Australia’s pro nuclear advocates getting nervous about the industry
Anxiety, fear – these are the emotions that bring about anger, hatred, and extreme statements.
Today’s AUSTRALIAN gives a fine example of this, in a pro nuclear article by Brendan O’Neill. It appears against a backdrop of news that must be very worrying for the nuclear/uranium industries. (BHP possibly going to scrap Olympic Dam uranium expansion, or certainly delay it, at least – Japan looking as if it mightget through the summer without nuclear power (shock horror) – thorium reactor debate suggesting that uranium sales would plummet, renewable eenergy getting cheaper. it’s all a worry for nuclear power proponents.)
So – Brendan O’Neill comes out with “The risks of dumping nuclear are too great”. He tells us that: “green campaigners scream” “anti-nuclear hysteria poses a far greater threat to life and limb than does nuclear power itself” “eco-activists canrole-play being brave warriors”
He is very enthusiastic about the extremism of the anti nuclear side.
But – very low key about nuclear disasters – “ Progress, especially of the nuclear variety, can sometimes have less
than desirable consequences. But as we saw in Fukushima, and also in Chernobyl before it, it is entirely possible to contain those consequences and to limit the downsides” – Less than desirable consequences !- what a lovely way to dismiss the accidents at Chernobyl and Fukushima
On the effect of Fukushima on Europe – O’Neill says ” it has unleashed a metaphorical tsunami of anti-nuclear panic” - quoting German Chancellor Angela Merkel as the example of such panic. (Last I heard Germany was doing very well in the current global economic problem, and a global leader in renewable energy)
He bemoans the “real lethal danger” of the “hysterical turn” against nuclear energy.
I thought that it was the anti nuclear activists who were supposed to use emotional, panicky language. It looks as if Brendan O’Neill, bereft of facts, is in a bit of a panic himself. - Christina Macpherson
Wrap up of the week’s Australian nuclear news
Olympic Damn uranium mine. There is doubt about the future of BHP Billiton’s planned new mega mine (biggest man-made hole in the world). The project will cost about $30 billion to set up, before making one cent of profit – some 30 years hence. No wonder investors are a bit jittery about it. With the global economic down-turn, a slowing Chinese economy, low copper price, and continuing slide in uranium price, BHP is having second thoughts. Investment fund managers are relieved.
Of course, especially in the Australian media BHP executives Jacques Nasser and wonder boy Marius Kloppers are blaming it on the Australian government’s mining tax, (even though uranium mining is exempt) and on the carbon tax. And, BHP is mounting a determined campaign against the unions. Subservient Australian federal and State governments vow to help BHP with their damn expansion.
Global warming. A revolutionary new research study shows that the Australasian region has warmed more over the past 5 years, than in the past 1000 years, and attributes this to man-made greenhouse emissions.
Muckaty nuclear waste dump plan. Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) comes out strongly against this Northern Territory waste dump plan. Ian Howe explains the wisdom of temporary nuclear waste storage at Lucas Heights, and calls for a public inquiry and public discussion on Australia’s nuclear wastes.
Radiation monitoring. The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) doesn’t do very much of this. Less than 1% of base stations in Australia have been radiation tested
Coal seam gas. Most of the scientists advising the federal government on coal-seam gas pollution have financial links with the mining industry.
Uranium, environmental issues, make strange political bed-fellows
Nuclear power, climate change, pollution , public health, our children’s future – these are issues that rise above and beyond politics.
That’s a a fact that is quietly emerging. It is a reason why I try to steer clear of party political views, and especially because of the occasional surprises. In England, for example, there’s the Tory politician Zac Goldsmith – a firm opponent of nuclear power.
In Australia, today, there’s prominent businesswoman Eve Mahlab, a darling of the Liberal Party, speaking up for Labor Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, and for the public’s appreciation of renewabl energy.
And there’s supposedly Labor, Paul Howes, making it clear that everything, and particularly the environment, should be sacrificed for politcal gain – he seems to be further right than the Liberals.
And then there’s the record of Bob Katter – notoriously far right-wing politician, speaking out against environmental pollution, and cover-ups in uranium mining.
