Australian govt abandons promotion for dubious climate group
Fairfax Media has learned the government has scrapped the $10 million reef communication campaign outlined in this year’s federal budget.
The campaign would have sought to give the public hope that the reef can be saved and outlined action being taken to protect it, after devastating back-to-back coral bleaching events brought on by climate change.
The government had been skittish about the spending measure, as reported last month when it emerged the Department of the Environment and Energy instructed officials to avoid revealing its true price tag.
In response to questions from Fairfax Media, the department confirmed the campaign “is not going ahead”. ……..
A major report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change this month warned that an average global temperature rise of 1.5 degrees would substantially and irrevocably damage the world’s coral reefs, and a 2 degree rise would virtually destroy them. The world is currently on track for a global temperature rise of 3 to 4 degrees by 2100.
The Great Barrier Reef Foundation is supported by corporations including those from the polluting fossil fuel industry. It does not lobby for emissions reduction, despite recognising that climate change is the biggest threat facing the reef…….https://www.canberratimes.com.au/politics/federal/government-ditches-10m-promotion-blitz-amid-great-barrier-reef-furore-20181020-p50av5.html
Wentworth election – a preview of climate change issue for Australia’s coming federal election
 Wentworth becomes test bed for how federal election will treat climate change, Coalition of green groups has been working hard to ensure voters realise they have a chance to give Liberals a wake-up call, Guardian, Anne Davies@annefdavies19 Oct 2018
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Kiribati’s Anote Tong, (slighted by Minister Melissa Price says Australia must act on climate change
Liberal Party moderates blame climate policy for Wentworth by-election debacle
Moderates blame climate policy for Wentworth by-election debacle THE AUSTRALIAN 21 Oct 18 GREG BROWN, Moderate Liberal MPs have urged Scott Morrison to take action on climate change and embrace the “broad church” of its voters after the mammoth swing in the Wentworth by-election.Trent Zimmerman, Jason Falinski and Tim Wilson — who represent blue-ribbon electorates that are affluent and socially progressive — say the government needs to do more to show it is serious about combating climate change and working to meet the Paris targets.
Tim Flannery now sees nuclear power as useless, except for nuclear weapons
Steve Dale Nuclear Fuel Cycle Watch South Australia, 20 Oct 18, I note Tim Flannery’s words in the transcript. Listen to the pod cast below from the 21 minute mark to see how his position regarding nuclear has evolved – he talks about how solar and wind has become so cheap, so quickly, he talks about the Tesla battery, gearless wind turbines, how fantastic that South Australia is now coal free and that the only reason he can see why a country would fund nuclear these days is if they want to develop nuclear weapons...https://www.facebook.com/groups/1021186047913052/?multi_permalinks=2157916570906655&comment_id=2160264634005182¬if_id=1539904501184162¬if_t=feedback_reaction_genericTim Flannery on climate catastrophe and his new book Tim Flannery, head of the Climate Council, weighs in on this week’s IPPC report, the government’s greenhouse emissions report card, and discusses his new book Europe: a natural history https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/latenightlive/tim-flannery/10361616?fbclid=IwAR0fUXgQJAHQ0HcHc30j057P60bpOMikYWKzKZYT3aT7gE5D1qX0BWtaY7M
Climate change denial – this forms the Morrison government’s biggest economic problem?
The Morrison government’s biggest economic problem? Climate change denial, The Conversation, Emeritus Professor of Politics, La Trobe University, October 19, 2018 “…………. the heart of the problem, which is the inability of the Coalition to face the reality of climate change and its stubborn determination to live in a parallel universe of business as usual. It is climate change denial that is preventing the government from developing a coherent economic narrative. …..
As an identity issue, it is largely impervious to evidence, as we saw in government ministers’ hasty dismissal of the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report – before they had even read it, one suspects. Identity issues are also resistant to the normal processes of bargaining and compromise with which many political conflicts are resolved. The National Energy Guarantee was the last of the government’s energy policies to founder on the suspicion that a market mechanism might damage coal. Chief Scientist Alan Finkel’s Clean Energy Target met the same fate.
