ICAN’s Roadshows 2026

We’ve just been in ICAN’s home state of Victoria, as part of ICAN Australia’s national Roadshows project—a coordinated effort to visit every capital city by July 2026, deepen political and community engagement, and push the Albanese Government to stop delaying and sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).

Across parliament houses, town hall meeting rooms, coffee shops, and Labor conferences, we’re meeting decision-makers, growing our supporter base, and building pressure for Australia to finally step up on nuclear disarmament.

Why Roadshows?

The purpose is simple: shift the national conversation and convert political interest into concrete commitments.

Our goals are to:

• Brief and motivate parliamentarians across all parties
• Grow the number of ICAN Parliamentary Pledge signatories
• Support internal Labor efforts to secure a time-bound commitment to TPNW signature ahead of the July 2026 National Labor Conference
• Strengthen civil society engagement and advocacy skills
• Increase public understanding of extended nuclear deterrence—the key obstacle to progress

This is practical groundwork for a safer Australian foreign policy. And the momentum is is building.

Special thanks to the Mountain Air Foundation for supporting the ICAN Australia Roadshows project.

Sydney: February 2026

We partnered with the Melanie Morrison from the Sydney Peace Foundation and ICAN Ambassador and Nuclear Veteran descendant Maxine Goodwiin to brief MPs in the New South Wales State Parliament on the TPNW.  Meeting MPs from across the political spectrum, we shared updated Members on the rising nuclear risks globally, and the importance of the TPNW provisions on Victim Assistance and Environmental Remediation to communities affected by nuclear weapons use and testing:

• Liesl Tesch MP, Labor State Member for Gosford. Deputy Government Whip,
• Trish Doyle MP, Labor State Member for the Blue Mountains.
• David Mehan MP, Labor State Member for The Entrance.
• Emma Hurst MLC,  Animal Justice Party State Member of the Legislative Council
• Liza Butler MP, State Labor Member for South Coast
• Julia Finn MP, State Labor Member for Granville
• Cameron Murphy MLC, State Labor Member in the Legislative Committee, Deputy Government Whip in the Legislative Council.
• Hon John Ruddick MLC, Libertarian Party State Member of the Legislative Council.
• Aileen MacDonald MLC, Liberal Member of the Legislative Council,
• Dr Marjorie O’Neill MP – Labor State Member for Coogee

We also joined with our partners at the Maritime Union of Australia to host a Roundtable strategy meeting for our NSW-based partners. This was  attended by representatives The Maritime Union of Australia, Sydney Peace and Justice Coalition, SEARCH, Sydney Anti AUKUS Coalition, Sydney Hiroshima Day Committee, Blue Mountains Peace Collective, Evatt Foundation, Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney – Peace and Justice office, Sydney Peace Foundation, NSW Teachers Federation, Inner West City Council and Pax Christi.

ICAN Partner Roundtable in Sydney

Melbourne: March 2026

In Melbourne, we partnered with the Australia Institute and the Victorian Trades Hall Council to brief MPs in the Victorian State Parliament on the TPNW. 

• Ellen Sandell convened a VIC Greens Briefing with a panel including Tilman Ruff (ICAN), Janet Craven (ICAN) and Emma Shortis (The Australia Institute). This was attended by Katherine Copsey, Tim Read, Anasina Grey-Barberio and Rose Press from Ellen Sandell’s office. 
• Ryan Batchelor MP convened a VIC Labor Briefing with a panel including Tilman and Emma. This was attended by: Ryan Batchelor (host), Daniela De Martino, Paul Edbrooke, Juliana Addison, Gary Maas, Bronwen Halfpenny, Kathleen Matthews-Ward, Lee Tarlamis, Michaela Settle, Belinda Wilson, Nina Taylor, Kat Theophanous, Matthew Hilakari, Anthony Cianflone and Matt Fregon. 

We held an informal picnic in Carlton Gardens as a way to connect with ICAN supporters in Melbourne. This was well attended with about 40 people in total plus ICAN staff. There were new folks we’d never met before, existing supporters, donors, ICAN Ambassadors, people from partner organisations and youth.

