Australia should join regional nations in signing and ratifying the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW)
Push to join nuclear weapons banm https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/letters-push-to-join-nuclear-weapons-ban-20200719-p55dhy Daryl Le Cornu, Member of the board of ICAN Australia 22 July 20, It was good to read William Stoltz’s ‘‘How Australia can help the world avoid nuclear war’’ (July 17) about the diplomatic initiative to push for a treaty of no-first-use based on the Chinese model.
His argument that Australia may be the only country that could lobby the US to agree to the principle of no-first-use has merit.
Furthermore, Stoltz argues that it is only through the ‘‘strength of principled examples and ambitious diplomacy that responsible nations can hope to make the legacy of Trinity and the nuclear threat to civilisation a thing of the past’’.
However, there is another potentially more effective ‘‘ambitious diplomacy’’ that Australia could pursue. This would be to join with the majority of the nations in the world and a majority of the people in the world in signing and ratifying the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) that was created at the United Nations on July 7, 2017.
New Zealand has already done so, as have most of our regional neighbours. The Labor Party at its December 2018 national conference committed a future Labor government to such a diplomatic initiative. Furthermore, the organisation whose 10-year global campaign led to the creation of the TPNW – the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) – was born in Australia in 2007 and launched by former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Fraser, who became ICAN’s first patron. With only 10 more ratifications for the TPNW to come intoforce in international law, it is surprising that Stoltz did not devote some time in his article reflecting on the 75th anniversary of the Trinity test to this citizen-initiated global campaign.
Hasty new nuclear dump agency will have some overseas staff, – and law for waste dump is not yet passed!
Nuclear dump to be managed from SA, https://www.cessnockadvertiser.com.au/story/6842627/nuclear-dump-to-be-managed-from-sa/?cs=7, Tim Dornin, 22 July 20
Staff from around Australia and possibly overseas will be recruited for a new government agency to manage a nuclear waste dump in South Australia.
Legislation to establish the dump has already passed federal parliament’s lower house and is before a Senate committee after the location was selected earlier this year.
Resources Minister Keith Pitt said the establishment of the new agency was another step forward in what had been a very long-running process to develop a vitally important facility.
“Two in every three Australians will use nuclear medicine and that means two of every three Australians will produce some low-level radioactive waste that needs to be stored and managed,” he said.
“This is a national piece of infrastructure that is critical for all of those individuals.”
Mr Pitt said ARWA would operate as an independent agency with staff to be drawn from around Australia and possibly around the world to secure those with the right skill set.
But the Australian Conservation Foundation said the government had jumped the gun, establishing the new agency when legislation for the dump was still before the parliament.
“It is absurd to establish a new federal agency for a proposal that is still under active Senate review and has no current legislative basis,” campaigner Dave Sweeney said.
“This initiative has all the hallmarks of a tailor-made political fix for a federal plan that has no broad social licence.”
When the Napandee site was chosen, owner Jeff Baldock welcomed the plan and urged the government to move forward.
He said it was a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to secure Kimba’s future” and the waste facility would potentially provide jobs and much-needed revenue for the region.
“It’s very rare that a small country community gets the chance to guarantee that it’s still going to be here in 300 years’ time,” he said.
Plutonium poisoning a bigger danger than previously estimated,in Fukushima
Plutonium Particles Scattered 200km From Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Site, Scientists Say https://theswaddle.com/plutonium-particles-scattered-200km-from-fukushima-nuclear-disaster-site-scientists-say/, By Aditi Murti, Jul 22, 2020 Plutonium fragments may have spread more than 200km via caesium microparticle compounds released during the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster in Japan. These findings are according to research done on the region’s soil samples, published in Science of The Total Environment, by an international group of scientists.Nuclear corruption, the latest example is in Ohio
Ohio corruption case throws focus on US nuclear plant troubles Ft.com, Gregory Meyer in New York, 23 July 
20https://www.ft.com/content/451324c6-9f9d-48a1-b2d9-76d731e99db6
The alleged conspiracy used the money to help more than 20 state candidates who supported the bailout propping up the two power plants, including Mr Householder, in the 2018 election. More than $1m was spent on advertisements attacking opponents of the measure, according to the US attorney for the southern district of Ohio.
https://www.ft.com/content/451324c6-9f9d-48a1-b2d9-76d731e99db6
After legislators passed the bailout last July, the funds were used to derail a public ballot initiative meant to repeal the law by bribing people who were collecting signatures endorsing the effort, the complaint said. Besides the nuclear subsidies, the law also eliminated energy efficiency requirements, pared back mandates for wind and solar power and authorised a fee on customers to support ailing coal-fired power plants.
CEC says renewable jobs at stake in upcoming Queensland election — RenewEconomy
Clean Energy Council calls on parties to back renewables and end coal funding, ahead of a looming Queensland state election. The post CEC says renewable jobs at stake in upcoming Queensland election appeared first on RenewEconomy.
CEC says renewable jobs at stake in upcoming Queensland election — RenewEconomy
Angus Taylor works to undo Finkel, as key institutions struggle with change — RenewEconomy
A government with Keith Pitt as resources minister, Angus Taylor in charge of energy, and a rump of hardline Queensland MPs, will give short shrift to the experts. The post Angus Taylor works to undo Finkel, as key institutions struggle with change appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Angus Taylor works to undo Finkel, as key institutions struggle with change — RenewEconomy
July 22 Energy News — geoharvey
Opinion: ¶ “Nakhchivan: The World’s Most Sustainable Nation?” • As a result of regional conflicts, residents of Nakhchivan, an enclave of Azerbaijan, developed an unwavering sense of self-sufficiency born from scarcity and necessity. They began producing their own goods and planting their own food, based strictly on a pesticide-free, all-organic food policy. [BBC] ¶ “How […]
July 22 Energy News — geoharvey
New contender for Tasmania’s first solar farm, with 5MW Bell Bay proposal — RenewEconomy
An application for a new, 5MW solar farm proposed for George Town in Tasmania’s north, has been submitted to the local council. The post New contender for Tasmania’s first solar farm, with 5MW Bell Bay proposal appeared first on RenewEconomy.
New contender for Tasmania’s first solar farm, with 5MW Bell Bay proposal — RenewEconomy
Super fund says Australia’s climate policy void sending investment dollars overseas — RenewEconomy
Health industry super fund calls for federal net-zero emissions target, or risk losing trillions in investment dollars to more stable, less risky international markets. The post Super fund says Australia’s climate policy void sending investment dollars overseas appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Super fund says Australia’s climate policy void sending investment dollars overseas — RenewEconomy
Regulator rules it is misleading to claim gas is ‘cleaner and greener’ — RenewEconomy
Gas billboard pulled after advertising regulator rules claims that gas is ‘cleaner and greener’ are misleading. The post Regulator rules it is misleading to claim gas is ‘cleaner and greener’ appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Regulator rules it is misleading to claim gas is ‘cleaner and greener’ — RenewEconomy
Monash study to seek solutions to Victorian grid woes, including “rhombus of regret” — RenewEconomy
ARENA funded study to identify technical solutions to Victorian system strength issues that have hit wind and solar projects, causing delays and curtailments. The post Monash study to seek solutions to Victorian grid woes, including “rhombus of regret” appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Monash study to seek solutions to Victorian grid woes, including “rhombus of regret” — RenewEconomy
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 