Revelations that the US war fighting base at Pine Gap, near Alice Springs, had a secret room that excluded Australians exposes the lies that Australian governments generally and current WA Governor Kim Beazley have been telling the Australian people.
In March, 1985, the then defence minister Kim Beazley insisted the government was fully aware of everything that takes place at Pine Gap.
“The Australian Anti-Bases Campaign (AABC) has maintained from its inception 30 years ago that the base was a wholly US affair with little involvement of Australian authorities,” Denis Doherty, National Coordinator of the Anti-Bases Campaign, said in Sydney today.
“Over decades we have been called idiots and liars for calling for the closure of Pine Gap but now we have been vindicated.
“Now it is clear that Pine Gap was secretly established and continues to undermine the sovereignty and independence of Australia; it continues to ignore the rights of the indigenous people of this country; and it involves Australia in contributing to the arms race and the increasing probability of a nuclear war;
“Pine Gap plays a role in the US nuclear and non-nuclear military strategies and its missile defence and killer drone programs,” Mr Doherty said.
Dr. Hannah Middleton, AABCC Star Wars spokesperson, asked: “What can the Australian Government say now?
“Clearly Kim Beazley and others lied to create a fiction that Pine Gap and other US bases are “joint facilities”. Well that fiction has been blown out of the water!”
“These revelations are the impetus to renew our push to close all US bases in Australia and to have an independent non-aligned foreign policy.
“The oft repeated phrases ‘close Pine Gap’ and ‘US Bases out now!’ are now more immediate than ever. Time to act Australia,” Mr Doherty concluded.
For more information
Contact Denis Doherty 0418 290 663 or Dr. Hannah Middleton 0418 068 098
Visit our website www.anti-bases.org
