Thousands rally against Malaysian rare earths plant
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said his alliance would seek an emergency motion in Parliament to urge the government to cancel the project. He also pledged the opposition would scrap the plant if it wins national polls expected by June.
Malaysia’s last rare earth refinery by Japan’s Mitsubishi group, in northern Perak state, was closed in 1992 following protests and claims that it caused birth defects and leukemia among residents. It is one of Asia’s largest radioactive waste cleanup sites.
3,000 Malaysians rally against Australian-built rare earth plant amid radiation fears Washington Post, By Associated Press, February 25 KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Some 3,000 Malaysians staged a protest Sunday against a rare earth refinery being built by Australian miner Lynas over fears of radioactive contamination.
It marked the largest rally against the $230 million plant in eastern Malaysia, and could pose a headache to the government ahead of national elections widely expected this year. Authorities recently granted Lynas a license to operate the first rare earths plant outside China in years. The plant in Pahang state has been the subject of heated protests over health and environmental risks posed by potential leaks of radioactive waste….. Continue reading
Continued high level radiation – uninhabitable- near Fukushima
Radiation still high around Fukushima No. 1 http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120226a5.html Japan Times, , Feb. 26, 2012, Kyodo High levels of radiation, including a rate of 470 millisieverts per year at one location, have been detected in municipalities near the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, according to an interim Environment Ministry report. A survey conducted from Nov. 7 to Jan. 16 showed that the readings topped 50 millisieverts on an annual basis — a level deemed uninhabitable under a proposed new classification — in many spots north-northwest of the crippled power station. Continue reading
Climate change bringing earthquakes, tsunamis
Climate change may stir geological mayhem http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/culturelab/2012/02/climate-change-may-stir-geological-mayhem.html New Scientist, 23 February 2012 Fred Pearce, consultant In Waking the Giant: How a changing climate triggers earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes, geologist Bill McGuire warns we may be waking primordial monsters
IN 2006, London geologist Bill McGuire argued in New Scientist that global warming would trigger epidemics of volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and tsunamis. Now he’s written the book. The story is even scarier writ large….. There is now abundant evidence that catastrophic outbursts of geological activity accompanied past periods
of rapid climate change, for instance, when we shifted in and out of ice ages. The stresses and strains of rising and falling sea levels and the creation and loss of ice sheets triggered these outbursts. Climate change, he says, may already be shaking up the Earth anew. Continue reading
Ted Baillieu is costing Victoria’s economy, with wind energy losses
Another wind farm falls to Vic laws, Yes! to Renewables February 27, 2012 by Ben Courtice, Synergy Wind’s wind farm that was proposed for Devon North, near Yarram in South Gippsland, has had an extension of its planning approval rejected by the Wellington Shire Council. This is the first wind farm to fall due to the requirement to renew or extend planning approvals under the new laws, and unfortunately there may be more to come quite soon.
We will track these setbacks as they occur, and will soon update our assessment of just how much the 2011 anti-wind policy is costing Victoria in jobs and investment dollars….. http://yes2renewables.org/2012/02/27/another-wind-farm-falls-to-vic-laws/
Western Australian uranium companies investing in the economic black hole of Namibia
February 27, 2012, Today’s AUSTRALIAN newspaper carries one of their glowing pro uranium articles, entitled Namibia is the new uranium hot spot. It all sounds as if Australia’s uranium companies are onto a fine thing, snapping up bargains, out to make a mint! But then – if you read the lines between the lines, well – no. It looks more as if Western Australians might be a bit stupid . Are they really putting their money into these financial black holes?
“….Aust ralian companies have been disproportionately drawn to Namibia, in the southwestern corner of Africa, due to the large amounts of uranium sitting under those sands…..
recently, Perth’s Paladin Energy commissioned the Langer Heinrich uranium mine, while exploration plays such as Extract Resources, Deep Yellow and Bannerman Resources have all found their way from Western Australia to Namibia…..