Wrap up of the week’s Australian nuclear news
Uranium miner Toro Energy promotes quack scientist Doug Boreham ‘s speaking tours to preach the false gospel that low level radiation is harmless. Medical doctors call on Toro to stop this.
South Australia grants lease for Four Mile uranium mine – which is mainly owned by nuclear weapons making company. BHP Billiton and the Federal Government out to punish Aborignal elder Kevin Buzzacott, with legal costs for his one man battle against the planned Olympic Dam uranium mega-mine.
Northern Territory Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) will shut down Ranger open cut mine, in the context of their financial losses, and weather problems. But they are building huge underground infrastructure in the guise of “exploration” - as they do not have approval for underground mining.
ABORIGINAL leaders from Arnhem Land communities have threatened a revolt against the Federal Government’s Stronger Futures laws
Nuclear waste returning to Australia as contracted will join the much larger amount already stored at Lucas Heights, in a new waste facility to be built. Sutherland Shire Mayor understandably angry, as the Shire was not consulted by ANSTO .
Queensland Premier says no plans for uranium mining, desite pressure from Mt Isa Mayor – cum – nuclear lobbyist Tony McGrady
Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland Liberal governments fighting tooth and nail against action on climate change, against the carbon tax, renewable energy initiatives, like the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. Victoria’s draconian laws stopping new wind power, while more favourable laws promote coal projects. Still new wind energy projects are starting up in NSW and S.A., and decentralised solar power racing ahead in all States.
Australian Aborigines could run their own solar energy projects – better than being uranium miners
Amidst the brouhaha of the ABC’s weird documentary on beliefs about climate change, I thought of reviving my Flat Earth project. The ABC would surely give me equal time.
But, more interesting – the Uranium Association’s pitch to give jobs to Aborigines. When I think about Aboriginal culture – how they belong to the land, their historic role of looking after the land, water, plants and animals, I can’t see uranium mining as being in any way a satisfying job , in such a culture.
I was struck by the comparison with what is happening in USA, where the government has awarded $6.5 million to spur renewable energy development on tribal lands. The lands will not be destroyed, as they are with uranium mining. The work will not be dirty and cancer-causing. the Navajo will not be solely employees, but will own the business. The projects will be set up on arid, or semi arid land.
Now why can’t Australia do the same kind of positive thing for its Aboriginal people, rather than leave them to function as servants and part of the spin of the dirty, dangerous, uranium/nuclear industry?
BHP and Lynas – BIG is not necessarily beautiful or commercially successful
Australia’s a great place for the myth of BIG. Apart from its odd icons like The Big Banana, Big Pineapple, Big Cow – for kids to gawk at, – Australia also boasts BIG mining/processing plans for adults to gawk at.
So – we have the prospect of – The Biggest Man-Made Hole on the planet – BHP Billiton’s new open cut Olympic Damn uranium mine. And the prospect of the Biggest Rare Earths Processing Plant on the planet – Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP) - being placed in Malaysia, but by an Australian company.
Or do we have those prospects? There’s some doubt that the new Olympic Dam will be commercially viable, or will even get the go ahead from the BHP Board. There’s some doubt that LAMP will go ahead, in its present planned form, as Malaysia might insist on a proper plan for long term disposal of its radioactive wastes
Wrap up of the week’s Australian nuclear news
Olympic Dam uranium mine expansion. Justice Besanko will hand down his ruling this Friday 20th April on legal challenge against Federal Environment Minister’s approval for this. Meanwhile, also on 20th April, a Supreme Court first directions hearing of challenge against the South Australian govt’s approval.
Radiation incident, NSW: New South Wales Pacific Highway road workers’ mysterious illness. Affected by DDT or radiation from a 1980 radioactive transport spill? Inquiry to be held.
Northern Territory govt to allow uranium exploration in water catchment area for planned new dam.
Carbon tax compensation to start in May. Clean Energy Finance Corporation ready to go, and Tony Abbott, no matter how much twisting and turning he does, won’t be able to stop it. Review by expert panel gives the CEFC a good rap.
