Why Rudd will put a radioactive waste dump in the Northern Territory
a few prominent white suits (living well away from the NT) could indeed see this as the beginning of a bonanza of taking in the rest of the world’sradioactive wastes.
Once again – it’s all simple politics. The Australian government is obligated to take back , within a year or so, radioactive wastes from UK – wastes that originated in Australia’s terrorist target – the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor.
There is no simple solution. Perhaps this relatively small nuclear waste dump could be situated at Lucas Heights, where it started, or perhaps it could join the existing radioactive waste at Woomera in South Australia. Then Lucas Heights could be closed, and that would be the end of it.
No such simple story, however, and in fact, no story at all, as it’s all decided very quietly – let the Australian public sleep on!
But – it must be the Northern Territory – they’re the only ones who cannot defy the federal government, – all the other States have the power to veto taking in nuclear wastes.
Anyway,a few aborigines could indeed see it as a good deal, getting a living standard equal to the rest of Australia perhaps – though the rest of us didn’t need to have our land turned into a radioactive waste in order to get that standard.
More to the point, a few prominent white suits (living well away from the NT) could indeed see this as the beginning of a bonanza of taking in the rest of the world’s radioactive wastes.
Australia: Rudd govt failing on nuclear dump promise
Northern Territory could get nuclear dump next week: ACF ABC News Alice Springs By Louisa Rebgetz 19 Feb 2010
The Australian Conservation Foundation says it expects the Federal Government to announce as early as next week that a nuclear waste dump will be built in the Northern Territory.
The Government has so far failed to deliver on its election promise to repeal legislation which has the power to force a waste dump on the Territory.
The ACF’s Dave Sweeney says the only sites still under consideration are in the Territory. Continue reading
Uranium mining’s damage to the Australian environment
The impact of nuclear testing on the Australian environment | Blog About All 16 Feb 2010 “.……..In the case of Rum Jungle, the pollution of the surrounding environment was quite severe with run off from the tailing damns causing extensive damage in the East Finniss river for several kilometres away from the sight of the mine. Continue reading
Highly radioactive leaking water continues from Ranger uranium mine
Uranium mine leak ‘5400 times normal level’ – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) By Emma Masters Feb 9, 2010 Contaminated water seeping from a mine in Kakadu National Park has a uranium concentration more than 5,000 times the normal level, a Senate estimates committee has heard.
The Office of the Supervising Scientist is the environmental regulator of the Ranger uranium mine, which is owned by Energy Resources of Australia. Continue reading
Government Report has vision for Sustainable Northern Australia
The Taskforce points the way for a sustainable future for the north of Australia – one that must include Aboriginal people at the heart of it.
Greens Challenge Government over Northern Australia Rachel Siewert 8th February 2010, The Australian Greens have challenged the Government to commit to implementing the vision outlined in the Sustainable Development in Northern Australia report released today. Continue reading
ERA uranium shares fall, less output and lower grade ore
Energy Resources Shares Fall After Drop in Uranium Oxide Output By James PatonJan. 13 (Bloomberg) — Energy Resources of Australia Ltd., the uranium producer controlled by Rio Tinto Group, fell the most in 2 1/2 months after saying fourth-quarter output dropped 30 percent as it processed lower grades of ore. Continue reading
Cyclone flood danger to uranium mines
Australia Issues Red Alert as Tropical Cyclone Approaches Coast By Jason ScottDec. 16 (Bloomberg) — Australia issued its highest storm alert as Tropical Cyclone Laurence’s winds strengthened to as high as 285 kilometers (177 miles) per hour as it approached the northwestern coast, where offshore oil and gas rigs were evacuated earlier………..
Cyclone George in March 2007 caused flooding at Energy Resources of Australia Ltd.’s Ranger uranium mine in the Northern Territory.
