A Yeah! Boo! day for Australia on carbon tax and Olympic Dam uranium mine
Carbon tax: it is a good day for Australia. At last Australia is to have some international credibility on climate change action. Australian business can now have certainty on carbon price plans. The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) now gives renewable energy companies the opportunity to develop. Australia’s renewable energy can now attract investment, as prices for solar and wind technologies are becoming cheaper.
Tony Abbott’s pledge to repeal this legislation sounds pretty hollow. When and if Abbott has a go at repealing it – say in 3 -5 years – is he also going to take back all the compensation measures? There will be a lot of unhappy pensioners and low income earners, medium income earners and businesses, too, when Abbott tries to do this.
Olympic Dam uranium mine. It’s a sorry story of hypocrisy. South Australia’s Liberal party leader mouthed a few pious statement about the proposed new Roxby Downs Indenture Bill – Liberals seemed to have a few problems with it. That was then. This is now. The Liberals agreed to the Bill “without amendment or delay”.
Still, the Olympic Dam story is not over. BHP Billiton to decide on it in 2012. It is all a very expensive gamble on supposed profits to take place well over 20 years hence. Many a slip between even copper prices and future profitability. And as for uranium – well, as the Globe and Mail puts it (below) there’s “continuing upheaval in the nuclear industry” When nuclear lobbyists talk about the “glowing future” for uranium, it sounds more and more like some sort of desperate religious faith. – Christina Macpherson
Liberals kow tow to BHP ‘s poor deal for South Australia in Roxby Downs Indenture Bill
Roxby Spin vs Reality as Libs Roll-over:
1) EPA not fully independent
2) No guarantee of extra processing on site
Greens Leader Mark Parnell has accused the Liberals of ducking responsibility over the Roxby approval Bill, as more details emerge that undermine confidence in the deal signed between the Government and BHP Billiton. “The Liberals claim they could have got a better deal. Well, they still can,” said Greens Parliamentary Leader Mark Parnell.
“It is not too late for the Parliament of South Australia to insist on a much better deal for our State. We can and should amend the legislation to ratify the Roxby expansion currently before Parliament. “To roll over and pass the Roxby Indenture Bill unchanged will miss a once in a generation opportunity to get this right,” he said.
The call comes as more gaps emerge in the Government’s claims over the Roxby expansion. “The Government claims the EPA will be fully independent. Yet with this Indenture the EPA will still be operating with one hand tied behind its back,” said Mr Parnell.
“Also the Government has talked up the potential to double processing on site at Roxby Downs to 350,000 tonnes of refined copper. Yet this is not a condition in the approval and there is nothing to stop BHP Billiton ignoring that commitment in the future and export all the ore from the expansion and jobs to China. “And this is on top of locking in a ridiculously low royalty rate for the next 45 years.
“The closer we look, the more concerned we are at the very poor deal the State Government has signed on behalf of all South Australians,” he said.
Australia’s carbon tax becomes law
Finally, carbon tax becomes law, The Labor government has finally got its carbon price plan through the Senate — on a vote of 36 to 32. The Age, Michelle Grattan November 8, 2011
The carbon price begins with a tax, starting next July and will move later to a trading scheme. The issue has dogged Labor, contributing to Kevin Rudd’s fall from the leadership, after he backed off on his emission trading scheme, delaying it when he could not get it through the Senate.
‘‘The Gillard government has today secured a clean energy future for all Australians,’’ Ms Gillard said.
Senator Brown said it was ‘‘a green-letter day that will echo down the ages’’. He said the debate on the legislation was over. ‘‘There will be no rescission of this legislation,’’ he said. Mr Abbott has promised he will scrap the legislation.
Finance Minister Penny Wong told Parliament: ‘‘Today we deliver. This is a reform for our children. Today marks the beginning of Australia’s clean future’’. Later she said the issue had been ‘‘a reminder of how hard reform can be’’ and thanked those who had campaigned through difficult times… : http://www.smh.com.au/environment/finally-carbon-tax-becomes-law-20111108-1n4rq.html#ixzz1dAdTELxy
Surprise, surprise, Liberal Party backs BHP’s massive new uranium mine
Opposition to back Olympic Dam mine expansion bill ABC News 8 Nov The Olympic Dam mine expansion legislation is almost certain to pass the South Australian Parliament before Christmas after winning the Opposition’s backing. The SA Liberal Party has met and decided to support the legislation for BHP Billiton to turn Olympic Dam near Roxby Downs into the world’s biggest open cut copper, gold and uranium mine.
The Opposition has decided it will allow the legislation to pass without amendment or delay. Liberal leader Isobel Redmond says her party’s support for the bill will give BHP Billiton certainty.
“There are things that maybe could have been better for the state but with the economic circumstances, with the massive debt, we felt that economically we could not afford for this project not to go ahead,” she said…..
The Minister says there is an option for Parliament to sit an extra week if needed to get the bill through.
SA Greens leader Mark Parnell says it is no surprise the Liberals have given the legislation their support. He says the Greens will ensure the tough questions are asked. “What we have to remember is that it is the biggest industrial project in South Australian history,” he said. “It’s going to be the biggest hole in the ground on the face of the planet and I think the people of South Australia expect their members of parliament to give this project very thorough scrutiny.”