Federal Politics. Australian Greens. Sudden and gracious resignation of Greens leader Bob Brown. Christine Milne takes over, with a plan for working with rural and regional Australia for sustainable energy. Council of Australian Governments being pressured by BHP and others, especially the South Australian Government, to remove Federal Government environmental jurisdiction over projects. (E.g – it would be so much nicer for Olympic Dam expansion to not have to worry about what the rest of Australia thinks about its water use, or radioactive dust clouds).
Western Australia’s big solar farm due to be operational within months.
Uranium miners ERA and Paladin put on a bold face, but their debts and share price decline tells a different story. Ranger uranium mine may well close down.
Wrap up of the week’s Australian nuclear news
Renewables. I know that they are not strictly a nuclear topic – but what can I do? There’s just a whole lot more happening there, than in the tired out nuclear stillbirth. In Queensland. Scouller Energy, is pressing ahead with a plan to build a10-megawatt solar plant near Normanton – even as the Queensland government withdraws support for solar . In Western Australia, Horizon Power comes up with a solar feed-in tariff that will reward remote communities according to the costs saved in transmission of electricity over distance. Energy efficiency gets a boost with Sydney‘s plan for cogeneration and on-site production of electricity
Future Fund. New Chairman David Gonski confronted with the facts on its investment in nuclear weapons, while Australia proclaims its nuclear non proliferation stand. Rising public condemnation of this hypocrisy.
Court case. Uncle Kevin Buzzacott’s legal action against the planned new huge Olympic Dam uranium mine. The judge is considering the mass of doumentary evidence, and has deferred his judgment. I is not all going BPH Billiton’s way. Among other considerations, there was much debate about BHP’s planned use of water resources.
Climate change. While new scientific evidence confirms human caused climate change, Australia’s monopoly media is shown to have given an inordinate amount of coverage to the climate denialist point of view, – in a forensic study by Wendy Bacon, of 6 months of news coverage of the Gillard government’s carbon tax plan.
Japan and Germany could bring the death blow to the nuclear industry
Australia’s geographic isolation probably combines with its Murdoch media monopoly to keep Australians pretty much ignorant of what’s going on in the world.
This website tries to focus on Australian news. But we do need to give the odd glance to international developments.
While the Australian media gives coverage to glowing praise of uranium investing, and even of a nuclear future for Australia – there’s a lack of information on big trends overseas.
JAPAN. What’s going on there now is critical for the nuclear industry. With the one remaining nuclear reactor soon to shut down, the Japanese government is urgently wanting to restart others. Why? Because it could be shown that Japan can manage without nuclear power.
GERMANY. What’s going on there now is critical for the nuclear industry. Renewable energy, solar, wind, biomass is proving to be successful, and Germany’s economy is doing well, with thousands of jobs provided. It’s showing that nuclear power is not necessary.
If these 2 highly developed industrialised nations can do without nuclear power – then worldwide precedents are set – and this could be the final death blow for the global nuclear industry.
Roundup of the week’s Australian nuclear news
Legal cases. Against Olympic Dam. Aboriginal elder Kevin Buzzacott continuing his Davis and Goliath case against BHP Billiton, on the environmental impact of the planned new big Olympic Dam uranium mine. Planned Muckaty nuclear waste dump. Federal government is likely to proceed with this, even if the Aborignal landowners win their court action against it. All in the long established tradition of racism in Australian nuclear/uranium matters. But the Aboriginal legal challenge will continue.
Renewable energy. As July 1st approaches, fossil fuel companies, and their State Liberal government friends are redoubling their attacks on the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, and on wind energy. With the falling costs of photovolcaic solar energy, renewable energy is starting to look too good for comfort, and could change the public’s view of the Gillard government.
Queensland. The election here has given the fossil fuel industries pretty much open slather, and especially pleasing to them, nuclear industry included, is the way that the new Premier is taking the axe to climate change action, and to renewable energy projects. The Solar Dawn thermal energy project is the most significant of many to be facing the chop.
Uranium exploration in New South Wales. The NSW Upper House passed this bill – 20 votes to 18. The Bill is quite draconian – it extinguishes the need for consent from a Land Council in the case of uranium projects- and excludes uranium from provisions of the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983
USA military stations in Australia. The first of 2500 U.S. marines arrive in Darwin. It is likely that they will be exempt rom Australian criminal law. USA drones and more USA nuclear submarines. This is concerning security analysts, such as Hugh White, as Australia aligns itself with USA militarisation of the region, against our most important trading partner, China.
