Update 13 August 2015: extracts in Pearls and Irritations
John Menadue’s blog Pearls and Irritations reprints the chapters by Michael McKinley on ‘Alliance ideology, the myth of sacrifice and the national security culture‘ and the late Malcolm Fraser on ‘We no longer have an independent capacity to stay out of America’s wars‘.
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Parliament House, Canberra, was the setting this afternoon for the launch of How Does Australia Go to War? A Call for Accountability and Change. This 80 page booklet from Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR) argues that the authority to commit the Australian Defence Force to international armed conflict should be shifted from the Executive to Parliament.
The booklet is edited by Alison Broinowski of AWPR (also vice president of Honest History) and has a preface from the late Malcolm Fraser. Chapters are contributed by Paul Barratt (AWPR president), Richard Broinowski, Tony Kevin, Michael McKinley, John Menadue (Honest History distinguished supporter), Douglas Newton (Honest History distinguished supporter), Allan Patience, Charles Sampford, David Stephens (Honest History secretary and editor), Margaret Swieringa, Richard Tanter and Pera Wells.
About forty people attended the launch, among them Senators Scott Ludlam (Greens) and Lisa Singh (Labor), Melissa Parke MP (Labor), Alannah McTiernan MP (Labor) and Andrew Wilkie (Independent). Copies of the booklet have been sent to every federal MP and senator. Copies of the booklet can be obtained from AWPR. A scan of the contents page is here.
24 June 2015
