Antinuclear

Australian news, and some related international items

David Noonan’s Submissions to Senate regarding Reprocessing Nuclear Fuel and Safety of Intermediate Level Wastes

two David Noonan Submissions to current Federal Parliamentary Inquiry by Joint Standing Committee on Treaties (JSCT) Reprocessing Nuclear fuel – France (to report by 19 June) have been made public,

An ARPANSA Submission (23 Feb, 2 pages) “regarding the safety of intermediate level waste” has also been made public, at: https://www.aph.gov.au/DocumentStore.ashx?id=0739bc51-9403-4490-b0ce-c8cc6ed074a2&subId=563939

See below url’s & extracts for DN sub’s & JSCT Inquiry homepage at: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Treaties/NuclearFuel-France

D Noonan Submission (14 Feb): “Public Interest Questions, Scenarios and Consequences of ‘Reprocessing Nuclear fuel – France’ treaty actions & associated nuclear actions”

https://www.aph.gov.au/DocumentStore.ashx?id=eab981b4-146d-4b66-aad9-59f64b275db0&subId=563627

… ANSTO is without a Plan B to address key public interest scenarios which demand answers:

·         Reprocessing in France will not prove to be available throughout the OPAL reactor Operating License to 2057. At most, this treaty covers the first 2 of 5 decades of OPAL fuel wastes;

 ·         AND the proposed above ground Store in SA for ANSTO’s nuclear waste will damage and divide community and fall over and fail just as prior attempts have in SA and in NT.

If the OPAL reactor is to continue to operate ANSTO must address required contingencies:

·         Extended Storage of OPAL nuclear fuel waste on-site at Lucas Heights in secure cask storage. Lucas Height operates a Store for HIFAR nuclear fuel wastes with capacity to do so until availability of a final disposal option and can now set up to do so for OPAL fuel wastes;

 ·         AND to have to manage ANSTO nuclear fuel wastes entirely with-in Australia through to final disposal. Sending OPAL nuclear fuel waste overseas for reprocessing is used as an excuse to produce a burden of further nuclear waste without capacity or answers for its disposal. …

my Supplementary Submission (28 Feb) provides further evidence on three key aspects:

https://www.aph.gov.au/DocumentStore.ashx?id=f42dce88-9ecf-44f0-8195-5e9e552de078&subId=563627

1. Reprocessing is not International Best Practice, is in decline, and may leave ANSTO stranded

… A key Reprocessing review for consideration by JSCT is: ‘Plutonium Separation in Nuclear Power Programs. Status, Problems, and Prospects of Civilian Reprocessing around the World‘ (IPFM, July 2015), see: http://fissilematerials.org/library/2015/07/plutonium_separation_in_nuclea.html

“France is currently the only country in the world that operates a commercial-scale spent fuel reprocessing plant.”  (IPFM Report, Country Studies Chapter 3 France p.30)

 … ANSTO should disclose the additional cost in Reprocessing compared to dry-cask storage

“The cost of spent-fuel reprocessing also is about ten times the cost of the alternative option for managing spent fuel, dry-cask spent-fuel storage.” (IPFM, Intro p.11)

 2. Extended Storage of ANSTO nuclear fuel waste at Lucas Heights is a viable option

& Contingency to return OPAL reactor Reprocessed fuel waste to Storage at LHs

3. ANSTO failure to provide a disposal strategy for OPAL nuclear fuel wastes flouts best practice

March 14, 2018 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, Federal nuclear waste dump, reference | Leave a comment

Supreme Court appeal lodged against Yeelirrie uranium mining approval decision

9/3 /18  The Conservation Council of WA (CCWA) and members of the Tjiwarl Native Title group have announced the filing of an appeal against the Supreme Court’s recent decision which upheld the environmental approval for the Yeelirrie uranium mine proposal.

The Supreme Court challenge brought by CCWA and Native Title holders sought to overturn the environmental approval for the mine issued in the final days of the Barnett Government, against the advice of the WA Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and the Minister’s own appeal decision. If it goes ahead, the project will cause the extinction of multiple species unique to the Yeelirrie area.

CCWA Director Piers Verstegen said allowing the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the law to go unchallenged would be bad for the environment and bad for democracy.

