Statement of Principles
Wollongong Against War and Nukes (WAWAN) is a community activist group based in the Illawarra that campaigns for a nuclear-free future and for an end to the scourge of war.
WAWAN opposes all wars and war profiteering. We recognise that Australia’s militaristic culture has been cultivated by the proponents of war and authoritarianism throughout our history, commencing on these lands with the violent colonial occupation of Aboriginal land.
We challenge militarism in all its forms, including the proliferation of war industries, the siting of military bases on Australian soil, and participation in armed conflicts across the globe. We
recognise that there can be no peace without justice.
We recognise the unique health and safety risks posed by nuclear-fuelled submarines and other nuclear technologies and the potential impact of a major or minor incident on the
broader community and the environment we all enjoy. We oppose uranium mining in Australia, Australia’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines, and any involvement with nuclear weapons. We recognise the history of harms associated with nuclear-power
generation and oppose the use of nuclear energy for civilian or military means.
WAWAN formed in 2022 in response to the shortlisting of Port Kembla as the site for a new east coast submarine base designed to host nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS agreement. Today we continue this fight for Wollongong to be a city of peace and for the repurposing of our industrial base to support peace, climate action, and a just transition.
Not in Port Kembla! Not Anywhere!
Rules
- Wollongong Against War and Nukes (WAWAN) is a democratic activist group open to
all people who agree with the Statement of Principles and these Rules. - WAWAN does not maintain an official membership register. Its members include all
those who participate in its monthly meetings and other activities from time to time.
WAWAN does not maintain permanent officebearers. - The highest decision-making body of WAWAN is the monthly meeting. Decisions are
made by consensus if possible. If consensus cannot be reached, a simple majority
vote of those in attendance will prevail. - Where WAWAN members wish to make decisions between meetings, they should
use the WAWAN internal list to make proposals and accept feedback. Where no clear
consensus within a reasonable timeframe, the decision should be held over until the
next ordinary monthly meeting. The need for making decisions between meetings
should be kept to a minimum and should have regard to this Statement of Principles
and any other decisions of the group made previously. - When WAWAN is approached to provide a speaker for an event, the WAWAN
monthly meeting will decide on who represents the group. A list of speakers will be
maintained and approved by the monthly meeting delegating members who can
speak on short notice. - WAWAN recognises that our strength as an organisation depends on the strength of
our relationships with one another and with the broader movement for peace and
social justice. WAWAN enjoins all those who participate in our activities to treat each
other with respect, to place their trust in one another, and to strive always to live up to
that trust in the spirit of democracy, peace, and justice.