Stop Investing Australian Taxpayers' Money in Nuclear Weapons Companies

Petition, March, 2012: The Australian Government says at the United Nations that it's committed to achieving a world free from nuclear weapons. However, by investing in nuclear weapons companies, it is undermining that objective and contributing to the build-up of nuclear forces.

 
Any use of nuclear weapons would have catastrophic humanitarian and environmental consequences and violate multiple fundamental principles of international law. No country is entitled to retain its nuclear weapons indefinitely; all are legally obliged to disarm.

Australian taxpayers' dollars should be invested in companies that are working to build a safer, more prosperous nation, not companies that manufacture and modernise the world's worst weapons of mass destruction.

Since 2011, ICAN Australia has been working hard to keep the pressure on the Australian Government's Future Fund to divest from its investments worth more than $135 million in 15 foreign-owned companies that manufacture nuclear weapons and missiles, submarines and bombers to deliver them.

TAKE ACTION TODAY!

ICAN has set up a petition on the GetUp site CommunityRun to help build a groundswell of pressure to ensure the Future Fund change their policy and divest from nuclear weapons manufacturers once and for all!? ?Please take a moment to sign this online petition at the CommunityRun website now - it will only take two minutes of your time.? ?

The petition is calling on Finance Minister Penny Wong to intervene and insist that the Future Fund board of guardians reinvest the money in socially useful enterprises rather than companies that produce inhumane, illegal weapons.

ICAN will also be holding a demonstration next week on Tuesday April 3rd at 8.30AM outside the office of the Future Fund at 120 Collins Street Melbourne that we invite you to attend.? ?With your help, we can ensure that Australia's Future Fund is only investing in a future we can live with.? ?

?PETITION STATEMENT? ?

Dear Senator Wong,

I am greatly concerned that the Government's Future Fund has investments worth more than $135 million in 15 foreign-owned companies that manufacture nuclear weapons and the missiles, submarines and bombers to deliver them.?

While the Future Fund did the right thing in 2011 by divesting from cluster bomb and landmine makers, it has refused to do away with its nuclear weapons stocks, believing that it is legitimate for some countries to possess these weapons.

As the minister responsible for the Future Fund, I call on you to intervene and instruct its board of guardians to reinvest the money in socially useful enterprises rather than companies that produce inhumane, illegal weapons.??

Sign the petition here

Demonstrate with us against future fund weapons investments!? ?

When: 8.30AM,?Tuesday April 3rd, 2012?

Where: Future Fund Office, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne