Pauline Slaughter, Online
The Australian Nuclear Free Alliance (ANFA) held its annual gathering at Flinders Ranges from the 29th of August to the 31st. Formed in 1997, ANFA describes itself as an alliance that “provides a forum for sharing of knowledge, skills and experience”, with its annual meeting being an “opportunity to come together and find strength through our shared aims to protect the country and culture from nuclear development”. The alliance highlights indigenous voices and has been the centre of successful campaigns, such as preventing the construction of the Jabiluka Uranium mine on Binji land.
Roughly 100 people attended the conference. This included indigenous organisers, activists, and representatives of various NGOs, notably the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF). In Australia, uranium mining is an industry valued in the billions of dollars, with one report stating that “Australia generated $1.19 Billion in export earnings from uranium in FY 2023-2024” with two active mines in South Australia and another in the Northern Territory. Local organisers and activists have been able to prevent or limit the expansion of nuclear power, such as in the Kimba court case. However, with energy prices likely to rise over the coming years, it is uncertain if this strategy is going to continue to be viable. The victory of Labor over the Liberal-Nationals was seen as significant, and billions in nuclear power investments from the Liberals would’ve almost certainly prompted investment into uranium extraction.
What brings ANFA together is opposition to nuclear, and to a lesser extent concern regarding the climate. It brings together activists of various political orientations. This meant that in between talks by organisers detailing the success and failures of various anti-nuclear campaigns, we had casual conversations with militant anti-vaxxers who warned us of the danger of 5G. This form of unity means that the ANFA did not at any point in their conference present either a program or positive vision. Even if ANFA succeeded at all of its goals, we’d still have ninety-six operating coal mines in Australia.
Socialists need their own independent organisations that are capable of engaging in struggle on a principled basis whilst not falling to anti-nuclear hysteria.
We also need to present our struggle not as just vague opposition to nuclear power, but as an open polemic against the exploitation of capitalism. Our opposition to AUKUS is not just because the submarines being nuclear powered, it is also because of our opposition to Australian and US imperialism. We need to be seen as independent in the climate movement and present a positive program that can oppose capital in its entirety.
Our strategy cannot be to withhold criticism of ANFA or other NGOs in the hope of gaining a few recruits or selling more newsletters. Doing so only denies the working-class elements within those organisations the opportunity to develop class consciousness, nor can we disengage from these institutions whilst polemicising against them. We must be seen as a distinct section of the struggle with our own brazenly socialist institutions that fight both against the destruction of this planet and for hegemony over the climate movement.
It is undeniable that ANFA has achieved genuine successes in the climate movement they are incapable of carrying the struggle through. Socialists must become hegemonic in the climate movement and unify the struggle for our climate with the struggle for socialism.
PARTISAN! 