Don’t let Australian govt override Northern Territory laws
“In Canberra they’ve changed that constitutional requirement to [mean] the executive or the minister can override Territory laws,” Greens leader Bob Brown said.”We want to put it back to what the constitution says – that the whole of Parliament’s required – because that gives the Territory the backstop of the Senate.”….
Greens want brakes on overriding NT laws – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), Aug 4, 2010 Darwin. The Greens say if they win the balance of power in the Senate they will try to pressure the Federal Government to change the law so Commonwealth ministers cannot override Northern Territory law. Continue reading
BHP, Rio – relatively small employers, with big political influence
For such an economically important industry, mining is a relatively small employer (the Australian Bureau of Statistics does not rank it in the top 10 industries by employment)….The mining industry, however, is streets ahead in being able to exercise political influence.
Follow the miners in lobbying , Mike Riddiford, The Australian, August 04, 2010“……..Between them, companies such as BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and Xstrata turn over more than $100 billion a year. This enables them to mobilise huge resources to protect their interests. Continue reading
Wildfire endangers Russia’s secret nuclear plant
firefighting planes and 20 trucks are helping to keep flames out of Sarov, the location of the country’s top-secret nuclear research facility and a city closed to foreigners…
Russian Wildfire Threatens Nuclear Facility, Voice of America, James Brooke | Moscow, 5 Aug 2010, As record hot temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius continue to bake Russia, wildfires threaten the nation’s nuclear-weapons laboratory and other military facilities. Continue reading
Australia’s wave energy at Perth, Port Fairy, Port Kembla, San Remo, Moreton Bay
While Australia is home to world-class wave energy resources, there are no commercial scale ocean energy projects at an advanced stage of development.
Ocean power – Australia rides the waves EcoGeneration, Rachel Purchase, 4 August 2010 Water covers over 70 per cent of the Earth, and Australia is particularly lucky to be surrounded by a lot of it. However, the ocean power available down under remains a largely unharnessed resource. Continue reading
Antinuclear 