Taranaki test site-and cleanup-area
(image source: Google Earth)

Artists, nuclear campaigners, Indigenous leaders and concerned citizen came together for a one-day symposium at the Hawke Centre at the University of South Australia yesterday. The event was convened by BMBC curator JD Mittmann under the title “South Australia’s nuclear past, present and future” and provided a platform to discuss how art and artists can address nuclear topics. Merilyn Fairskye, Jessie Boylan and Alphaville producer Paul Brown presented an overview about their creative practise and various artworks. Indigenous nuclear campaigner Karina Lester talked about the impact of the atomic tests on Indigenous communities and the continued fight against nuclear waste repositories on Aboriginal land.

Tilman Ruff, Co-President of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) and co-founder of the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize laureate ICAN (International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons explained the humanitarian consequences of nuclear war and provided an up-date on the UN Treaty to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).

Nuclear campaigner David Noonan and Friends of the Earth’s Jim Green provided an overview about the proposed nuclear waste facilities in Kimba and Hawker. Greg Bannon, Chairperson of the Flinders Local Action Group, laid out the geological arguments against the proposed site.

Conservation Council South Australia nuclear campaigner Mara Bonacci gave an update about the current campaign.  

A feature and interview produced by 3CR 855AM Community Radio about the event are available here.