Greens council hopefuls push to ban Pine Gap from Alice Springs community events
Aia Newport is one of 25 candidates vying for one of the eight seats at the 2025 local government election and is hoping to make the Alice Springs Town Council as "progressive and revolutionary" as possible.
Mx Newport said at a recent protest at the Joint Defence Facility Pine Gap that the council must pressure the federal government to sanction Israel.
"[And] to demonstrate leadership by boycotting products with ties to Israel at all."
Mx Newport said Pine Gap employees should not be welcome at community events.
"Pressuring local events to ban them from being involved in events like the Henley-on-Todd [Regatta]," they said.
Mx Newport declined to be interviewed about the comments but provided a statement further explaining their perspective.
"I don't seek to exclude individuals from participating in our community, rather the institution of Pine Gap, the US military and its official representatives are requested not to use our community events as promotional platforms and a public relations exercise," the statement read.
Pine Gap, located in a secluded valley 18 kilometres south of Alice Springs, was set up by the CIA
It began operating in 1970 in response to the Cold War.
Asta Hill, a Greens-endorsed candidate for the mayoral and council election, said it was courageous for Mx Newport to "speak out at a time when a genocide is occurring and to stand really strong in their core values, which are Greens values".
Ms Hill reiterated she was not speaking on behalf of Mx Newport.
Ms Hill said it was important to have mature conversations about potential "harms" that "are being perpetuated at that facility".
Ms Hill said she would not be bringing Pine Gap as official business to the council if successful this Saturday.
"I have a number of very immediate priorities that I will bring if elected as mayor and councillor, things that we can get cracking on straight away," she said.
"Unfortunately, Pine Gap isn't one of them."
However, Ms Hill does support Mx Newport's position on Pine Gaps presence at public events.
"I stand by strongly … that [community events are] not a space for recruitment, advertising or the gathering of social licence," she said.
Ms Hill said Pine Gap was "shrouded in secrecy on Arrernte land."
"We don't know exactly what role it is playing, particularly in respect of the genocide in Gaza right now," she said.
The Israeli government has been facing genocide allegations brought by South Africa in the International Court of Justice, but strongly denied its actions in Gaza were genocidal.
Local government elections are being held in 16 councils across the Northern Territory, with election-day voting on Saturday.
The Department of Defence has been contacted for a comment.
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