The South Coast union movement is preparing for a major mobilisation to head off a proposed nuclear submarine base in Port Kembla.
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Instead of the traditional May Day rally and March through Wollongong, local unionists will be joined by comrades from intra-state and Australia-wide for a march down the main street of Port Kembla on May 6.
"Port Kembla must stay at Port Kembla and not become Fort Kembla," South Coast Labour Council secretary Arthur Rorris said.
While no site has yet been confirmed as the future location of a Fleet Base East, Port Kembla is reportedly the preferred location over Newcastle and Brisbane.
The union movement in Port Kembla and Newcastle has opposed either port being selected, with concerns that a nuclear submarine base will make either region a military target, and the required containment zone displacing investment and jobs in renewable energy.
While local MPs have hedged on their support for a submarine base, following Paul Keating's excoriation of the AUKUS deal on Monday, federal Labor backbenchers including two Victorian Labor MPs have questioned elements of the deal. Josh Wilson, the member for Fremantle in WA, publicly raised concerns in parliament about the storage of nuclear waste.
Mr Rorris said the public demonstrations were about the community making their voice heard in a debate that has been otherwise held behind closed doors.
"Now is the time for this community to come together as one to defend our ports and to say very loudly and clearly to everybody that our future lies with traditional industries and the emerging industries with the promise of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in investments, and we will not let anyone take it from us, not even the US Navy."
Joining workers representatives will also be members of the local business community, with the Port Kembla chamber of commerce coming out in opposition to the sub base plans last week.
Other community groups such as Wollongong Against War and Nukes are also organising their own rallies.
Mr Rorris said there was a snowball effect as the community began mobilising in a short time frame.
"Having run a campaign or two in my time, I've never seen a campaign that is mushrooming as quickly as this one," he said. "I think that's because of the importance of the issues and the fact that the only clear and present danger that the people in this town see is losing our port and the jobs that come with it."
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