The nuclear week that was, in Australia
First of all, thank you to all those supportive people who have sent messages, following my legal threat from Ashurst. I am grateful to investigative journalist Michael West. His knowledge of the law, and his passion for freedom of speech have helped me, and others, to be more secure in stating what we think, and what we believe in. http://www.theage.com.au/business/antinuke-campaigner-braces-for-legal-blast-20121219-2bm74.html
- Politics: Michael Angwin, of the Australian Uranium Association, is leading the charge, lobbying to get rid of Australia’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act .
- Renewable Energy Target (RET) The government is standing firm on the RET, in spite of heavy pressure from the fossil fuel industries.This means that solar and wind energy still have that incentive needed to get these industries going strong in this country. But Bernie Fraser, former Governor of the Reserve Bank, warns that if Tony Abbott wins power, and is not able to get rid of the carbon tax, he will turn his attack on renewable energy, and close down the Climate Change Authority.
- The Coalition is now backing the anti wind energy Bill which Senators Nick Xenophon and John Madigan(DLP) are introducing in Parliament
- Julian Assange will start a Wikileaks political party in 2013, and stand for election to the Australian Senate.
The Lynas rare earths saga in Malaysia continues. There’s been a lot of propaganda saying that rare earths processing produces no radioactive waste Wendy Bacon has discussed the Lynas saga comprehensively http://aliran.com/11005.html
Uranium mining companies were jubilant about the (pro nuclear) result of Japan’s elections, but safety considerations and new regulatory system mean that it will be a long time before Japan restarts its nuclear industry, if it does at all.
Western Australia. Aboriginal groups in Western Australian Nuclear free Alliance were heartened by Minister Tony Burke’s refusal yet to approve Toro’s Wiluna uranium project. Toro’s newly appointed CEO Vanessa Guthrie is left to sort out the mess of Toro’s environmental plans.
Victoria. Two days after the USA’s school shooting massacre, Ballarat High School sent kids off to Beaufort Gun Club for shooting lessons. Great timing, doncha think?
Northern Territory. Mining exploration has dropped considerably, over 2012, with the poor market prospects for uranium.
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Leave a reply to Christina MacPherson Cancel reply
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 
Wendy Bacon has not “refuted this comprehensively”. She has no facts to back up her case and no qualifications to comment. If you want an unbiased few see what Nick Tsurikov has to say regarding naturally occurring radioactive materials and Lynas residue.
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OK – I’ve changed “refuted” to discussed” True indeed, Wendy Bacon did not refute the propaganda about “no radioactivity”. Her article discussed the negotiations that have been going on between Lynas and the Malaysian government, and the protest movement in Malaysia concerning the rare earths processing plant.
It’s a pity that Lynas has gone about this project in the way that it has. I have no doubt that Nick Tsurikov could shed light on the radioactivity question.
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