Australia: nuclear wrap up of 2011

Christina Macpherson, 3 Jan 2012

For Australia’s ANTINUCLEAR movement, things have not been as bad as they might seem:

The National Radioactive Waste Bill has still not passed the Senate, despite Martin Ferguson pushing for this for over a year. The Aboriginal Traditional Owners, led by Dianne Stokes, have continued the fight to save their land from this waste dump. Their legal case continues, as these traditional owners challenge the Northern Land Council’s choice of one small group, the Ngapa people to “volunteer” their land for a nuclear waste dump.
BHP Billiton has not yet decided on the creation of their monster uranium hole at Olympic Dam. Yes it IS a new mine, not just an expansion of the existing mine.
Australia’s antinuclear activists have worked consistently, despite mainstream media generally ignoring their issues. Dr Helen Caldicott has lectured in USA, Asia, Europe. At home, Jim Green, Mia Pepper, Cat Beaton, – to just single out a few – continue to publicise issues.

Already, before the Fukushima nuclear catastrophe, uranium prices were steadily sliding down. In 2011, uranium prices continued to plummet, with no rise in sight for the coming year.
Uranium companies’ share prices plummeted. Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) shares fell by 82.1%, Cameco by 50%, Uranium One by 45%
China, the great white hope of the struggling uranium industry, decided to slow down its nuclear programme

On the other hand:

The South Australian Government legislated to place BHP BIlliton above the laws The Roxby Downs Indenture Act exempts BHP from over 20 South Australian laws, laws which apply to all other mining companies. BHP is exempted from the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1988, the Environmental Protection Act 1993, the Freedom of Information Act 1991, the Natural Resources Act 2004 (including water management issues), the Development Act 1993 and the Mining Act 1971
The Gillard government trampled on Australia’s reputation as a leader in Nuclear Non Proliferation by deciding to sell uranium to India, a non-signatory to the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty.
The Gillard government agreed to enhance USA’s military presence and missile warning systems in Australia
Perhaps worst of all, the Australian media, by and large, ignored all these issues. (but there were exceptions – the continued reporting from Japan, by ABC’s Mark Willacy, and the courageous video coverage by Channel 9 TV’s Liz Hayes – http://www.asianweek.com/2011/08/14/aussie-60-min-and-kaku-fukushima-and-chernobyl-radiation-in-all-of-us/

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