“The decision to appeal this judgement highlights our commitment to preventing extinction and upholding what we believe are fundamental principles of environmental law.

“If this decision is allowed to stand then the Environment Minister could sign off on the extinction of multiple species with the stroke of a pen, despite what the EPA and appeals processes say.

“According to the Supreme Court ruling, we can have a detailed, thorough, publicly funded environmental assessment process, with all the key information examined in the public domain, followed by a rigorous appeals process, and then the Minister can totally disregard that whole process and make a different decision based on different information that is not available to the public.

“This treats the EPA and its environmental assessment as something to be casually dismissed. Western Australians expect and deserve better government than that.

“CCWA and community groups fought for WA’s environmental protection laws and the EPA. Now, it is again up to community to defend the integrity of those laws and processes in the courts. This is essential to uphold due process in environmental decisions, and to restore confidence in the EPA.

“The WA Environmental Protection Act was never intended to be used to sanction the extinction of wildlife, and it is our responsibility to do everything we can to ensure that it is not used in this way.

“The Yeelirrie approval knowingly allows extinction of multiple species and this should never be contemplated. We must stand up for all creatures, great and small.

“Allowing the extinction of any creature could open the door for other species to be treated in the same way.  Numbats, cockatoos and other wildlife could be next, so we can’t allow it to start here.”

Vicky Abdullah, Tjiwarl Native Title Holder, said, “We have fought long and hard to protect Yeelirrie and to stop the uranium project, so we will not stop now.

 “This appeal shows that we will continue to fight for our country and our people, and hope that the Court of Appeal will see that the decision to approve the Yeelirrie uranium project was wrong”. 

 

March 14, 2018 Posted by | legal, Western Australia | Leave a comment

Lismore mayor and citizens remember Fukushima, call for an end to uranium mining, and the whole nuclear chain

Fukushima disaster ‘not over’, rally hears, https://www.echo.net.au/2018/03/fukushima-disaster-not-rally-hears/  Harsha Prabhu   ‘The Fukushima nuclear disaster is not over,’ were the chilling words of warning uttered by Toshiko Okada, anti-nuclear activist from Japan, speaking at a gathering to mark the seventh anniversary of Fukushima, at the Channon Market on Sunday.

Scores of people – including members of the region’s Japanese community – attended the gathering, despite the wet weather and the chance of the market being cancelled.

Okada is a member of Ctitzen’s Network for Evacuation from Radiation, which has been promoting the cause of Fukushima children and families affected by radiation.

She said, ‘We are having serious radioactive contamination problems not only in Fukushima but also in Eastern Japan, because life threatening radioactive substances are still discharging from the Fukushima nuclear power plant every day.’

Lethal levels of radiation had been detected at Fukushima’s power plant seven years after the tsunami.  Apart from the release of volatile, gaseous radionuclides,  a recent Manchester University study also noted the presence of micro particles containing uranium, caesium and technetium,  several kilometres from Fukushima.

Plus thousands of gallons of radioactive water and waste are being stored above ground with no safe means of disposal.

Govt forced relocation   While experts were warning of a ‘global disaster’ in the making, the Japanese government was busy normalising the situation by marketing food from Fukushima and stopping subsidies for Fukushima evacuees, thus forcing people to relocate to Fukushima. The government had also unilaterally raised the maximum limit of radiation exposure from 1mSv per year to 20 mSv.

Okada and her group are fighting to promote a Japanese version of Chernobyl Law to ‘protect all people in our country, especially future generations from ongoing critical nuclear issues and future nuclear disasters.’

She said, ‘Such law must be applied to all victims of radiation around the world.’

Okada and her citizens’ group hold protest actions at Shinjuku railway station and the Japanese PM’s residence in Tokyo every month. The banner used for this protest action became a rallying cry for Australia’s rainbow region folk, standing in solidarity with the people of Japan.

OK to speak up Local activist and actress Saya Minami said, ‘It’s important to let all the victims of Fukushima know that it’s ok to be scared, it’s ok to tell the truth, to speak up and say what you really feel. We are here with you in Australia!’

Lismore City Council Deputy Mayor and Greens party member Vanessa Ekins said, ‘It’s the seventh anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear power plant meltdown and radioactive water is still pouring into the Pacific Ocean.’

