Summary

Alternative Name(s): Button

This badge is a classic example of opposition to the entanglements of the Australian and the US military. Omega was the first global radio navigation system operated by the U.S from 1971 onwards, enabling ships and aircrafts to determine their position by radio signals. This was superseded by the GPS in 1997. One of the Omega Transmitters was located in Woodside, Victoria, Australia, and this is the one referenced in the badge. At the time it was built, there were sentiments that this was not just a navigation system, but instead an American military project. During the 1970s activist student groups opposed the building of this station. The badge was made by People for Nuclear Disarmament, an organisation active in Australia since 1960. The button was presumably used in one of the protests against the base. However, the official position was that this system was not accurate enough to have military use, so the protests waned in the 1980s and the base was built. The Woodsite Transmitter was demolished in 2015.

Physical Description

A red badge with a picture of three black cruise missiles on the centre. Above and below, encircling the perimeter, is black text. A pin is on the back.

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