I’m sure you expect local governments to operate ethically and transparently.

So do I. 

That’s why I was shocked to learn that Newcastle Council and Port Stephens Council, joint owners of the Newcastle Airport, have established a precinct called Astra Aerolab, where they will lease land to weapons manufacturers and use this as a revenue stream for Council.

A new DA is on public exhibition, and as a Newcastle Councillor, I’m strongly opposing this on the grounds that it is unethical for Council to profit from these companies.

The intention for this development is for an undisclosed aerospace contractor to carry out “hardware manufacture, assembly, integration, testing, verification, and maintenance, as well as software development and support for defence related components, to assist in the delivery of defence acquisition programs”. 

Newcastle Council has a policy that rules out investing funds with weapons manufacturers, but Labor councillors told me during our meeting in June, that this policy doesn’t apply to Astra Aerolab, a business that Council owns, and intends to profit from. That’s not ethical. I’m sure you will agree that Council’s businesses should be bound by, and adhere to Council’s own policies. 

Step 1. Make your submission using the link below. You might like to use the suggestions provided.

Step 2. Sign our petition so we can let Newcastle Council know that you're objecting to their plans at Astra Aerolab.

Click here to make your submission before Wednesday 14th of August. 

This site for submissions will require you to create an account. This will take you a moment, but it’s extremely important that the state government hears from you.

Suggestions for your submission:

I object to this development ‘High Technology Industry Williamtown', and appeal to the planning authority to refuse this application.

1. Not in the Public Interest.

The Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, states that the public interest must be considered as part of the assessment (Part 4, Division 4.3, Section 4.15).

This development for defence related manufacturing and software development is clearly not in the public interest. 

Weapons manufacturing contributes to an arms race between nations and too often takes the lives of innocent civilians. 

Investing in this facility will divert skilled workers away from the critical transition to low carbon industries and renewable energy generation. Time is running out to meet our climate targets, and we are simultaneously experiencing a skills shortage in the Hunter. We cannot afford to invest in the defence industry when our collective priority must be ensuring a rapid and well planned transition.

2. Councils must act ethically.

The Local Government Act states that councils must act ethically in the interests of the local community (Section 8Ah)

Newcastle Council should collect revenue from sources that are in line with its own policies. With Astra Aerolab, it is directly contravening its own Investment and Borrowing Policy which includes Environmental and Social Investment Guidelines (7.1.4) that specifically identify ‘production or supply of armaments’ as investment that should be avoided as it is considered a socially harmful activity.

Collecting revenue from an undisclosed aerospace contractor is not in line with the ethical standards that the community expects from Newcastle Council and Port Stephens Council.

3. Increasing ties between universities and weapons manufacturers is unethical.

The Environmental Impact Statement highlights the benefits of the ‘High Technology Williamtown’ proposal as including ‘increasing research capabilities’ with the University of Newcastle. Increasing ties between the University and weapons manufacturers is raising serious concerns amongst students, staff and the broader community. Student movements across Australia are revealing ties between weapons manufacturers and research facilities and will continue to protest against these agreements. 

4. This project is on PFAS contaminated lands within the Tomago Sandbeds Catchment Area.

The independent review into PFAS contamination must be completed before this DA can be finalised. There is insufficient information for managing PFAS contaminants and protecting the Tomago Sandbeds.