Late Night Live - Separate stories podcast Gareth Evans says Australia should lead nuclear arms control talks
Nov 13, 2025
Gareth Evans, former Australian foreign minister and esteemed professor at ANU, dives into the pressing issues of nuclear arms control. He discusses the alarming rise in nuclear risks from major powers and highlights the failures of past arms agreements. Evans argues for Australia's leadership in a new arms control initiative, emphasizing the need for innovative strategies like a no-first-use policy. He also reflects on past nuclear near-misses, the irrationality of using such weapons, and the complex dynamics around Israel's nuclear status and Iran's ambitions.
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Doomsday Clock Reflects Renewed Nuclear Risk
- The Doomsday Clock sits closer to midnight due to dead or dying arms-control agreements and major powers expanding arsenals.
- Gareth Evans warns the US, Russia and China's behaviours make nuclear risk higher now than in decades.
Complacency And Weak Leadership Raise Risk
- Complacency and weak leadership have eroded momentum on non‑proliferation and risk reduction.
- Trumpian unpredictability, Russian nuclear rhetoric and China's buildup together raise the odds of crisis.
Nuclear Use Is Essentially Suicidal
- Using nuclear weapons would be suicidal for any rational state because retaliation and planetary effects are catastrophic.
- Evans argues possession offers illusory comfort while creating high risks of accident or miscalculation.