Wollongong City Council urged to continue its nuclear-free zone status

Greens Cr Mithra Cox has put forward a motion calling on council to reaffirm its declaration of Wollongong as a nuclear-free zone.

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The declaration, which was first made in 1980, is now up for renewal, Cr Cox said.

"The declaration of a nuclear-free zone is a symbolic statement banning nuclear weapons and nuclear power," Cr Cox's motion stated.

While the motion does not directly mention the issue of nuclear-powered submarines being based at Port Kembla, it does call on council to note that, in 2019, it signed on to support the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

"Nuclear power and nuclear weapons pose a serious threat to human and environmental health and safety," the motion stated.

"An uncontrolled nuclear reaction can cause widespread contamination of air and water, something which has occurred most notably in Fukushima in Japan and Chernobyl in the Ukraine."

While council meets, a rally organised by Wollongong Against War and Nukes (WAWAN) will be held outside.

"As residents of the Wollongong area we do not want to see our town become a military base and host to dangerous nuclear submarines," WAWAN's Alexander Brown said.

"Wollongong is a city of peace and home to migrants from around the world, many of whom came here seeking refuge from violence.

"Instead of pouring billions of dollars into weapons of war we want the government to take the drastic action needed to stop climate change which threatens all of humanity."

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