The new industry of nuclear radiation denial
Plenty of funding is available. The USA’s Department of Energy funds programs worldwide, (including in Australia) to research dodgy science about the safety ‒ even alleged benefits ‒ of low level ionising radiation. Nuclear physicists and others, quite inexpert in this field, pronounce solemnly about non-hazardous nature of low dose radiation.
The anti-science about ionising radiation Independent Australia Some people would have you believe that low level ionising radiation is perfectly safe; this is a sinister and troubling fallacy, says Noel Wauchope. 10 Oct 13 DENIAL OF THE HEALTH EFFECTS of ionising radiation is the latest of the lies against science……….none of these motivations would get “airplay” ‒ would prevail, if it were not for the money motive, – that’s the impetus behind public relations people, consultants, journalists, commentators, TV producers, film-makers, and so on who are paid by think tanks that are fronts for polluting industries and billionaires like the Koch Brothers. And don’t let’s forget the scientists and science media who are paid by governments that are financially beholden to polluting corporations and to the military industrial complex.
There is extensive literature in books and on the Internet about the campaigns of science denial regarding asbestos, tobacco and climate change. These are global campaigns, but Australia is well represented.
The climate sceptic campaign has followed the model of the tobacco lobby…….
neither the “old” nor the “new” media are properly addressing the issue of anti-science about ionising radiation. Continue reading
Former Northern Territory Chief Minister speaks out on nuclear waste dump plan
The Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Act 2005 was a draconian piece of legislation that took overriding the territory to a new level. It gave the Commonwealth all the powers it needed to build a nuclear waste facility anywhere in the territory. Environment and heritage laws could be set aside, so could the Aboriginal Land Rights Act. This time Howard was determined to remove all possible resistance.
I argued that this was constitutional thuggery but my protests fell on deaf ears. My state colleagues developed temporary deafness as well. I could understand their logic; their state backyards were safe.
Trucking nuclear waste through Sydney a disaster waiting to happen October 11, 2013 Clare Martin (former chief minister of the Northern Territory.) http://www.smh.com.au/comment/trucking-nuclear-waste-through-sydney-a-disaster-waiting-to-happen-20131010-2vb0a.html
As I drove down Mona Vale Road this week on a visit to Sydney, I began to wonder what would have happened if the tanker involved in last week’s fatalities had been transporting nuclear waste. It is not a fanciful thought because that is the present federal proposal: trucking nuclear waste through Sydney streets to a new national storage facility thousands of kilometres away in central Australia.
The accident made me question yet again the sense of that proposal. Is one site for low- and medium-level nuclear waste preferable to many local? Does storing the waste in remote Australia make it safer, more secure? What are the known dangers inherent in nuclear waste storage? We need to discuss these issues. Continue reading
The sickly state of Australia’s (and the world’s) uranium industry
At the Paydirt Uranium Conference in February 2012 in Australia, it was clear many companies were looking elsewhere, prompting an industry veteran to quip that copper and gold had never before enjoyed so much airtime at a uranium conference. A year later, attendance was so poor that the conference was reduced from two days to one day and shifted from the Hilton Hotel to a less opulent venue.
Uranium gloom and doom is also being felt in the enrichment sector.
Uranium’s sickly price problem Jim Green, Climate Spectator, 11 Oct 2013 The spot uranium price fell to $US34.50/lb U3O8 in late July, a price not seen since December 2005 during the upswing of a spectacular price bubble which peaked in June 2007 at $US138. The 12 per cent price slump in July was the biggest monthly loss since March 2011.
Since July, the spot price has fallen further still, to $US34, before surging to $US35 where it sits now. Recent prices are just over half the spot price of $US66.50 on March 11, 2011, the first day of the triple-disaster in northeast Japan. Continue reading
Insincere and hollow – Australia’s talk of nuclear disarmament
Australia’s talk of nuclear disarmament insincere and hollow, Castlemaine Independent 7 October, 2013 The former Labor government in effect abandoned its advocacy of nuclear disarmament because it considered continued reliance on “extended nuclear deterrence” provided by the US an essential foundation for Australian defence strategy, according to diplomatic documents released under freedom-of-information laws.
Australian officials are also planning to work against humanitarian organisations campaigning for a global ban on nuclear weapons.
Declassified diplomatic cables, emails and briefings show the Australian government refused to endorse an 80-nation statement delivered at this year’s non-proliferation treaty meeting in Geneva in April because it included a reference to an International Red Cross resolution that highlighted “the incalculable human suffering associated with any use of nuclear weapons”.
Australian officials considered this reference to be part of a campaign to delegitimise the possession of nuclear weapons, including by the US.
The documents, obtained by a disarmament advocacy group the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, provide a detailed account of how Australian diplomats worked behind the scenes to oppose international moves to open negotiations for a global nuclear weapons ban while the Australian government continued to publicly express support for the ultimate goal of a world free of nuclear weapons.
……….The Australian director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, Tim Wright, expressed disappointment that Australian diplomats hoped to undermine efforts to ban nuclear weapons.
“Australia cannot credibly advocate nuclear disbarment while claiming that US nuclear weapons guarantee our security or prosperity. Not only is this a ludicrous notion, it is also a dangerous one because it signals to other nations that nuclear weapons are useful and necessary,” Mr Wright said.
“These declassified exchanges between government officials clearly demonstrate that Australia’s talk of nuclear disarmament has been insincere and hollow.”http://www.castlemaineindependent.org/2013/10/australias-talk-nuclear-disarmament-insincere-hollow/
China assures New Zealand that its visiting ships are nuclear free
China assures ships are nuclear free New Zealand Herald, By Audrey Young @audreyNZH Oct 11, 2013 China has given a guarantee to the Government that its three ships visiting Auckland today comply with New Zealand anti-nuclear law, Prime Minister John Key says.
He said he signed off the paper work – required under New Zealand’s anti nuclear legislation – a week or 10 days ago that says he is satisified it complies.
He also reiterated that the United States would be welcome if its ships met the criteria of being neither nuclear powered or armed.
A Chinese destroyer, a frigate and a supply ship are due to arrive in Auckland today……..
The United States policy has long had a policy of neither confirming nor denying nuclear weaponry or capability and China’s willingness to vouch for its ships is in stark contrast.
New Zealand’s anti-nuclear policy first promoted by the Labour Government in 1984 eventually led to a suspension of the Anzus security alliance that New Zealand had with the United States and Australia. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11138519
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 