If a nuclear weapon was to strike Melbourne tomorrow…

…what would actually happen?

…would you survive?

These questions and others were answered in a demonstration by Monash medical students and student members of the Medical Association for the Prevention of War (Australia). The demonstration, Target Melbourne, highlighted the impact of a nuclear attack on Melbourne, and the social, environmental and health consequences of a nuclear weapons strike on our city.

Lauren Giles, President of the Monash MAPW student group and organiser of Target Melbourne explained, "Medical students talked with city workers and tourists to explain the health effects of a large scale nuclear attack, and outlined for the people of Melbourne the debilitating legacy a nuclear weapon would leave on the health of their community."

· there are between 28,000 - 30,000 nuclear weapons in the world right now (96% of them in the arsenals of the USA and Russia)
· there an increasing risk of terrorist groups acquiring nuclear weapons
· nuclear weapons are a very real threat to the security of Australians

Target Melbourne was a visual demonstration marking the site of the hypothetical nuclear attack, with students and others providing information, maps and general data about the current nuclear weapons threat. The demonstration was held on the final day of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference at the United Nations in New York.