To state the obvious, the stubborn commitment to coal is pulling the government’s economic policy towards the sort of state socialism it is supposed to abhor. No wonder it is having difficulty developing a coherent economic narrative.
because climate policy has become an identity issue for some members of the Coalition, and they fight on it tooth and nail, is has been removed from the normal processes of policy formation.
Genetic effects of nuclear testing in Australia in the 1950s and 60s
UK to probe poisonous genetic legacy of nuclear test ‘guinea pigs’ SMH, By Nick Miller, 19 October 2018 London: The UK government is considering a new study into the health of the children of British veterans used as guinea pigs in its Australian and Pacific nuclear weapons tests, to test fears of a poisonous genetic legacy.
If a link can be found it may form the basis of a claim for compensation from the UK government, despite courts previously turning down such claims from the veterans themselves.
Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has told officials in the Ministry of Defence to look at the feasibility of a study into the health and well-being of the children of nuclear test veterans, an MOD spokesman said.
Decades ago, around 22,000 British military personnel witnessed nuclear weapons tests in South Australia, on the Montebello Islands off Western Australia, and on Kiribati’s Christmas Island in the Pacific.
Some felt the heat of the explosion on their backs and were ordered to turn around and observe the mushroom cloud. One veteran told the BBC in February the tests “bowled people over” and left them on the ground screaming. He had watched “another sun hanging in the sky”, dressed only in a t-shirt, shorts and thongs.
“We were guinea pigs,” Bob Fleming, 83, said. He said 16 of his 21 children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren had birth defects or health problems: his youngest daughter has thyroid problems and severe breathing difficulties.
The family believe it is a result of the radiation Mr Fleming was exposed to during the test.
Another veteran, RAF sergeant Roy Kirkland, slept a half a mile from Ground Zero and was ordered to collect dead seabirds from the Christmas Island test site.
The new feasibility study follows a campaign by the Mirrorand Labour deputy leader Tom Watson, who have been pushing for recognition and compensation for the veterans who were exposed to radiation during the tests in the region between 1952 and 1967 – and their families.
In 2007 a study of New Zealand nuclear test veteransfound they had more than double the expected amount of genetic damage for men of the same age – even higher than that detected in workers close to the Chernobyl nuclear accident or involved in the clean-up.
The study by researchers from Massey University found the genetic damage was most likely attributable to the veterans having been on board NZ navy frigates observing nuclear tests at Christmas Island.
In 2014 a study by European researchers found a “significant excess” of infant mortality and congenital illnesses in nuclear test veterans’ children. The veterans’ wives had five times as many stillbirths, and 57 children of veterans had congenital conditions – ten times the rate in the control group and eight times the national average. There were also significantly higher congenital illnesses – and cancer – among the veterans’ grandchildren. The researchers said their results were “highly statistically significant”. …….. https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/uk-to-probe-poisonous-genetic-legacy-of-nuclear-test-guinea-pigs-20181019-p50alz.html
PM Scott Morrison interested in nuclear electricity prices -NOT in health, safety, environment (“idealogical”)
PM ‘totally open’ to nuclear power if economics stack up https://www.sbs.com.au/news/pm-totally-open-to-nuclear-power-if-economics-stack-up The prime minister says he will consider lifting the prohibition on nuclear power in Australia if research shows it can be done well. Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he’s open to the idea of nuclear power if research emerges showing it stacks up economically.
Nuclear power has been banned in Australia since 1998, but Mr Morrison says he would consider lifting the ban if research proved it could be done on a commercial basis and bring power prices down.
I’m totally open to that work,” he told Sky News on Tuesday.
“But what we need to do is make sure it can stack up and we can successfully move in that direction.”
Mr Morrison said the source of Australia’s energy doesn’t bother him and he isn’t interested in an ideological debate.
“What matters is that it’s reliable, it can be contracted, it can be priced at lower than what we’re getting currently, because that’s what brings people’s power prices down.”
