Antinuclear

The past week in nuclear news Australia

Climate Change news is very worrying, with latest research showing that the Arctic permafrost is thawing, and that this is likely to cause runaway releases of Co2, and irreversible global warming.

Uranium mining It has been a week of Annual General meetings for Australia’s uranium mining companies. Their announcements have been classic cases of ambivalence.  Paladin  uranium exploration company  is the latest  companies, to announce a freeze on exploration, stopping its plan to explore at Valhalla in Queensland.  Paladin’s losses, ERA’s losses – don’t sound good. But all the uranium company CEO’s faithfully repeat the mantra of the “long term fundamentals: being so good.

Senior independent researcher Claire Aitchison talked up the great future for the uranium industry, But she made a bit of a boo boo, warning that another disaster on the scale of Fukushima could have a significant impact on the nuclear industry.  The nuclear lobby all think such a thought, but you never should say it publicly!

Federal government and international politics.  Well, Australia looks likely to obediently sign up to the Trans Pacific Partenership (TPP) – an American initiative to promote USA corporate and military power in South East Asia.  Australia abstained from voting on a UN resolution on the dangers of depleted uranium. Julia Gillard, ever devoted to USA, was all for saying “No” to Palestine having  a seat at a United Nations forum.  To their credit, 10 Federal Ministers stood up for Palestine, and the result was that Australia abstained from voting.  A small step, but one that heartens me that we are not yet ready to become the 51st State of USA.

Western Australia    Rio Tinto and Paladin tried to scuttle Cameco’s uranium mining plans using their submissions to the Foreign Investment Review Board. As I write, Toro Energy is having  its AGM, with a spirited anti-nuclear presence there, in Perth. Anti uranium demonstrations will follow in Darwin, Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne.

Renewable energy – all sorts of ups and downs here, with the Victorian, NSW and Queensland State governments still impeding development. But  good news, too, as renewable energy continues to go ahead, especially with initiatives in rural areas – e.g Whyalla, Port Augusta and Broken Hill.

November 28, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina reviews