- The Guardian
- Issue #2025
Kids celebrate peace, friendship and tolerance on United Nations day, October 2010, Armenia. Photo: UNDP in Europe and Central Asia – https://www.flickr.com/photos/undpeuropeandcis/5125995552 (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Today, 21st September, the United Nations Day of Peace, the Communist Party of Australia calls for the Albanese Government to save billions of tax payers’ money and adopt a Peace budget.
“World military spending has reached a record of $2.1 trillion,” said CPA President Vinnie Molina. “However, this did not provide peace or security
“It should be obvious that countries buying more and more deadly weapons does not create peace or security.
“It has not worked in the past and it never will,” he said.
“The Australian military budget in 2022-2023 is $48 billion,” Romina Beitseen, CPA spokesperson on peace issues, said.
“Resources committed to the military mean less money for the health, education and housing needs of Australians and our neighbours.
“The $170 billion set aside for eight nuclear submarines under the AUKUS pact could fund at least 250 hospitals, 4500 schools or 320,000 homes,
“We need a new security from threats including extreme poverty, hunger, armed conflicts, pandemics, and political and criminal violence, as well as future fatal consequences from environmental threats,” Ms Beitseen said.
“It’s time for us to call on governments here and around the world to cut military spending, and instead to invest in the true needs of the people and the planet to build a just and sustainable peace,” Mr Molina said.
“To give peace a chance, we must give peace a budget.”