Spain’s government blocks Western Australian company’s bid to open uranium mine
Spain to block Berkeley uranium mine project – sources, CNBC , Belén Carreño, 16 Oct 2018 The Spanish government has decided not to deliver the permits necessary to open the European Union’s only open-cast uranium mine near Salamanca, dealing a serious blow to Australian mining company Berkeley Energia’s plans.
Nuclear lobby is targeting women with propaganda
ANSTO CEO Says There are Real, Lasting and Meaningful Careers for Women in Nuclear https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/multimedia/videos/ansto-ceo-says-there-are-real-lasting-and-meaningful-careers-for-women-in-nuclear Adi Paterson, CEO of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization (ANSTO), talks about his vision of the future of nuclear science and technology and what role women could play in it.Mr. Paterson will be a speaker at the upcoming IAEA Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Science and Technology: Addressing Current and Emerging Development Challenges, in Vienna, Austria, from 28 to 30 November 2018. The event will be livestreamed at iaea.org.
You can watch Mr Paterson’s presentation on 30 November 2018.
City of Melbourne supports Australia joining UN Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty
The City of Melbourne, birthplace of ICAN, just voted unanimously in support of a motion calling on the Australian government to join the UN #nuclearban treaty! @cityofmelbourne @dfat
Labor to oppose remote work-for-dole bill
a controversial remote employment program, urging the government
to consult with Indigenous Australians.’
‘Labor has confirmed it will oppose changes to a remote work-for-the-dole program,
believing the adjustments do little to fix the “discriminatory” scheme.
‘The Greens have also rejected the changes, leaving the government
with a very tough task getting its plans through parliament.
‘More than 80 per cent of participants in the
Community Development Program (CDP) are Indigenous. …
‘Labor is worried introducing the national compliance framework
to remote communities will do further harm to
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. …
‘”What is the government trying to hide?
The government is sitting on the final evaluation of CDP,
which they have admitted is complete,”
Greens senator Rachel Siewert said.’…
Victoria’s largest solar farm goes ahead after “solving” connection dilemma
 Victoria’s largest solar farm goes ahead after “solving” connection  dilemma, REneweconomy, 16 October 2018 The 200MW Kiamal solar farm in Victoria – the largest in the state to date – will be officially launched on Wednesday and begin construction this month after developer Total Eren says it has resolved connection issues that had already delayed the $300 million project.The Kiamal solar farm is located near the town of Ouyen – not far from Mildura in the state’s north west. But as RenewEconomy revealed in May, it is located in what could be described as the “rhombus of death”, a part of the network that doesn’t have the “system strength” to accommodate all the wind and solar projects planned for the area.
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Coalition’s climate change stance will ‘kill people’, say Greens
The Australian Greens have warned against the Morrison government
backing a coal-led energy policy over the Snowy Hydro 2.0 project. SBS, 15 Oct 18 Greens MP Adam Bandt has warned the Coalition’s views on climate change and renewable energy will “kill people”.A major report released last week, referencing more than 6000 scientific studies, stated drastic changes are needed in global society to prevent world temperatures from rising by two degrees Celsius.
The Coalition Government says it will not renew or replace the Renewable Energy Target when it lapses in 2020.
Mr Bandt’s claim comes on the same day as former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce declared the expected $4.5 billion cost for the Snowy 2.0 scheme would be better off used on funding new coal-fired power stations.
“The Coalition’s energy policy will kill people – it’s as simple as that,” Mr Bandt told reporters on Monday.
“Australia is going to be one of the countries worst hit by climate change and the Morrison government seems to not care how many people will die because of its policies.
“If Barnaby Joyce is concerned about farmers then he’d want to switch from coal to renewables.”
Mr Joyce told The Australian he would prioritise coal-fired power stations, two months ahead of a decision on the Snowy 2.0 scheme……https://www.sbs.com.au/news/coalition-s-climate-change-stance-will-kill-people-say-greens
1 This month.
20 September –National Day of Action in Melbourne on the International Day of Peace
Help Aunty Sue Protect Her Land and Sacred Sites From Destructive Rocket Testing.
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Australians deserve the truth
about
AUKUS – https://aukuspublicinquiry.com/
PETITION – To: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Australian Labor Government
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
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