BHP Billiton is to make a final decision on the multi-billion-dollar expansion early next year…http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-08/liberals-olympic-dam-legislation-mine/3651486/?site=newcastle
Northern Territory’s new mining law might put the brakes on uranium push
New Territory mining legislation comes into force, ABC News, By Tom Nightingale, November 07, 2011 The mining industry says exploration companies will be the most affected by new Northern Territory legislation that takes effect today.
The Minerals Titles Act aims to increase transparency about the environmental impacts of mining, by increasing obligations about what needs to be reported.The Minerals Council says it agrees with the changes in principle, but is mindful of the potential for excessive red tape….http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-07/20111107-mininig-legislation/3650374
60% profit drop, shares fall, as Cameco uranium company affected by global nuclear slump
Cameco reduces production forecast, Globe and Mail, BRENDA BOUW — MINING REPORTER, VANCOUVER, Nov. 07, 2011 Uranium giant Cameco Corp. lowered its annual production forecast and reported third-quarter financial results below expectations amid continuing upheaval in the nuclear power industry.
Saskatoon-based Cameco, in a bidding war with Rio Tinto PLC for Hathor Exploration Ltd. during the current uranium price slump, cited “unfavourable market conditions” for the earnings underperformance…..
Production of uranium used to fuel nuclear power plants fell 5 per cent to 5.3 million pounds in the quarter, and for the year it is expected to drop 1 per cent to 21.7 million pounds, Cameco said. It also lowered guidance for UF6, a compound used to make enriched uranium, by 6 per cent….
profit fell 60 per cent…… Cameco shares closed down 6.5 per cent to $20.35 on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Monday, a sign investors are worried that Cameco will continue to suffer from volatility in the sector following the Japanese nuclear disaster.
“We expect the current uncertainly in the uranium market to linger for the near to medium term,” Mr. Gitzel warned.
Driving industry concerns are forecasts for excess uranium inventories in Japan and Germany, which represent 12 and 5 per cent of global nuclear generating capacity, respectively. Germany is phasing out its nuclear program, and Japan is operating only 11 of its 54 reactors since a tsunami and earthquake destroyed its Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant this past March…..
China, too, is slowing its rapid nuclear power expansion plans as it takes extra measures to ensure its facilities are safe….
Young Australians can rejoice as government takes action on climate change
Red-letter day in fight against warming, SMH, Sarah Hanson Young, November 8, 2011 Today will be a great day for Australians who have waited years for their government to take our warming planet seriously. After years of talk and a few backward steps, the Senate will pass a suite of legislation that will put a price on pollution from July next year.
Australians — who in 2007 and 2010 voted for politicians to back widespread community support for taking action — will be able to finally say that most of their elected representatives listened and acted.
Their Parliament has taken action in response to hundreds of thousands of people, especially younger Australians, who sent letters, danced in flash mobs, signed petitions or attended rallies in cities and towns across the country urging that we heed the warnings of climate scientists.
As I told the Senate last week in my speech on the historic bills, it is an honour to be a senator at the time the federal parliament is finally taking this historic reformist step in the defence of our biosphere and all the creatures living within it…..
: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/blogs/gengreens/redletter-day-in-fight-against-warming-20111107-1n3hk.html#ixzz1dA6K6EZE
Small scale solar energy farms the obvious choice for rural Western Australia
Sun to rise on solar farms, ABC Rural News, By Jo Prendergast , 08/11/2011 The increasing cost-effectiveness of solar energy could see more solar power plants established in regional Australia. The nation’s first utility-scale solar farm is under construction near Geraldton in Western Australia.
Rob Bartrop, from developer First Solar, says decreasing set-up costs mean solar has become competitive with other renewable forms of energy. “A lot of smaller communities throughout Western Australia and indeed Australia rely on diesel generation, which aside from being a very high emitter of greenhouse gases is roughly twice as expensive as solar electricity today,” he said.
“So we see that small scale solar farm market as really the low hanging fruit and the obvious choice.” http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/201111/s3359039.htm
Nuclear industry worried it might not get loan guarantees
The nuclear lobby rejoiced when the solar company Solyndra went bankrupt. You see, Solyndra had received a nuclear loan guarantee from the U.S. government. As the nuclear lobby righteously said – the conditions for that loan were not strict enough – the government should not have provided Solyndra with the money. The trouble is – the conditions for the nuclear loans are not strict enough either. So the whole Solyundra solar power failure was a matter for nuclear rejoicing – but it’s now backfiring on them! – Christina Macpherson 
As former U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission member Peter Bradford told Technology Review’s Peter Fairley: “The Republican rhetoric is every bit as applicable to nuclear loan guarantees as it is to poor old Solyndra.”As conservative broadcast outlets make hay of taxpayer loan guarantees to the failed solar module manufacturer Solyndra, more guarantees to the nuclear industry are awaiting approval.
Points made as vociferous politicians and others decry green energy loan guarantees will apply to the nuclear industry, and that makes some people very nervous about almost identical — and much, much bigger — loan guarantees made and pending for new nuke plant construction. Continue reading
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 