Lynas rare earths company. The sag continues, with Malaysia currently insisting that Australia agrees to the return of its radioactive wastes to Australia. The Australian government is lying doggo on this question
Future Fund: push to stop Australia’s Future Fund investing in the production of nuclear weapons.
Fear and loathing of renewable energy, on the part of BHP, Rio Tinto etc, and South Australia’s Liberal Party
2 April 12, Miners attack Clean Energy Finance Corporation . South Australian Liberals raise hindrances to wind energy development
You can understand it. On the one hand, a corporation’s sole purpose is to make money for its shareholders, especially in the short term. For the Liberal Party, the goal is to please its main backers.
With July 1st looming closer,there is a danger that the Gillard government’s carbon tax, complete with its compensations, will be a success. Worse still – its renewable energy provisions might take off, and become very successful – as renewable energy has become elsewhere led by Germany.
We can’t have that!. So, A coalition of nine mining groups, including BHP and Rio Tinto, demands that Labor’s $10bn Clean Energy Finance Corporation and renewable energy target be ‘reconsidered’ (reported in THE AUSTRALIAN today)
Meanwhile in South Australia, a Parliamentary Inquiry, pushed for by Liberal Opposition frontbencher David Ridgway , will study the distress and discomfort caused by wind turbines, to nearby communities.
I find it quite amazing that the Liberal Party enthuses not only over uranium mining, but over the possibility of nuclear power plants and radioactive waste importation – the cancer-causing hazards of the nuclear industry don’t seem to bother them.
Well. not nearly as much as the risk of renewable energy being an economic success. - Christina Macpherson
The week that was
Australia:
Muckaty nuclear waste dump: Aboriginal landowners legal case against it will continue. The Federal Court in Melbourne ruled that that it can, and that previously secret documents can be made public. Medical experts reiterate that this dump is not needed for nuclear medicine. Meanwhile South Australians are becoming concerned at plans to transport the radioactive wastes through their State. Renmark may make their area a nuclear free zone.
Julia Gillard at Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul. Australia’s claims of promoting nuclear security and non proliferation sound hollow, as Australia will flout the Non Proliferation Treaty by selling uranium to India, as well as being a major provider of uranium to a number of nuclear weapons states anyway. On the sidelines of the Summit, Julia discussed USA-Australia co-operation with Obama. Plans for Australia to host USA spy drone aircraft, and to host an increased number of USA nuclear attack submarines at Garden Island in Perth.
North Korea does remain a worry for the world, and its next missile launch is for the first time, expected to impact an area roughly between Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines,
Earthquakes in South Australia. A worrying series of earthquakes, the latest 3.9 magnitude at 10 km from Olympic Dam uranium mine, and all happening in areas of uranium ore and potential for mining.
Renewable energy: The Southern Cross Renewable Energy Fund will form part of the government’s $3.2 billion Australian Renewable Energy Agency when it starts on 1 July 2012. Exciting opening for Australian renewable energy businesses. Eco Whisper turbine, the world’s quietest 20kW wind turbine, is being installed and will be connected to the grid near Tullamarine in Melbourne. All not a moment too soon, with utility companies gearing up to fight, as Germany’s success in renewable energy becoming a clear example.
Victoria and NSW. The natives are getting restless about the two governments’ anti wind power regulations – Ballarat and Lake Macquarie pushing for solar and wind energy.
Xstrata in Queensland wins Land Court case over environmental objections by Friends of the Earth.to go ahead with gigantic coal mine north of Toowomba. A worrying precedent, as Xstrata merges with environmental vandal Glencore.
Uranium exploration in NSW: thousands petition against this, and environment groups call for an independent public review on uranium mining in NSW.
Bullying at Australian Nuclear and Scientific Organisation (ANSTO): a third employee takes legal action against ANSTO.
