Abbott picks pro nuker as Australia’s next Governor General
Peter Cosgrove to be governor-general DENNIS SHANAHAN THE AUSTRALIAN DECEMBER 26, 2013 GENERAL Peter Cosgrove is set to become the next governor-general of Australia, the formal announcement of the appointment of the popular former chief of the defence force expected late next month…..http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/peter-cosgrove-to-be-governorgeneral/story-fn59niix-1226789821832#
Cosgrove backs nuclear power
Lack of Australian nuclear plant almost immoral: Peter Cosgrove “….. it was “almost immoral” to export uranium to less technologically advanced and stable countries to use in nuclear power plants while refusing to have one in Australia………..We’re a rich and technologically advanced nation sitting in a geologically stable continent, so surely we can expect to build and operate safely a nuclear power station.”
Cosgrove wants nuclear answer to climate change Former Australian Defence Force chief Peter Cosgrove says Australia should adopt nuclear power as its response to climate change……Mr Abbott, however, says he agrees that nuclear power is the only realistic way to reduce carbon emissions while maintaining living standards. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-02-26/cosgrove-wants-nuclear-answer-to-climate-change/343990
Tony Abbott knows that Olympic Dam will not provide new jobs
South Australia had already learned the hard way not to rely on Olympic Dam
Mr Abbott’s recent comments about the project prompted the state government to contact the company again, but it responded by saying its plans had not changed.
BHP Billiton put the $30 billion expansion, which would have created the world’s largest open-cut mine, on hold late last year, declaring it unviable
Olympic Dam no SA panacea: business leaders FINANCIAL REVIEW, 24 DEC 2013 JOANNA MATHER It would be a mistake to view expansion of BHP’s Olympic Dam mine as the panacea to South Australia’s economic woes, business leaders contributing to a post-Holden jobs and growth plan have warned.
Maurice Crotti, the managing director of iconic SA business San Remo, said the state needed to seize opportunities in a range of areas, including food manufacturing. Continue reading
Tony Abbott’s pretend revival of Olympic Dam uranium expansion plan
Tony Abbott’s push for Olympic Dam revival SID MAHER AND DENNIS SHANAHAN THE AUSTRALIAN DECEMBER 24, 2013 THE Abbott government has turned its sights on reigniting BHP Billiton’s giant Olympic Dam expansion as it seeks to find an economic antidote to Holden’s decision to cease carmarking in Australia from 2017. Federal ministers have held talks with BHP Billiton about ways to assist in the expansion of the South Australian uranium and copper project, including Research and development aid, approval processes and political stability in decision-making. …. (subscribers only) http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/tony-abbotts-push-for-olympic-dam-revival/story-fn59niix-1226789188416#
Tony Abbott getting ready to reneg on the Renewable Energy Target
“If Tony Abbott goes ahead and breaks this election promise, he will severely damage Australia’s efforts at reducing carbon pollution,”
Tony Abbott inclined to drop RET: Mark Butler SID MAHER THE AUSTRALIAN DECEMBER 24, 2013 LABOR has accused Tony Abbott of preparing to break an election promise on the Renewable Energy Target as Nationals senator Ron Boswell called for the scheme to be scrapped completely.
After The Australian reported that senior electricity industry executives had begun talks on the possible shape of a new scheme in anticipation of government changes, Labor’s climate change spokesman Mark Butler said the RET had been a “clear policy success”, driving investment in wind and solar power and creating thousands of clean energy jobs.
But Senator Boswell, who has been one of the most outspoken critics of the scheme, said the RET should be “scrapped altogether…” Continue reading
Problems and limitations of mammography
While mammography is still a very useful test, it has limitations, and having had a recent mammogram does not definitively exclude cancer. So, any change in the breasts, particularly a painless lump, requires a timely trip to the GP.
Radiologist issues a caution on breast cancer screening for young women, Canberra Times, Dr Jeremy Price, 26 Dec 13,
- Mother knows best in advising a second opinion on breast cancer screening
- Boost in demand for breast cancer checks
- Breast cancer test not failsafe, women warned
The problem of screening younger women for breast cancer is an important health issue.
All too frequently we see women between 30 and 50 years of age presenting with a palpable clinical lump which turns out to be cancer and often at a rather late stage. Furthermore, when compared to the older more typical age group, young women with breast cancer usually have more aggressive high-grade disease. Frequently, even if a mammogram has been performed, nothing has shown up, often because the cancer cannot be distinguished from the normal dense breast tissue which most young women naturally have in preparation for lactation. Continue reading
Fukushima nuclear disaster will prove worse than Chernobyl
“We are likely to learn about the detailed consequences of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in a matter of 10 to 15 years. It is clear that a great deal of fisheries, water grass areas and actually anything in the ocean has been contaminated. Fukushima 
radiation is understandably spreading across the world. It is obvious that large areas have been contaminated in Japan. But it will take years of research to get a more detailed picture of the Fukushima disaster consequences,”
Fukushima is worse than Chernobyl: radiation affects fish, World Ocean, West Coast – experts Voice of Russia, 24 Dec 13, Three years on, the general public is still nervous about the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster of March 2011. Heavy rain has caused more contaminated water leaks over the protection dike recently. The Japanese are increasingly distrustful of atomic scientists’ claims that the contaminated water has failed to make it to the ocean.
Meanwhile, The Cape Cod Times US newspapers reports that the Fukushima toxic waste is reaching the US West Coast, while 70 crewmembers of the US Ronald Reagan aircraft-carrier, involved in the relief operation in the wake of the disaster, are filing a lawsuit against the TEPCO Fukushima operator company, claiming the Japanese company had failed to warn them of all the risks that they were running during the operation. Continue reading
Quiz to test your knowledge of nuclear weapons
How much do you know about nuclear weapons? Take our quiz “…..How much do you know about the science, history, and politics behind nuclear weapons? Fabien Tepper, Staff writer http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Security-Watch/2013/1225/How-much-do-you-know-about-nuclear-weapons-Take-our-quiz/nuclear-how
Western Australia’s phenomenal uptake of solar energy
Western Australia Solar Uptake – From 1 To 130,000 http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=4096 26 Dec 13 The growth of residential solar power in Western Australia in the area serviced by Synergy has been nothing short of phenomenal. Continue reading
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 