Australia Issues Red Alert as Tropical Cyclone Approaches Coast – Bloomberg.com
Alice Springs families back anti-uranium medicos
Uranium mine stoush threatens Alice doctors ABC News By Barbara Miller Nov 24, 2009 Doctors in Alice Springs are threatening to stop work at an Aboriginal medical service if the Government allows a Canadian company to open a uranium mine close by………………. Continue reading
Alice Springs protest against uranium mining
We will quit if uranium mine opens, say doctors Sydney Morning Herald DEBRA JOPSON November 23, 2009
DOCTORS at the only Aboriginal medical service in Alice Springs have threatened to leave if the Federal Government allows a Canadian company to mine uranium near the town.
Protesters will press Northern Territory MPs to stop their support when Parliament sits in Central Australia tomorrow. Continue reading
Medical protest against uranium mine
Doctors threaten to leave over uranium mine – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) By Eric Tlozek Nov 20, 2009 group of Alice Springs doctors say they will leave the town if a uranium mine goes ahead in the area. Continue reading
Northern Territory targeted as the only place for nuclear waste dump
Nuclear dump sites ‘all in the Territory’ NORTHERN TERRITORY NEWS NICK CALACOURAS November 3rd, 2009 THE Federal Government has been sitting on a report on the decision to build a nuclear waste dump in the Territory for the past nine months. Continue reading
Australia obliged to dump nuke-waste, on aboriginal land?
Nuclear waste dump a must Adelaide Now MARK KENNY
October 31, 2009
THE search for a suitable site for a high-level nuclear waste dump in Australia is back on because radioactive material currently stored overseas will be returned to Australia in five years, it has been revealed.
The material, described as “spent fuel” from the Lucas Heights research reactor, had been sent to France for re-processing.
Under French law it must be repatriated to Australia by 2015.
Responding to questions from Opposition frontbencher, Nick Minchin in Senate estimates hearings, the Government confirmed Australia is under an obligation to “have a facility built in time to receive that waste from France in 2015”.
“There is waste from France, from reprocessing of ANSTO research reactor spent fuel, that will return to Australia in 2015,” a departmental official told the Economic Committee.
The admission means the Government is faced with a tight time frame in which to identify the preferred site, conduct consultations with affected parties, meet environmental and other planning requirements, and build the super-secure facility.
According to evidence tendered, three sites, all in the Northern Territory, “two in the Alice Springs region and one in the Katherine region”, are being considered.
The Government also confirmed another site, described as being “a volunteer site on Aboriginal land near Tennant Creek”, was being assessed. A site in the Northern Territory now seems inevitable where constitutional limits on Commonwealth power do not apply.http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,26283381-5006301,00.html
Uranium water contamination in Kakadu National Park
Probe into uranium mine leak continues ABC News Oct 20, 2009 The Commonwealth supervising scientist of the Ranger uranium mine at Kakadu National Park says investigations are continuing into water contamination at the site. Continue reading
Central Australia’s radioactive waste threat discussed internationally
Radioactive sites get overseas pressure ABC News By Kirsty Nancarrow i Oct 16, 2009
Anti-nuclear campaigners from Central Australia are hoping to put international pressure on the Commonwealth to abandon plans for a nuclear waste facility in the Northern Territory.
Natalie Wasley from the Beyond Nuclear Initiative says it is providing a briefing and a DVD to be screened and distributed to delegates at a conference in Sweden this weekend on the management of radioactive waste.
She says the Australian Government’s failure to consult people who are likely to be affected by the four sites being considered is out of step with what other countries are doing.
Radioactive sites get overseas pressure – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Russian uranium company to join Cameco in Central Australia
Russia‘s ARMZ in talks with Cameco on uranium mining
MOSCOW, Oct 1 (Reuters) – State-controlled Russian uranium miner ARMZ Holding is in talks with Canada’s Cameco Corp (CCO.TO) on possible mining joint ventures in Australia and Africa, the company’s deputy head said on Thursday…… The idea arose, he said, because a joint venture with Cameco in Russia had stalled due to laws limiting foreign access to strategic mineral resources. (Reporting by Polina Devitt, writing by Robin Paxton, editing by Maria Kiselyova) http://www.reuters.com/article/euMergersNews/idUSL112565120091001
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