No nukes: Australia must push for serious global nuclear disarmament

Nuclear weapons are still a threat to humanity. In our age of uncertainty, Australia isn’t doing enough to rid the world of these weapons.
On this episode, Paul Barclay is joined by Dr Tilman Ruff, co-founder of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) to discuss Australia’s role in trying to rid the world of nuclear weapons, including renouncing protection by nuclear weapons, the need to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), and the risks associated with the AUKUS deal.
This discussion was recorded on Wednesday, 26 February 2025, and things may have changed since the recording.
Order What’s the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website.
Guest: Dr Tilman Ruff AO, Co-founder and Founding Chair, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons // @tilmanaruff
Host: Paul Barclay, Walkley Award winning journalist and broadcaster // @PaulBarclay
Show notes:
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference by Allan Behm, the Australia Institute (August 2022)
The hands of the Doomsday Clock show the world is ignoring a potential three-headed catastrophe by Allan Behm, The New Daily (January 2025)
Risky Business: An update on super funds and nuclear weapons by Rosemary Kelly, Margaret Beavis, Alice Grundy, Adam Gottschalk and Olivia Chollet, the Australia Institute (October 2024)
Australia’s Future Submarines: Submarines, submarine propulsion, defence policy, national security, AUKUS, nuclear safeguards and sovereignty: how do the pieces fit together? by Allan Behm, Rear Admiral Peter Briggs and Commodore Paul Greenfield RAN (October 2022)
Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions
We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.
Between the Lines Newsletter
The biggest stories and the best analysis from the team at the Australia Institute, delivered to your inbox every fortnight.
You might also like
Dutton’s nuclear push will cost renewable jobs
Dutton’s nuclear push will cost renewable jobs As Australia’s federal election campaign has finally begun, opposition leader Peter Dutton’s proposal to spend hundreds of billions in public money to build seven nuclear power plants across the country has been carefully scrutinized. The technological unfeasibility, staggering cost, and scant detail of the Coalition’s nuclear proposal have
Australian super funds investing in nuclear weapons companies
How would you feel if your super was invested in nuclear weapons companies? Well, in Australia, there’s a high chance it is.
Super-powered nukes: Is your superannuation funding weapons of mass destruction?
When you choose your superannuation fund, you’re probably not thinking about weapons of mass destruction. But it might surprise you to learn that if you’re with one of Australia’s largest funds, your money is going into the production of nuclear weapons. Research published last month by Quit Nukes and The Australia Institute found that 13