Why they wanted to put this...here
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By: GLEN ELLARD
THE pristine waters and bushland of Jervis Bay may well have played a pivotal role in Australia developing nuclear weapons, according to a documentary aired on ABC TV on Thursday night.
The program, Fortress Australia, detailed how a succession of Australian political leaders embraced the emerging nuclear technology, and even planned to build a nuclear reactor at Murray's Beach, part of Jervis Bay's Commonwealth Territory, until Sir William McMahon became Prime Minister in 1971.
Fortress Australia's producer, writer and director Peter Butt revealed yesterday Mr McMahon put a halt to Australia's nuclear plans the day he became Prime Minister, writing to Australian Atomic Energy Commission chairman Sir Phillip Baxter to stop development of the Jervis Bay reactor.
While that reactor was being sold to the Australian public as being needed for electricity generation, Mr Butt said it appeared the primary reason for the reactor was to create the materials needed for nuclear weapons.
He said a succession of political leaders from Sir Robert Menzies in 1951 had been interested in acquiring the technology needed to create nuclear weapons, or even buy weapons from overseas.
One of the strongest advocates for Australia creating its own nuclear arsenal, rather than having to rely on the support of allies, was John Gorton when he was still a Senator.
Later as Prime Minister, Mr Gorton continued his push to arm Australia with nuclear weapons, working in conjunction with AAEC chairman Sir Phillip Baxter, who had been part of the British team working with US technicians to create the first atomic bomb.
Several government departments approached Mr Baxter in 1969 about the cost of Australia developing nuclear weapons, with Mr Baxter replying that the best way to create the bomb was to construct a civil nuclear reactor to generate electricity, along with the waste product plutonium which could be used in nuclear warheads.
A short time later Mr Gorton announced development of Australia's first full-scale nuclear reactor at Jervis Bay.
Mr Butt said the amazing thing about the plan was the lack of concern expressed by anyone, including the Federal Opposition, about the move.
"How little scrutiny there was at the time worried me," he admitted.
And while the reactor was being described as something being built simply to help meet Australia's future energy needs, Mr Butt said the government's real agenda may have been revealed when Mr Gorton refused to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
As Foreign Minister of the time Mr McMahon fought successfully against his leader for Australia to sign the treaty, then later when he became leader Mr McMahon axed the reactor's development as it did not comply with the treaty.
Before the project was axed Mr Baxter visited Nowra and during a talk with Shoalhaven Shire Council extolled the reactor's military possibilities, according to a Councillor of the time, Charles Shirley.
And in pushing for the reactor to be built in 1969 the then Federal Member for Macarthur, which included the Shoalhaven, Jeff Bate said, "Make no mistake that this plant is just for electricity - it is not.
"Australia needs an atomic energy station to develop the power and machinery we will need in the future," Mr Bate said.