Understanding War /// or, Why We Can Afford Submarines, but not Healthcare, Housing, or Food

How can the australian government find $400bn for a handful of outdated submarines? Was the NDIS cut to help afford this? Amidst converging cost of living, and climate crises, why are we told that there is no money for food, housing, or health care, but there seems to be an unlimited budget for weapons? 

If these questions keep you up at night, please join Solidarity Film Club on the 24th of March to explore the politics and economics of war. We will watch a film related to these questions, here from activists that have been researching and resisting militarism, and collectively discuss how we as a community can oppose this industry of death and destruction

It is a pertinent time to discuss the military industrial complex, with the Avalon Air Show is taking place in the same week, 30km down the road. This event brings together over 500 corporations that help to create the weapons we see raining down on people in Gaza, West Papua, and innumerable other colonial, and capitalist wars across the globe. The air show is packaged as a family friendly event that normalises weapons manufacturing and the consequent murder and destruction experiences by so many communities.

The FIlm:

The Shadow World: Inside the Global Arms Trade

Based on the book The Shadow World, this feature length documentary reveals the shocking realities of the multi-billion-dollar global arms trade, through whistleblowers, investigators, prosecutors, and military insiders. Pulling back the curtain on the secretive world of the global arms trade, the documentaryreveals the corruption and the cover-ups behind weapons deals ranging from the largest in history - between the British and Saudi governments - to BAE's controversial transactions in South Africa, Tanzania and eastern Europe, and the revolving-door relationships that characterise the US Congressional-Military-Industrial Complex. 

Event Details

These film nights are an opportunity to come together as a community; learn about ecology, colonialism, capitalism; share a meal; grieve for what we, and others have lost, collectively think throughs ways we can resist or offset the damage and harm we witness; and through it all, imagine better futures.

• Tickets will include dinner and a donation. There will be a 'pay as you can' option to ensure everyone is able to join.
  
• Date: 25th of March, from 6pm - 8:30pm
• Anglesea Memorial Hall
• Food: Vegan and Gluten Free options 
• Donations from the night will go towards organisations fighting the Military Industrial Complex, or communities that are directly impacted by the weapons produced here (TBD)
• Capacity will be limited so please register soon