Protesters rally outside controversial weapons expo
Aaron Bunch |
Thousands of protesters have rallied against a controversial weapons expo hailed as the nation’s largest land defence industry exhibition.
About 2000 anti-war protesters shadowed by dozens of police marched across Perth late on Tuesday towards the Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition, waving messages such as “Stop War” and “Cut Military Spending”.
“We are the people; we won’t be silent,” some chanted as they moved down one of Perth’s busiest streets toward the weapons expo.
But the protest stopped short of the defence event, and the rally ended without incident.
Land Forces has previously been marred by violence when protesters and police clashed at the last conference in Melbourne in 2024, with dozens of people arrested and dozens of police officers injured.
High-ranking government and military officials are among the 15,000 interstate and international attendees expected to attend the three-day event in the WA capital.
Earlier on Tuesday, Defence Minister Richard Marles hailed the expo as “a display of the very best of Australia’s defence industry, and in fact, the very best of land forces capability that can be found anywhere in the world”.
“Our defence force is at the heart of our national sovereignty, and the defence industry supports them, and this is really important in terms of building our capability,” he told reporters.
“What’s really important to understand about this is that it is the defence industry which provides the equipment which keeps our soldiers, our sailors, our aviators safe.”
Among the exhibitors is Israeli defence company Rafael Advanced Defence Systems, which is showing off its Spike guided missile system.
It’s the weapon that military experts reportedly believe killed 43-year-old Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom in Gaza.
WA Greens MP Sophie McNeill, who attended the expo, called on the Land Forces organisers to boot Rafael out of the conference.
“It is so galling and so deeply upsetting to see Rafael Advanced Systems openly flaunt this missile there at the weapons fair,” she said.
“This Spike missile that we know has also killed thousands of innocent civilians in Gaza.”
Ms McNeill said Australian Army officers were being hosted by Rafael workers at the stand.
“It is so deeply inappropriate, and it shouldn’t be allowed to proceed,” she said.
Conference delegates, many in military uniforms from other nations, did not appear to share Ms McNeill’s concerns as they toured the displays of equipment and services from more than 900 companies.
Among the exhibitors is British aerospace company BAE Systems.
It is showing off its “affordable” long-range missile, which looked more like a spacecraft or drone than a traditional Hollywood version of the weapon.
US aerospace company Boeing is also at the expo, with battle communications systems on display and a large model of its Apache helicopter.
Lockheed Martin, manufacturer of the Black Hawk helicopter, is also spruiking its wares, including defensive and offensive missile systems
Defence technology group Thales had its Australian-built armoured vehicle, the Bushmaster, at the expo, alongside missiles, rockets and the latest in firearms used by the Australian Defence Force.
Australian Army equipment boffin Brigadier James Davis said the expo was an opportunity for defence companies and soldiers from across the globe to come together and talk kit.
“They’re talking to each other to work out how they should co-operate and what they can do together,” he said.
The Australian Army is also showing off its latest equipment, with dozens of uniformed officers at the expo alongside an impressive display of gear used by the force.
These include the latest mobile missile launchers and a combat reconnaissance vehicle painted in camouflage paint.
Brig Davis said it was the army telling its story to the industry.
“The type of equipment we’re using,” he said.
The event, which is run with the support of the Australian Army, is also an opportunity for small businesses that want to expand into the defence space.
“We want to provide a central hub for the smaller companies to come in and say, ‘I’ve got a thing. Where does this fit in your organisation’,” Brig Davis said.
AAP