Antinuclear

The week that has been in nuclear, climate, and energy news – Australia

It is hard to resist the temptation to just laugh at Australia’s pathetic politics. I have to keep reminding myself that people laughed at Hitler –  but that did not stop him.

Still – we do need to see the lighter side from time to time – if only to keep our spirits up.

So – our revered Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, (already the laughing stock of the world, anyway) has given Australians plenty to chuckle about, in this past week.  My favourite is that he’s establishing a Wind Farm Commissioner– to investigate all those diseases caused by wind turbines – all none of them! As  Sydney University’s Professor Simon Chapman put it – “This will be a world first commissioner for a non-disease. It’s like having a commissioner into reports of leprechauns”.

To get his legislation through the Senate, Abbott will need to make deals with extreme right-wing maverick politicians. Senators John Madigan, David Leyonhjelm, Bob Day, and my favourite – Jacqui Lambie. They want things like stopping concern about climate change, stopping nasty  wind power, getting nice nuclear power, and more nice guns. As Senator Lambie put it “We have got to become world leaders in nuclear.  You are dangerously deluded … and you should be locked up, for helping enemies destroy our nation – if you think that wind energy will solve problems”

In  more positive news:

• Independent Senators  Glenn Lazarus, and Ricky Muir support climate change action.
• Catholic bishops urge action on climate change.  (Except Cardinal Pell very quiet these days).
• No more uranium mining in Kakadu National Park, as Rio Tinto pulls the plug on Ranger mine expansion plans.
• Northern Territory’s Environmental Defenders Office will stay open, despite federal funding cut.
•  Rooftop solar taking over in South Australia – the test State for Renewable Energy.
• Western Australia’s White Gum Valley project:  solar panels with battery storage.
• Canberra’s light rail to be powered by 100% renewable energy.

June 20, 2015 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized