Antinuclear

Australia: energy and nuclear news this week

Election:   Nuclear/uranium matters are just not on the radar in this election, with the two major parties in lockstep in their support for the uranium industry, (and, quietly, in support of nuclear power and the full nuclear fuel cycle).

What is more surprising is the lack of interest in Climate Change.  I watched the Rudd-Abbott debate on TV. Kevin Rudd made the most fleeting reference to the subject.  There was no mention of renewable energy.   The media goes along with this apparent ban on discussing matters environmental.  (Of course Christine Milne doesn’t get much mainstream media coverage)

Tony Abbott announced the appointment of Aboriginal Warren Mundine,  who would head up a Liberal Government’s Indigenous Advisory Council . Warren Mundine’s quite  a political acrobat.  He used to be in John Howard’s National Indigenous Council. Then Mundne was the President of the Australian Labor Party. Now – a quick flip to the Liberals.

More interestingly, Warren Mundine is a Director of the Australian Uranium Association, and a member of BHP’s Indigenous Dialogue Group – a body aimed to convert Aborigines to support uranium mining.   Mundne has publicly advocated uranium mining, nuclear power, and the importing of international nuclear wastes.   Kevin Rudd welcomed the new Abbott-Mundine deal.  No surprises there, as both sides have the  interests of the nuclear  lobby at heart.

Western Australia.  Now this could be  a bit of a pointer for the federal election.  Premier Colin Barnett announced the slashing of the solar feed-in tariff. There was an outcry, and a Solar Citizens petition was launched that very quickly attracted over 9,000 signatures protesting the reduction. In no time, Barnett announced that he had reversed the decision.      Solar energy supporters might have an impact on federal politics?

New South Wales.  University of Wollongong’s fibro cottage wins international renewable energy competition .

Victoria.  Demonstration sin Melbourne against the Future Fund’s investing in nuclear weapons.      Stirrings in the Macedon Ranges community – people are not happy with Victoria’s anti-wind farm laws.

August 14, 2013 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized