A group of anti-nuclear activists is walking through the Shoalhaven in coming days after arriving in Kiama today (Tuesday, March 19).
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The group is taking part in a 400km trek from Port Kembla to Canberra to protest against Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's decision to join the AUKUS military alliance and build nuclear-powered submarines, potentially based at Port Kembla.
As they travel through the region with overnight stops in Gerringong, Shoalhaven Heads, Nowra, Woolamia, Cave Beach, Cudmirrah, Bendalong, Milton, Dolphin Point, Meroo Head, Kioloa and Depot Beach, the group will carry a message from the national meeting of the Australian Nuclear Free Alliance held in Wollongong.
That message will be delivered to Governor-General David Hurley and politicians in Canberra on Wednesday, April 17.
While travelling through the Shoalhaven the group is taking part in a special event in Nowra on Sunday, March 24, with a concert at Nowra's El Horses in Berry Street, starting 4pm.
There will also be food, poetry and more, along with questions and answers about the walk and the AUKUS agreement.
The group of about 20 will also attend other events throughout the walk, urging local councils to join the Wollongong, Kiama and Shoalhaven City Councils, as well as the ACT Government, in endorsing the ICAN Cities Appeal in support of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
The Peace Walkers Against AUKUS walk has been organised by indigenous elder Uncle Winiata Puru, along with Beyond Uranium Canberra, ASEN and IPAN NSW in memory of the late Uncle Kevin Buzzacott.
He was a renowned Arabunna elder and peace activist, walking over 3000km between Lake Eyre and Sydney in the year 2000 to raise awareness of uranium mining on his country.
The walkers will carry a message from the national meeting of the Australian Nuclear Free Alliance and the Elders and the community there, to the Governor-General and politicians in Canberra.
"Nuclear power has shown time and time again that it is hugely unsafe compared to renewables," said Uncle Winiata Puru.
"AUKUS has the chance to become Australia's greatest strategic and moral foreign policy failure since the Vietnam War.
"We do not want to be dragged into another American War," he said.
"We condemn in the strongest possible terms the warmongery by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's Government in its decision to join AUKUS."
Fellow walker Stevie Skitmore said "Many people across the South Coast oppose this deal.
"We will be visiting communities along the South Coast and speaking to them about how to promote peace and the impact of nuclear weapons and submarines.
"It is outrageous that the Federal Government wants to put nuclear subs in a place that has joined an international treaty promoting peace and the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons," he said.
