Antinuclear

Another week in climate and nuclear news

There’s an uncanny echo of the 1930s in the rise of extreme right wing politics in the Western world today. “I will make America great again” – says Donald Trump. And how many other strident voices are gathering mass support with a similar simplistic message, in other countries?

Donald Trump – the triumph of narcissism. Like the attention-seeking child in the classroom, with all eyes upon him, Trump captures the attention of the world, (this probably his main goal).  Some hope that, as USA President, his intelligent, gently spoken, kindly, side will prevail. Ralph Nader doubts this.

Meanwhile historic international meetings on climate change and on nuclear weapons ban are happening. Nearly winter at North Pole– but 36 degrees warmer than normal

AUSTRALIA

Prime Minister Turnbull toes the complacency line, in the rush to “normalise” Trump. Why he’s a “businessman, like Turnbull” “, and of course we all know that businessmen are the best people to run the country! In a radio interview Turnbull criticised the “elite media” three times. I think that he means the ABC, SBS, and any media that has the effrontery to criticise the government, or praise Human Rights Commissioner Gillian Triggs.   “Elite” is now a dirty word, implying intelligent and well-informed- we can’t have that attitude!

CLIMATE.  Australia Labelled A ‘Laggard’ On Cutting Climate Pollution. Australia near the bottom of the list in international climate policies.  Michael Marmot on the health risks of climate change. Former liberal leader John Hewson urges Turnbull govt to switch to a bright renewable energy future.

NUCLEAR Introduction to the newest South Australian nuclear front – Ben Heard’s ‘Bright New World’. Australia on the wrong side of nuclear disarmament history. Helen Caldicott, Australian hero of nuclear-free New Zealand.

South Australia.

•  Well the Labor government’s Nuclear Waste Importing plan is, in the words of the Liberal Opposition Leader, “all but dead and buried”. Liberals now on the path to election victory in 2018, riding on rejection of the waste plan. (You can bet your boots that the Liberals will embrace the nuclear industry at a later stage, when it’s politically safe to do so). Senator Nick Xenophon– nuclear waste dump “a stinker of an idea” – bury it forever.
• An inside story from South Australia’s Nuclear Citizens Jury. South Australian Treasurer Koutsantonis sulking about “elites” influencing Nuclear Citizens Jury. South Australia’s ‘Community Views Report’ reinforces a resounding “NO” to nuclear waste storage.
• Poor old Labor Premier Jay Weatherill. He was reported as saying he would ” make South Australia great again”. Now where have I heard that before?  Weatherill’s nuclear plebiscite idea – a desperate ploy to get a different answer? Anyway, Weatherill’s not giving up on the nuclear waste import plan.  But there are rumblings of mutiny within the Labor Party.
• There are huge legal obstacles – State, National, International, – to that rashly devised nuclear waste import plan. Europe’s new rules about exporting nuclear waste are RELEVANT TO AUSTRALIA. Also, the Nuclear Economics Consulting Group reported on the diseconomics of the plan.

Queensland. Urgent need for public education and action on fluoridation of Queensland’s water.

November 19, 2016 - Posted by Christina MacPherson | Christina reviews