Australians’ ‘moral duty’ to dump nuclear wastes on Aboriginal land – Ferguson
If you read, or listen to, this ABC TV story, it gives an insight into the question of storing radioactive wastes. Medical experts explain the management of the short-lived medical radioactive wastes. A radiology expert explains that the major waste problem is the nuclear wastes generated by the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor.
The point of view of the Aboriginal landowners is shown.
Martin Ferguson continues to claim that the purpose of the Muckaty dump is to store ‘medical wastes” - ” — “It is a 
moral issue. If you want access to nuclear medicine then take on the responsibility of storing your waste.”
So Ferguson is more or less telling Australians that -” no Muckaty waste dump, no nuclear medicine for you”. Apparently it is also our ’moral duty’ to impose these wastes on Aboriginal people, whether they like it or not. Of course, we can always bribe them by providing the living standard facilities that the rest of us get, anyway, without having to host a nuclear waste dump.
National radioactive waste dump faces resistance Australian Broadcasting Corporation Broadcast: 21/03/2012 Reporter: Rebecca Baillie http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2012/s3460703.htm
Wrap up of the week’s antinuclear news – Australia
Please Donate: help produce a remarkable new documentary. For the first time ever, Antinuclear Australia asks you to help fund something – a mind blowing new documentary film. by Frontline Films, by award winning film-maker, David Bradbury.
Radioactive waste dump. Aborigines legal battle continues, against nuclear waste dumping at Muckaty Station. Public Health Association of Australia says it is not needed for medical wastes. Liberal M.P. Andrew Thomson wants Australia to import and store radioactive debris from Japan.
Liberal and Labor parties getting indistinguishable from each other. They voted together for the waste dump. They voted together to support Australia buying USA nuclear submarines – and then they voted together again to reverse that vote! Liberal Party praising Bob Carr for his being pro nuclear. It’s a mutual admiration political society. They also agreed on the importance of the Nuclear non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) - but both still happy to sell uranium to India (a non signatory to the NPT) Victoria. With the rhineros hide of a man “born to rule”, Premier Baillieu ignores the economic and job prospects of renewable energy for Victoria, and prevents new wind projects, while forging ahead with dirty brown coal.
Lynas - Australian rare earths corporation still much in the news, and getting more so, as it is an election issue in Malaysia. And did they agree to return radioactive wastes to Australia?
ANSTO – in the poo for having bullied their employees, in order to shut them up about radiation and health concerns.
Wrap up of the week’s nuclear news
Radioactive wastes Liberals and Labor unite in the Senate to rush through the National Radioactive Waste Management Bill. However, the Greens managed to get included an important amendment against international wastes being included. Opposition to this legislation continues. Aboriginal landowners continue their legal fight against the Muckaty nuclear waste dump plan.
Fukushima anniversary: Australians in all States and Territories held anti nuclear, anti uranium rallies on 11th March, anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear catastrophe.
Bob Carr: Surprise surprise. Bob Carr, parachuted into the Senate, NOT ELECTED, comes out as a mover and shaker for nuclear power.
Victoria’s Baillieu government: Victoria’s Liberal government.s’ disconnect with voters. Opinion poll shows Victoria;’s Baillieu government’s laws on climate change, are opposite to the wishes of most voters. Stawell Climate Action Group calls on the area’s National Party M.P. to back Clean Energy Finance Corporation and solar power.
New South Wales Premier O’Farrell delighted with Sydney as host for Clean Energy Finance Corporation, even though Abbott ‘s Liberal opposition is opposed to this climate action initiative.
Lynas rare earths problem, as legal hearing continues. Where to send its radioactive wastes? to Australia?
BHP Billiton’s OLympic Dam new mega uranium mine far from being a done deal, but BHP planning a grandiose tower in Adelaide to celebrate it.
Solar rebates: The federal government suddenly shuts down the solar hot water rebate (Renewable Energy Bonus Scheme) – damaging the emerging solar industry, with the loss of thousands of jobs.
