Antinuclear

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.

May 18, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina reviews