This week we look at the Future Funds investment in weapons companies involved in the genocide in Palestine and producing illegal nuclear weapons.  Among many unethical investments, the Australian state’s ‘sovereign’ (stolen) wealth fund invests in weaponscompanies arming Israel to murder tens of thousands of people in Gaza and the West Bank.Elbit Systems - Israel’s largest privately-owned arms company - is the fastest-growing company on the list of companies Future Fund invests in.  A research report produced by the Elbit Out of Victoria campaign reveals an increase of 449.9 % within the last 15 months. The report was launched at the Future Fund Head Office, 447 Collins St, Naarm-Melbourne at an after work rally demanding Future Fund divests from Elbit Systems on Thursday 26 June.We bring you some excerpts of speeches from the rally by Krauatatungallung elder Djuran Bunjileenee Robbie Thorpe (Crime Scene Australia),  Nat Celleja (Elbit out of Victoria), Dr Max Kaiser (Jewish Council of Australia) and Romina Beitseen (Campaign for International Cooperation and Disarmament).Then we speak with Dr.Margie Beavis from the Medical Association for the Prevention of War and the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons about investment in nuclear weapons producing companies and what you can do about it.More information about divesting from nuclear weapons can be found at quitnukes.org and dontbankonthebomb.com.

In today’s show we learn about the staunch organising, support and action for Palestine that continues to take place on Dharawhal Country, in the area around Wollongong, NSW. There have also been direct actions and 6 community pickets against the nearby company Bisalloy, which organisers found out producers armoured steel for the IDF. Now in June 2025, the devastating genocide continues, but so does the resistance, and I’ve spoken to organisers wit the local group, Wollongong Friends of Palestine, about how they have built a hive of resistance in the area.

On this weeks show we reflect on the recent election result with Kirsten Blair speaking at a Don't Nuke The Climate webinar 'Is nuclear power still a threat after the election?' about the big impact that anti nuclear power sentiment in the community had in the last election that may have cost the Liberal National Coalition as many as 11 seats. We hear from Poppy about the upcoming exhibition called 'Resisting Nuclear' that runs from 12-17 June at 6 Prowse St, Brunswick.  For updates follow Old Country Calling on Facebook or Instagram.And we bring you a speech by Scheherazade Bloul from the Elbit Out of Victoria Campaign out the front of Hanwha Korean Weapons company headquarters 550 Bourke St Melbourne on Sunday 25 May.  The current focus is on defunding Israels biggest weapons manafacturer Elbit with a rally to be held on Thursday 26 June 5.30pm at the Future Fund offices 447 Collins St, Melbourne CBD.Links: 'Nuclear power may have cost the Coalition 11 seats in the federal election' by Dr Jim Green published in Renew magazine.Flyers to promote the 'No to a future soaked in blood' rally on Thursday 26 June.

This week we play a recording from a conversation between earth-waking artist and musician Anohni and climate justice journalist and activist scholar, Naomi Klein. The conversation was organised and recorded by the Chan Centre for Preforming Arts on Musqueam Land.

Each year the Stockholm International Peace and Research Institute (SIPRI) releases a report on global military spending.  We spoke to Xiao Liang about the extraordinary increases and trends in military spending across 2024.  Additionally SIPRI reports on the top 100 military companies and ranked 27 is Israel largest military company Elbit Systems who have a wholly owned subsidiary operating out of Australia.  Elbit System Australia receives around $917 million of tax payer dollars from the government.  On May 15, the 77th anniversary of the Nakba, Elbit Out of Victoria called for an end to their operation with a presence at their newly located offices 290 Salmon St, Port Melbourne.  We speak with Scheherazade Bloul about the Elbit Out of Victoria campaign.

On April 26, the 39th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear accident, Friends of the Earth's Nuclear Free Collective held a one-day No to Nuclear Solidarity Bike Ride from Camp Sovereignty in the city via Brighton to Kooyong. We hear the voices of participants on why they are riding to raise awareness about the dangers of nuclear industry and standing in solidarity with those directly impacted.  Particulary by Dutton's nuclear power proposals as we lead into a Federal Election.The Solidarity Bike Ride was joined by Climate Choir Melbourne during the lunch break in Brighton and at Kooyong later in the afternoon for an event commemorating the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.  We hear from Dave Sweeney from the Australian Conservation Foundation and Dr.Tilman Ruff from the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons speaking extensively about the impacts of Chernobyl catastrophe and the implications of a nuclear power industry in Australia.

This week we speak with two candidates in the upcoming Federal election that are running on a platform of nuclear free and sustainable energy.Peltherre Chris Tomlins is a candidate with the Indigenous-Aboriginal Party of Australia in the seat of Lingiari in the Northern Territory.  Uncle Chris is a custodian, a peaceful protector of his country and and a passionate activist. Among other things, he supported actions such as ‘Close Pine Gap’, Indigenous Sovereignty, and recognition of the Frontier Wars.  Pine Gap is the extensive US military and intelligence base that occupies Aboriginal lands of the Arrernte people, the original custodians of country. The Arrernte were never asked for their permission to build Pine Gap on their land.  Rochelle Hine is the Greens candidate for Gippsland. One of Rochelle's campaign policies is 'Keeping the region free of the threat of nuclear reactors'. She has been involved in the nuclear actions happening locally, attending Nanna's Against Nuclear, and other rally's.

As a federal election looms we catch up with Friends of the Earth Melbourne's Nuclear-free Collective Coordinator Sanne DeSwart and Friends of the Earth Australia's National Anti-nuclear campaigner Dr. Jim Green.  We take a look at what bearing the election outcome may have on various nuclear issues and hear about some of the activities planned in the next month.  On the April 26, the 39th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear accident, they are organising a one-day Nuclear-free Bike Ride from from the city via Brighton to Kooyong.  More information and sign up here.

The world's military industries are coming to Geelong to do business between 26 - 30 March 2025. We speak with Jaimie Jeffries from IPAN Geelong about the Avalon Air Show and the work they are doing to cut through the event promotion as a family friendly fund day out that gets families to fund one of the largest military weapons trading events in the Southern hemisphere.Picket the Avalon Airshow to stop death dealers arm trading:5.30pm Monday 24 March:  Yarra Blvd, Crown Casino. Disrupt the Warmongers dinner get noisy and don't let them eat in peace.7am Wednesday 26 March:  Meet at the Beach Road M1 off ramp.3-6pm Friday 28 March: Marand Engineering the old Ford factory, Melbourne Road, North Geelong.7am Saturday 29 display banners and placars and flyering at Park and Ride Sutcliffe Reserve Corio 8am at the Lara Train Station.For World Water Day (22 March) we listen to a recording by the late great land and water protector Uncle Kevin Buzzacott made by Old Country Calling in September 2023.Olympic Dam copper, gold and uranium mine has been taking huge amounts of precious water from the Great Artesian Basin (GAB) since they began operating in 1982.  Up to 42 million litres of water is drawn from Arabunna country each day without consent and has destroyed many of the incredible Mound Springs sacred sites, unique ecosystems that are fed by ancient waters the come to the surface due to pressure at the southern end of the GAB.Under the 1982 Roxby Downs Indenture Act, the original Olympic Dam owner Western Mining and now present owner BHP are afforded special privileges that exempt them from the Aboriginal Heritage Protection Act, Water Act, Natural Resources Act, Environmental Protection and Bidoversity Act and the Freedom of Information Act.