To 5 March – Nuclear and Climate News Australia
The most significant article of the week comes from 3 very distinguished writers, in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, in explaining how the USA’s military upgrade means a vast expansion of the killing power of the most numerous warhead in the US nuclear arsenal, with the ability to launch a”first strike”. Consequently, the Russians are gravely concerned, and are developing new sea-based weapons.
President Trump’s rather sweet and antiseptic speech to Congress, avoided his previous bellicose promises, but did mention a big increase in defense spending, though not how he would pay for that.
AUSTRALIA
Historic discussions in South Australia towards a Treaty with Aboriginal Nations. Call to Block Native Title Amendment (Indigenous Land Use Agreements) Bill 2017.
CLIMATE an ENERGY . Issues surrounding coal mining dominated the news:
- A Federal Court case about Adani’s plan for Carmichael megamine has just reserved its decision.
- Ian Dunlop, formerly an international oil, gas and coal industry executive and Australian Coal Association chair, calls for an emergency taskforce for clean, renewable energy, and says “the game is up” for coal”.
- Coal power now “univestable”, but Australian government is keen to subsidise it. Turnbull govt appoints coal and uranium boss, Vanessa Guthrie, to the ABC board. Also appoints Sid Marris, a former analyst with the Minerals Council of Australia.
- Industry request for Clean Energy Finance Corporation funds for new coal-mining!
- Conflict of interest: Queensland govt appoints Adani director to oversee coal port!
- Medical profession warns on Adani coal mine as a public health catastrophe.
More Bleaching on Great Barrier Reef. New South Wales is set to experience many more hot summers, with extreme heat days.
Economist Prof John Quiggan puts convincing case for public-owned Australian power grid.
Murdoch media wages war on renewable energy.
Solar farms to benefit farmers in Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo areas. Victorian government more than doubles solar-feed-in tariff. Clean Energy Finance Corporation to repeat its solar success in battery storage. National Australia Bank now investing in renewable energy in Europe, US and UK. Plan for solar panels accessible to flat dwellers.
NUCLEAR. A renewed push for South Australia to import nuclear waste, with a letter to politicians from 43 citizens, turns out to emanate from Australia’s most talented nuclear propagandist, Ben Heard. With his nuclear front “group”, Bright New World, Heard is pretty much a one man nuclear band, on the international, as well as the national, pro nuclear scene, and is seeking charity status. Next week he is off to help the South African nuclear lobby, in their very troubled cause.
Radioactive cows buried in Werribee, Victoria.
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of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 
The Editor
The Advertiser
Just when we thought things couldn’t get any worse, an electricity company belatedly gives notice to electricity consumers that its aging power station is on its last legs (The Advertiser, 8/3/17). Well, thanks for telling us.
There is no indication that the SA Government didn’t know about the imminent closure of Torrens Island power station; if they didn’t know, they should have.
Inaction and failure to keep the people of SA informed of its plans is adding to deep mistrust of the government.
Instead of doing the obvious or giving an alternative, premier Weatherill says that the government is not going to buy the mothballed Pelican Point power station.
This comes on top of an attempt to foist a full-scale nuclear industry onto us. Here again, the SA public is being kept in the dark, with Jay Weatherill refusing to rule either in or out nuclear waste dumps and nuclear power.
Enough of this, time to be up-front and honest or hand over to someone else.
Dennis Matthews
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