Trades Hall hosted a Partner Roundtable which was attended by representatives from Victorian Trades Hall Council, the Australia Institute, Maritime Union of Australia, Nuclear Truth Project, Friends of the Earth, Community Sector and Public Service Union, Doctors for the Environment, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Australian Peace and Security Forum, Melbourne University Initiative for Peacebuilding, 3CR Radio and the Maritime Union of Australia. 

Canberra: March 2026

ICAN visited Australian Parliament House in Canberra to launch a new No Nuclear Weapons in Australia Declaration.  Signed by over 150+ Civil Society organisations from across Australia and the Pacific, the Declaration calls on the Albanese government to prohibit the entry, transit or presence of nuclear weapons in Australian territory, waters and airspace, uphold Australia’s commitments to a nuclear weapons-free world, and sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

We once again met with Members from across the political spectrum to rise urgent concern about Australias deepening enmeshment with nuclear armed allies, including meetings with:

• Office of Senator Tim Ayres, Labor Senator for NSW
• David Moncrieff MP, Labor Member for Hughes, NSW
• Steve Georganas MP, Labor Member for Adelaide, SA
• Office of Dai Le MP, Ind Member for Fowler
• Rob Mitchell MP, Labor MP for McEwan, VIC.
• Sam Lim MP, Labor Member for Tagney, WA
• David Smith MP, Labor Member for Bean, ACT. Government Whip
• Office of Tony Burke MP Labor Member for Watson NSW, and Minister for Home Affairs, Cyber Security, Immigration and Citizenship & the Arts
• Tony Zappia MP, Labor Member for Makin, SA
• Mary Doyle MP, Labor Member for Aston, VIC
• Office of Senator Lisa Darmanin, Labor Senator for VIC
• Senator Davd Shoebridge, Australian Greens Senator for NSW 
• Susan Templeman MP, Labor Member for Macquarie, NSW 
• Ged Kearney MP, Labor Member for Cooper, VIC
• Alison Byrnes MP, Labor Member for Cunningham, NSW
• Sarah Witty MP, Labor Member for Melbourne, VIC

 We held a well attended drop in briefing with the Parliamentary Friends of the TPNW, which was attended by:

• Carol Brown, Labor Senator for TAS
• Trish Cook, Labor MP for Bulwinkel, WA
• Steph Hodgins May, Greens Senator for VIC
• Andrew Leigh, Labor Senator for Fraser, ACT
• Office of Tania Lawrence, Labor MP for Hasluck WA
• Mark Dreysfus MP, Labor member for Isaacs, VIC 
• Susan Templeman MP, Labor Member for Macquarie, NSW
• Tom French, Labor MP for Moore 
• David Shoebridge, Greens Senator for NSW

Victorian Labor Conference: May 2026

ICAN Austalia had a strong presence at the Victorian Labor Conference, hosting a stall with support of the Victorian Branch of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.

ICAN Australia Director Janet Craven joined a Panel Event with Labor Against War.

A sucessful motion was passed, recommitting Victorian Labor to their enduring support of the TPNW, whoch called on Federal Labor to sign the Treaty in this term of Government. 

Resolution of the Victorian Labor Conference, May 2026

Urgency Motion: Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

State Conference Resolves that nuclear weapons have caused irreversible harm. From the devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to the radioactive legacies of testing on First Nations land in Maralinga, Emu Field and the Monte Bello Islands, communities continue to bear the scars.

Escalating global tensions, renewed nuclear threats, expanding nuclear arsenals and the end of arms control and disarmament agreements have pushed the risk of nuclear use to its highest level in decades.

Nuclear disarmament is core Labor business – upholding international law, preventing humanitarian catastrophe, and ensuring peace and security for future generations.

We reaffirm our commitment to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and to the 2023 Labor Platform commitment to sign and ratify the treaty.

State Conference calls on the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party and Commonwealth Government to act on this commitment and to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in this term of government.

Moved: Danae Bosler – Melbourne FEA
Seconded: Ned Lindenmayer – Melbourne FEA