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Let's be plain. The reason Australia has refused to sign the nuclear weapons ban treaty is that we wish to engage in nuclear war.
https://www.un.org/disarmament/wmd/nuclear/tpnw/
https://www.un.org/disarmament/wmd/nuclear/tpnw/
...With our bestie, the USA. Japan likewise has refused to sign, presumably for similar reasons, despite being the only country in the world where nuclear war has been waged (by the USA).
That has been our (unstated) policy for half a century. I give you:
1. Command and control of submarine launched nuclear weapons via the North West Cape longwave antennas, commissioned in 1967.
(Now thought to be a backup service; once a primary launch command facility.)
1. Command and control of submarine launched nuclear weapons via the North West Cape longwave antennas, commissioned in 1967.
(Now thought to be a backup service; once a primary launch command facility.)
2. Surveillance, command and control of conventional and nuclear forces via the 'Joint Defence Facility Pine Gap', opened in 1970. Its initial purpose seems to have been spying, but there's little doubt that it's now an active operations command base.
https://nautilus.org/publications/books/australian-forces-abroad/defence-facilities/pine-gap/pine-gap-intro/
https://nautilus.org/publications/books/australian-forces-abroad/defence-facilities/pine-gap/pine-gap-intro/
3. The US 'Marine Rotational Force-Darwin', a permanent basing of US strike forces in northern Australia (now numbering about ~2,500). With regularly visiting and exercising US Navy and Air Force assets, this operation is certainly nuclear capable, if not immediately so armed.
4. Softening up moves to base a reconstituted US 1st Fleet out of Darwin and Stirling in WA. The fleet would presumably be nuclear armed (the US is unlikely to say).
Warning, Murdocheria: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/let-us-navy-make-itself-at-home/news-story/ae8c7dffcb72a546c85204f98196ab61
Warning, Murdocheria: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/let-us-navy-make-itself-at-home/news-story/ae8c7dffcb72a546c85204f98196ab61
"United Nations General Assembly
Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
Article 1, Prohibitions
Each State Party undertakes never under any circumstances to: ..."
Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
Article 1, Prohibitions
Each State Party undertakes never under any circumstances to: ..."
"(c) Receive the transfer of or control over nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices directly or indirectly;"
"(g) Allow any stationing, installation or deployment of any nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices in its territory..."
"(g) Allow any stationing, installation or deployment of any nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices in its territory..."
Awkward.
