No to nuclear-powered submarines!

 Written by: Central Committee, CPA (M-L) on 16 September 2021

The Communist Party of Australia (Marxist-Leninist) condemns the announcement that Australia will build nuclear-powered submarines.

The decision further embeds Australia within the military structures of US imperialism and significantly raises the degree of interoperability between the US and Australian armed forces. It significantly reduces any capacity by Australian governments for independent decision-making in matters of foreign policy.

Former Prime Minister Paul Keating said last week: "The whole notion of Australia’s right to an independent foreign policy – a right to be itself and act in its own interests – is being suborned by a government determined to subordinate its interests to those of another country."

Australia has been led by the nose into one US military disaster after another, into one unjust act of aggression and invasion after another. Now we are being positioned to be part of US preparations for war with China. 

The nuclear submarine proposal is a significant escalation of military threats aimed at China. It has nothing to do with preparations for the defence of Australia. A submarine fleet for coastal defence would be significantly different to submarines designed for long-distance, global movement at the service of US imperialism.

First Peoples are denied control of their own affairs to fix the huge negative consequences, in all aspects of their lives, of ongoing invasion, especially the cynical failure to ensure their safety during the pandemic. Our hospitals are bursting at the seams, public schools remain poor cousins to the rich private schools, aged care is a mess, mental health is under great strain, road infrastructure needs massive upgrading, our rail services belong to centuries past – and none of this will be properly funded because the US wants us to be part of their nuclear-powered submarine fleet.

We need to redefine and revive our relationship with China. It is our major trade partner. It is a country that has abandoned socialism and embarked on economic and political expansion. We no more want to be under China’s thumb than we do to remain under that of the US. But supporting the provocations of one imperialist power against another is not an act of independence. It is not in our interests.

We demand an independent and peaceful, socialist Australia.

Central Committee, CPA (M-L)