ABSTRACT
Australia has a long-standing relationship with the bomb. Successive Australian governments give legitimacy to a role for nuclear weapons by claiming that the US ‘nuclear umbrella’ protects Australia. Medical Association for Prevention of War and International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) have enjoyed very close cooperation since, evidence of the devastating health consequences of nuclear weapons, which is the professional expertise of physicians and scientists, being the foundation for the humanitarian focus of both. The health and humanitarian sector in Australia was active in building national momentum for the ban treaty. Collaboration with the Public Health Association of Australia in their policy processes and advocacy has also been fruitful. ICAN collaboration with the Australian Red Cross, whose advocacy on this issue has been a powerful force in the global Red Cross and Red Crescent movement, has similarly been invaluable in furthering the humanitarian agenda.
