ibranes) successful <'Ut-of-court settlement by Dow undergone major transformations and the (i yr) ' cers, birth abnormalities and spontaneous $36 abortions failed to win their hearts and Chemical~ in the USA without pressing ability of the HEC to produce power home th; wider political questions of cheaper than available elsewhere has $25 (intitutions minds. Animals died and agriculture was AL'J! 8 issue) s (individuals and libraries) ruined - the 'friendly crops' of poor capitalisn, chemicals and war. declined markedly. Despite the decline in (2 yr . . g- Over.ill, with a rigorous analysis of the competitiveness the HEC artificially sti­ ·ne focusing on f rtace ma1 1in Vietnamese that were destroyed along with . Magazi · 5 eviden.:e and an awareness of the politicised mul~t~d consumption by offering massive The \ nternattona1 d Alternative Strategie . ver the cosJ o su 4 the 'hostile' Communist crops, were not Subscript1on~vce~seas airmail, add $ able to compensated for ( unlike Michelin's ruined natu1:: · of scientific research, McCulloch subsidies to energy intensive industries and Social Change an for the orders ($AUS1) paY rubber plantations). The campaign failed mak:s a strong case for the veterans. Yet if heavily promoting domestic consumption. . vides a forum J' · militarily(as the NLF increased its support) the veterans ('our boys') face tough ob­ Burton argues that this has resulted in ci.eques ani;ir:~ ALTERNATIVES No: and under the pressure of the domestic sta.::les, then how much more so do the domestic consumers paying considerably Soci~ :S~~eef ~~~f~t~~ltur~~:d~v~~~;:~~ of anti-war movement. V.etnamese people in their search for justice more for their power than they should. 1 ~ wish to begin with Vol: Vietnam, however, still bleeds from its end compensation, having to confront Overpowering Tasmania also examines op~ession and foc~sesti:ffect social change chemical wounds. Not that that worries the Western racism (soured by Geoffrey-the­ the problems that other states in Australia alternative strategie; edom and a more Name.... ····················· USA or its 'branch office' in Canberra, but tyranny-of-dim-sims-Blainey) and anti-­ are having with power supplies, such as the greater J re . communism as well. I would like to think West~rn Australian gas surplus and the wwar ds .. ating society. because white soldiers also suffered from particzp Address .. .. country ...... ,, ...... the chemicals, a real threat was posed to that the veterans' case, so grippingly and massive surpluses of electncity in New fluently told by McCulloch, may yet help South Wal~s and Victoria. Burton argues 01sarmament code. powerful poht1cal, bureaucratic and corp State...... P/ . orate interests. The sick and dying veterars ~s to repay our debt to Vietnam. It is high that the existence of these surpluses will o 1 · peace and nsarmament . \ A\ternatwes, threaten to undermine the legitimacy aid time that we started fixing up this Third have a considerable impact on the ability VOL. 3, ~ . 2.·· peace and Tra in A.ustra\\a TM Editors, St~:eroa\ stud\es,AUSTRAL\A. super-profits of the chemical indwcry World debt, not the one owed by poor ?f th~ ~EC to attract any new energy VOL. 3, o. 3·· Mu\t\cu\tura\\sm oepartrnentt°aueen\and, 4()67. ( chemical sales in the OECD alone am,unt countries to the Western banks, but the mtens1ve m~ustryto Tasmania, particularly VOL. 3, ~o. 1 ·· socia\ Protes~noo\\n9 Un\versl'tY O to over $300 billion per annum). In "ust­ one owed by Western imperialism to the as the mamland states produce power ralia, the conservative hegemony ,f the poor countries for the military, social, more cheaply than the new hydro projects VOL. 4, ~·. 2..: Rad\ca~\s\ng Returned Services League (RSL), f;rmers, economic (and chemical) suffering we have and do not suffer the same freight dis­ VOL. 4, NN 3. feminism the right-wing parties, the Departnent of inflicted upon them. advantage as Tasmania. VOL, 4, 0 · . Veterans' Affairs and the US aliance is Phil Shannon is a puhlic serva/ll in Canherra . The report is thoroughly referenced and threatened. The 'range of casua!tes' of the anti a memher of" the Communisl Panr of" 1s so accurate in its analysis that the HEC Agent Orange issue is vast. No crude Auslralia. · · · refused to comment on it. 40 Chain Reaction Printed by Waverley Offset Publishing Group, (03) 560 5111. An Australian peace vessel is \ant overdue.

AnParty open letter fr om the Nuclear Disarmament

Dear friends In li~ht of the Australia ~elat_10n to the MX . ~ government's stand . feel ,t is necessary t::':!~!e;ests off our coast, •:e splashdown site as prot_est vessel to th Australian peace adrepr~sentat1ve of the e D. ue to the financialan andenv1ro ni:nental movements. mvolv_ed, we are ask· /hys1cal constraints establishing an orga ,~g ?r your assistance in vessel. msat10n and in purchasing a

Such an organisation wo . ~~~test and publicise the ~\~it~a'; the potential to powered ships th o nuclear-armed any other nuclear ~cti e_~x~ort of uranium, and surrounding waters. 1t y m Aust~alian and pr?test environmental ~o~ld _als~ investigate and ~e1ghbouring countries o ut10n m Australia and m educational tours and a: ~~II as ~eing involved protests. ,. .. aismg funds for future 1 We_ would see the o . . ~: '7d af~sisti_ng the c~:;~~i~t~t1ve of the vessel to ~ ree from the thre non-oppressive environmental d . at of nuclear and F evastat1on. .Disarmament or further inform Part a f ion contact the Nuclear Box 5228BB, Mell;o~~n~03)~31466 or c/- GPO welcome for the 'P eace Boat''Vic 3001. Donat1"on s are payable to the NOP d - make cheques address. ' an post to the above