This month
For international news, go to nuclear-news ion for Western Australia’s energy future
http://ifyoulovethisplanet.org/?p=5755 Mary Olson on how women are more vulnerable to atomic radiation
- Muckaty Gathering 25 May 2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1J9q-OeEO4 - NuclearKop http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpMhhzkeYjk
Anti nuclear action below: - more info at Action Australia « Antinuclear and at Event details « Antinuclear
- http://www.communityrun.org/petitions/put-the-brakes-on-toxic-trucks-no-nuclear-waste-at-muckaty
- Online Petition - against the proposed national radioactive waste dump at Muckaty Station in the Northern Territory http://www.gopetition.com.au/petitions/no-nuclear-waste-dump-at-muckaty.htmlUranium Free WA Sign the online charter saying no to uranium mining in Western Australia http://ccwa.org.au/takeaction/uraniumnotforsaleSIGN THE PETITION TO STOP LYNAS RARE EARTH EXPORTS TO MALAYSIA http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/ban-rare-earth-exports/
EVENTS
- May 29 – Melbourne - Amnesty International panel on weapons and war .
- May 29 – 30 Melbourne - Wind Farms conference
- May 30 Darwin - expert Panel on Nuclear Waste Dump plan for Muckaty
- June 2 - Nuclear Abolition Day
- June 13 - Melbourne -Lizards Revenge -Shut Roxby Down
- June 14 Melbourne Beyond Zero Emissions ZCA 2020 plan.
- June 19 - Melbourne Public meeting US FORCES IN AUSTRALIA: SECURITY OR THREAT? USforcesflyer-2.pdf
The Nuclear/uranium industry and WOMEN - theme for May 2012
Deceptive information given to women about breast cancer. Women are repeatedly told about “genetic causes”, about “risks of obesity:. about “diet factors”, about “not having babies”, or “having a baby at a later age” even about “stress” – as causes of breast cancer. The not so subtle message is that it is THEIR FAULT – a problem caused by the individual woman, so – the only preventive actions must be those made by individual women.
The facts are otherwise. The single most proven cause of breast cancer is ionising radiation. After that, other environmental causes exist, amongst the wash of chemicals, and synthetic hormones, that pervade our environment. After that – probably some hereditary susceptability, amongst some women.
Why is this so? One could conclude that breast cancer is a growth industry. There’s money at every point in this sorry cycle – from the radiation from nuclear fuel through to the medical radiation used to detect and treat breast cancer. There is no money clearly involved in shutting down a toxic industry, and preventing millions of breast cancers.
How does ionising radiation cause breast cancer? Ionising radiation comes in several forms. for example, Gamma rays, x-rays, and some sub-atomic particles such as alpha particles and protons In ionising radiation, a tiny electron is released from an atom, and enters a body cell, hitting the DNA in the cell’s nucleus, and damaging it. The damaged DNA sends out ‘wrong’ messages telling the cell to divide in an uncontrolled manner – cancer develops.
“...the time between radiation exposure and breast cancer development is longest in young women and shortest for older women; young children do not show a detectable elevation in breast cancer occurrence for some 35 to 40 years after exposure. Radiation-induced breast cancers appear to occur later in life during the same ages when breast cancer rates, in general, begin to increase. It appears that a single exposure of sufficient dose during early life can increase breast cancer risk even 50 years later...
the relationship between radiation dose and breast cancer risk can be described by a straight line which implies that no matter how low the dose, there is some small risk associated with the exposure.…
The risk of subsequent breast cancer from very high doses is lower than that which might be expected from the effects of lower doses. This is because radiation at high doses is an effective killer of cells and dead cells are not able to develop into cancer…..
Young girls are at highest risk …when a young girl is exposed to radiation, she will have menstrual cycles for several decades that might enhance the development of any underlying damage caused by the radiation. There is evidence to suggest that exposure to the immature breast during early development, and around the age of beginning menstruation, carries a higher risk than at other times of a woman’s life.
It is unclear how radiation exposure of the breast during pregnancy affects a woman’s breast cancer risk. However, a recent study of women treated for Hodgkin’s disease concluded that pregnancy might be a time of increased sensitivity of breast tissue to the cancercausing effects of radiation……”
.” John D Boyce, Jr, DSc, Scientific Director,Program on Breast Cancer and Environmental Risk Factors in New York State.. Ionizing Radiation and Breast Cancer Risk
