Parts of Australia are still ‘totally radioactive’, more than 60 years after Hiroshima-sized nuclear tests, according to a local fallout survivor.
Sue Coleman-Haseldine said radiation poisoning has caused birth defects, fertility problems and cancer deaths in the area where she grew up.
In the 1950s and 60s a total of 12 Hiroshima-sized nuclear tests were conducted at Maralinga and Emu Field in South Australia, and Monte Bello in Western Australia.
Parts of Australia are still ‘totally radioactive’, more than 60 years after Hiroshima-sized nuclear tests, according to a local survivor (pictured is an American nuclear test)
Sue Coleman-Haseldine said radiation poisoning has caused birth defects, fertility problems and cancer deaths in the area where she grew up (pictured is the Maralinga site in 1952)
The 67-year-old from Kokatha claimed the government is not doing enough and should sign a nuclear weapons prohibition treaty.
Ms Coleman-Haseldine’s warning comes as a Nobel Peace Prize-winning anti-nuclear group warns Australia is part of a global problem, News.com.au reported.
‘Australia is totally radioactive. There’re so many deaths from different cancers … The defects in newborn babies are heartbreaking,’ she said.
‘If you ask one of the young ones [in her community], “What do you think you’ll die from?” they’ll say “cancer” because that’s what everyone else dies from.’
In the 1950s and 60s a total of 12 Hiroshima-sized nuclear tests were conducted at Maralinga and Emu Field in South Australia, and Monte Bello in Western Australia (pictured is a US nuclear test at Bikini Atoll in 1946)
The 67-year-old from Kokatha claimed the government is not doing enough and should sign a nuclear weapons prohibition treaty (pictured is the Maralinga site)
Ms Coleman-Haseldine’s warning comes as a Nobel Peace Prize-winning anti-nuclear group warns Australia is part of a global problem (pictured is ICAN’s Tim Wright)
The tests created fallout known as ‘black mist’ – radioactive clouds which moved towards the east coast following detonation.
Clean-up efforts in 1964 and 1967 failed to effectively deal with the damage to the natural environment.
The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons’ Asia-Pacific director Tim Wright has called on Australia to join the fight against nuclear proliferation.
‘We believe that Australia should take a principled stand against them just as it’s done for biological, chemical weapons, cluster bombs and landmines,’ he said.
The tests created fallout known as ‘black mist’ – radioactive clouds which moved towards the east coast following detonation (pictured is a man during the Maralinga tests in 1950)
ICAN’s Tim Wright said nuclear tensions between Donald Trump (pictured, right) and Kim jong-un (pictured, left) are making the world more dangerous
He said nuclear tensions between the United States and North Korea made the world a more dangerous place than ever.
ICAN is pushing for nuclear powers to sign the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, but is facing resistance from the US, the UK and France.
In June leading violinist Lara St. John wrote a piece called Maralinga in an attempt to bring attention to the nuclear tests and their after-effects.
The Australian government announced in May outback Aborigines and farmers affected by fallout will be eligible for free medical help, along with veterans.
Aboriginal children walk near the Maralinga Airfield terminal during a ceremony for the excision of Section 400 from the Woomera Prohibited Area in Maralinga, South Australia,