Cabinet papers released today by the National Archives have revealed an extraordinary plan involving the US and Australia. In 1984 the Americans wanted to test MX missiles by firing them from California to the coast of Australia.
During the Cold War, Ronald Reagan was worried about the Russians and raised the subject with Liberal PM Malcolm Fraser. The test would not involve warheads, contain any nuclear material or touch Australian soil.
Prime Minister Fraser and most senior members of the government okayed the plan but insisted it be kept secret because it was “preferable for the matter not to become an election issue.” James Killen presented the plan to cabinet who decided there was “no objection in principle to the US proposal.”
Mr Fraser said he would never agree to such missile tests today. "The Cold War was still in progress, it was a different world.” He added “We’ve gotten far too close to the Americans.”
In 1985, Labor PM Bob Hawke withdrew support for the missile tests after a meeting with US Secretary of State George Shultz.
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