Australia: Greens party vows to reduce military investment, cancel AUKUS deal

The Greens, an Australian political party, unveiled a plan on Tuesday, October 19, to lower the country's military investment, which includes the cancellation of the controversial AUKUS nuclear submarine deal, Xinhua reported. Jordon Steele-John, the party's spokesperson and a senator for Western Australia, according to Xinhua, said, "Our Australian Greens Towards Peace plan will renegotiate our alliance with the United States, close all foreign military bases in Australia, reduce defense spending and prioritize peaceful efforts in our region to tackle the climate crisis."

He further stated that the Greens community does not wish for Australia's destiny to be dictated by the US government. The Australian Greens are committed to renegotiating the ANZUS alliance, rejecting the AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine contract and closing all foreign military sites across Australia, he added as per Xinhua report. According to the spokesperson, money saved on defence spending, total 312 billion Australian dollars (about 232 billion US dollars) over the next decade, might be reinvested in the community.

The party's proposal also includes cutting Australia's defence spending to 1% of GDP by 2026, as well as signing a nuclear weapons prohibition and prohibiting the development of lethal autonomous weaponry. "This is the plan we need to ensure a peaceful future for our country. Our plan will make Australia a better global citizen, and can ensure everyone in our community has what they need to live a good life," Steele-John said, Xinhua reported.

Greens Party vows huge cash splash to build affordable homes

If the Greens Party wins the next federal election, they will push for 1 million publicly owned, affordable residences to be created over a 20-year period, The Sydney Morning Herald reported on October 17. According to the strategy, a new federal Housing Trust would be established to build and administer new housing in collaboration with states, territories, and community housing providers. A shared equity ownership programme would cover approximately 125,000 properties, with people eligible to own between 50 and 75% of the equity and obtain a low-interest loan to purchase their first home. When an owner wanted to sell their home, they could only sell it back to the Housing Trust, and annual price growth would be limited to 7.5% To minimise waiting lists and homelessness, another 750,000 new public and communal housing apartments would be developed, as well as 125,000 so-called universal access rental homes.

(With inputs from agencies)

Image: AP/SenatorJordan@Twitter