The Fukushima nuclear meltdown prompted a fall in the uranium price and a massive sell-off of uranium equities, leaving most stocks in the sector trading at a fraction of their previous levels….many of the new uranium mines slated for development in the near term have been shelved as a result of the post-Fukushima uranium price fall….. Not only are new mines not being built, but existing mines are struggling to keep their heads above water.
“If you look across the world, I don’t see any uranium mines — other than maybe one or two — that have the significant profitability you’re seeing in other commodities,” Jubber says.
“The current uranium price is just not sustainable.”….. Not only are new mines not being built, but existing mines are struggling to keep their heads above water.
Mining corporations in Nigeria can get away with abuse of environment
You wonder why Australian uranium companies, like the French, rush to set up operations in Africa? This could be the explanation.
Nigerians ‘too poor to sue over corporate abuse’, News 24 2012-02-22 Geneva – Victims of environmental disasters or other abuses inflicted by corporations in Nigeria are being denied justice as they are too poor or do not know how to seek legal recourse, jurists said on Wednesday.
“Poor rural victims of corporate human rights abuse are usually unaware of their legal rights and don’t have the financial resources to file court process, gather information and evidence, and afford legal services,” said Carlos Lopez, the International Commission of Jurists’ senior legal advisor in a report. Continue reading
Rallying opposition to Lynas rare earths plant in Malaysia
the cost of decommissioning the plant 60 years later would be five times the cost of building it.
Lynas ‘devil’ waiting at every doorstep, Free Malaysia Today, Stephanie Sta Maria, February 22, 2012 “…..At a press conference organised ahead of Himpunan Hijau 2.0, the nationwide anti-Lynas rally this Sunday, the groups said that the severe repercussions of the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP) has made it a national issue. Continue reading
Uranium industry – 0.3% of Australia’s export revenue, 0.02% of jobs – we don’t need it!
Natalie Wasley, who was the rally MC, said the industry is in no way an economic benefit to the country. She said the uranium industry accounts for a slim 0.3% of Australia’s export revenue and a super-slim 0.02% of Australian jobs.
Snap rally condemns O’Farrell’s nuclear backflip, Green Left, February 25, 2012 By Josie Evans, Sydney A snap rally was held outside NSW parliament house on February 22 to protest a bill proposed by Premier Barry O’Farrell to lift the 26-year moratorium on uranium exploration in NSW. The Nature Conservation Council and Beyond Nuclear Initiative organised the rally. Continue reading
Nuclear subs for Australia – a multi-billion dollar dead-end
Senator Scott Ludlam, 22 Feb 12, The Greens today vowed to oppose any future move to purchase nuclear submarines for the Australian navy. Senator Scott Ludlam said the Greens welcomed Labor’s opposition to purchasing nuclear submarines but were alarmed by the Coalition’s reported plan to ‘consider the nuclear option’.
“Coalition figures have reportedly said Tony Abbott will consider purchasing nuclear submarines if in government. This idea is defective on every point. “We do not have a nuclear industry to support a nuclear submarine fleet, and nor should we. As such the subs would have to be maintained at aUSbase in the Pacific or aUSnuclear submarine base would need to be established in Australia.
“The giant Virginia Class nuclear submarine costs roughly $2.5 billion. We’ve just had the Gonski report recommend an additional five billion dollars for the nation’s schools. The Coalition has rejected the Gonski recommendations, but apparently would be content to blow that amount of money on two nuclear submarines.”
Senator Ludlam said the purchase of nuclear submarines would likely exacerbate any tensions in the Asia-Pacific region and do more damage than good to Australia’s security.
Dick Smith shows up a likely nuclear power scam
“I predict that Mr Rossi will delay and delay in producing machines or in getting a proper scientific test done, while behind the scenes more and more people will be investing. “
Dick Smith: “Rossi E-CAT … too fantastic to be true” Forbes, Mark Gibbs, 24 Feb 12, Recently Australian entrepreneur Dick Smith offerred Andrea Rossi $1,000,000 if he could prove that Rossi’s Energy Catalyzer (E-Cat) cold fusion (or Low Energy Nuclear Reaction) system actually works as claimed. Rossi immediately turned down the challenge. Continue reading
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 