Fed: Greens say Kitty Hawk not welcome

AAP General News (Australia)
08-10-2006
Fed: Greens say Kitty Hawk not welcome

CANBERRA, Aug 10 AAP - The Australian Greens say a US aircraft carrier conducting live
fire exercises on a West Australian bombing range is "not welcome".

WA Greens senator Rachel Siewert said at a time of heightened global tensions and the
conflict in the Middle East, many people would object to Western Australia being used
for what she claimed was target practice.

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has approved the use of the Lancelin Defence Training
Area (LDTA), 140km north of Perth, for training by aircraft and ships from the US Navy
strike group led by the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk.

Senator Siewert said Kitty Hawk wasn't welcome.

"Lancelin residents awoke this morning to the sound of live bombs exploding a short
distance from their homes," she said in a statement.

"This is not something any Australian should be subjected to."

Senator Siewert said she, like many West Australians, deplored the bombing of coastal
rangelands at Lancelin by aircraft from this warship.

"The Greens want Australia to be a powerful and independent advocate for peace and
dialogue," she said.

Defence said it had approved US use of the Lancelin range, 25km north of the town of
Lancelin, for the periods of August 6-9 and 14-19.

"During these periods US aircraft will conduct flying operations, bombing practice,
air-to-ground support training and recovery of downed helicopter pilots at Lancelin and
within other approved Defence air space," it said.

"The US has previously used the LDTA for such activities."

Defence said flying operations would be conducted between 9am and 9pm and US aircraft
would comply with all ADF safety and environmental requirements.

"No depleted uranium munitions will be used," it said.

"Low flying will be kept to a minimum and will use approved low flying routes. There
will be no supersonic flights and no low level flying at night."

AAP mb/sb/jt/nf

KEYWORD: LANCELIN

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