Since the end of World War 2, the greatest threat to human survival has not come from climate change (though that is serious indeed) nor pandemics. It has not come from space rocks or solar flares, nor from cosmic radiation, overpopulation or food shortages. Nor has it come from volcanism, tsunamis or earthquakes. Rather, the greatest threat has come from nuclear weapons.

Seventy-five years on and the world is no closer to solving this most dangerous dilemma. Treaties to reduce the potential threat have come and gone, one Cold War has passed and yet the major nuclear powers are engaging in a modernisation program that will render the danger greater than before.

The other day the fiftieth signatory to the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was made, by Honduras, I believe. Astonishingly, yes astonishingly, Australia is NOT one of those signatories. I can only think that we are bowing, yet again, to pressure from Washington. What a pismire response from Canberra. Shameful, abject and embarrassing.

I have heard the argument that nuclear weapons saved us all from a major war. I have not been convinced by the evidence (largely based on the observation that there has not been a major war, so nuclear weapons must be the reason for that) and even if I accept such an argument, its frail logic only has to fail ONCE for the calamity to be upon us. That almost happened a few times during the Cold War.

So I salute the fifty nations who have so far signed up and pray that the weaklings and cowards who run this country decide to step up for a change.

Setsuko Thurlow, a survivor of the bombing of Hiroshima, said afterwards,

"When I had learned that we had reached our 50th ratification, I was not able to stand. I remained in my chair and put my head in my hands and I cried tears of joy."