Australians deserve the truth about AUKUS

Karina Lester is a Yankunytjatjara Woman from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands (APY Lands), far north South Australia. She is a second-generation survivor of the British Nuclear Tests at Emu Field, 1953 and is the youngest daughter of the late Yami Lester OAM (1940-2017), who was blinded by the 'Black Mist' (Radiation Fallout) over his traditional lands at Walyatjata (Walatina-APY Lands). The Lester family have been a stalwart of nuclear resistance for decades. Karina is an ICAN Australia Ambassador and attended the negotiating conference, New York City, USA, for the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (2017). Karina attended the Second (2MSP-2023) and Third (3MPS-2024) Meetings of State Parties, New York City, USA. Karina attended the World Nuclear Victims Forum in Hiroshima, Japan (2015) and spoke about the consequences of British nuclear testing on her family and Aboriginal people more broadly. She worked alongside her grandmother, late Eileen Kampakuta Brown AM (1938-2012) in the Irati Wanti Campaign (1998-2004), against the Howard Government's proposal for a Nuclear Waste Dump in South Australia and in July 2004 the Federal Government abandoned their plans for a radioactive waste dump in South Australia. Karina participated in The Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission in March 2015-May 2016, speaking strongly on the impacts felt by Aboriginal people in South Australia and the 'We Say No' Campaign. In 2024 Karina was a witness at the House Select Committee on Nuclear Energy. Karina continues to speak up about the harms felt by her people and with her Anti-Nuclear activism in South Australia.

Admiral Chris Barrie has worked on strategic leadership issues and with top level leaders over the last three decades. He commanded all arms of the Australian Defence Force from July 1998 till July 2002. After leaving the Navy he has been variously consultant, teacher and mentor working at Oxford University, ANU and the National Defense University in Washington DC. At ANU he was appointed honorary professor in 2015. Today at ANU he is Patron of the Australian Crisis Simulation Summit, a student led national one-week event for aspiring national security policy makers. He teaches occasionally on campus and conducts simulations to complement course work. As an executive member of the Australian Security Leaders Climate Group he is an outspoken commentator on Climate Change and Security matters trying to raise awareness of the risks and potential costs of inaction. He represents Australia on the Global Military Advisory Council on Climate Change. Between 2004 and 2010 Chris and his former colleague Paul Barratt, who was Secretary of Defence (1998-1999), were consultants with URS, an American company, seeking unsuccessfully the acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines for Australia. Today AUKUS represents an opportunity for change in Australia's defence posture that is unparalleled in recent history. But, it is very costly and involves significant risks. From publicly available information to date the case for AUKUS in Australia's Defence strategy and, importantly, how it will enhance Australia's future security is not clear.

After training as a research psychologist, Dr Lawrence entered politics in 1986, serving at both State and Federal levels for 21 years. She was the first woman Premier and Treasurer of a State government in Australia. She was elected to Federal politics in 1994 as the Member for Fremantle and was appointed Minister for Health and Human Services and Minister assisting the Prime Minister on the Status of Women. She held various portfolios in Opposition and was elected National President of the Labor Party in 2004. She retired from politics in 2007 and is currently Professor Emerita in the School of Psychological Science at the University of Western Australia.

Leanne Minshull is the Co-CEO at the Australia Institute and a board member of the Graeme Wood Foundation. She was admitted to practice as a solicitor in 1999 and has worked as a senior strategist in social, environmental, and political organisations. Prior to her appointment at the Australia Institute, she worked at Greenpeace International, based in Amsterdam. Leanne has worked as chief of staff to a State Minister and was the Director of Strategy for Australian Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown. She has also run successful small businesses including a pub in Tasmania and her own strategy consultancy.