Lismore Council has erected signage at the entrances to Lismore declaring the city a nuclear free peace zone. Ekins said, ‘This may seem tokenistic but it raises awareness. The action we need to take as the federal election looms, is to question Australia’s role in supplying uranium to other countries for nuclear weapons and power.’

Uranium moratorium call She said, ‘Lismore’s Mayor visited Japan last year to join Mayors For Peace, initiated in 1982 by Hiroshima Mayor, and now 6,800 cities in 161 countries are negotiating to eliminate nuclear weapons. I question their focus on nuclear weapons when the nuclear industry itself is so damaging.’

Ekins added: ‘Australia needs to stop mining and exporting uranium.’

One activist said, ‘ This is an international crisis that requires an international solution. Instead of attending to this, governments are busy promoting crisis-ridden, failed nuclear technologies. French President Macron is in India today to sign a nuclear deal with Indian PM Modi. Corporations and governments are brazen in their support for the uranium industry. And Australia supplies uranium to India, a country that has not signed the nuclear non proliferation treaty. The whole uranium cycle is lethal – from uranium mines, to radioactive dumps, to leaking reactors, to nuclear weapons.’

He said, ‘We stand in solidarity with people everywhere fighting the military industrial complex and their baby – the uranium industry.’

Art & music   Organisers had set up an art show and all through the rain-soaked day punters were treated to a smorgasbord of music: from soulful kirtans by Mico, Shivam and Armando, to young Belle McGreggor singing ‘Somewhere over the rainbow’; from fiery flamenco by Bart Stenhouse, to happy reggae anthems by JT Rastasamurai; from radical songs by Bo Kaan, to  Brazilian folk by Priscila Rios and Anna Hamard-Lecoeur. By the time the six-piece Latin band Passando started their set the sun finally decided to come out to play.

Organisers called on the crowd to ‘say no to uranium. Leave it in the ground, like the aboriginal elders have been saying in their Dreamtime stories and the hippies have been singing for years gone by’.

‘And help the children and families of Fukushima by dreaming up a nuclear free world.’

March 14, 2018 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

The new Trans Pacific Partenership (TPP) just as bad for Australia as the old one

“The deal still includes special rights for foreign investors to bypass national courts and sue governments for millions of dollars in unfair international tribunals over changes to domestic laws, known as ISDS*,” said Dr Ranald.

Dr Patricia Ranald on the TPP

TPP-11: The same dud deal for most Australians as TPP-12https://www.michaelwest.com.au/tpp-11-the-same-dud-deal-for-most-australians-as-tpp-12/ by Sandi Keane | Mar 13, 2018 

“The trade deal known as TPP-11 delivers financial benefits to some 100,000 people in agricultural and farming enterprises, paid for by extra imposts on the purchases of many millions of urban Australians. In future, every time an Australian buys an app, pays to listen to music, gets a prescription from the chemist, does banking, he or she will be subsiding rural and corporate interests to the detriment of the average Aussie Jo… because of the TPP”. Bill Rowlingsfrom Civil Liberties Australia gives lie to the claims that all Australians will be “better off”.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership is not so much a deal as a bush-city reverse “got-ya”. It is promoted by dishonest politicians who have learned to lie economically for a living. The proof of the lie – that TPP means all Australians are better off – is contained in Trade Minister Steven Ciobo’s own gushing media release:

“Australian farmers, businesses and all exporters can see the full benefits and breadth of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP-11) with the release of the text…”

Mr Ciobo, if only these groups can “see the full benefits”, obviously your average Australian citizen can’t see the benefits. It’s axiomatic that any deal involves both winners and losers. The reality is there’s no benefit, only extra cost, for most Australians in the TPP deal.

However, the worst clauses in the agreement (kept secret for a decade) are those relating to freedom of choice and national sovereignty in making social policy decisions. These clauses remain in the carcass of the original Trans-Pacific Partnership deal. The new deal, TPP-11, has not changed them at all, according to the union expert on trade treaties, Dr Patricia Ranald of the Australian and Fair Trading Investment Network (AFTINET).

“The deal still includes special rights for foreign investors to bypass national courts and sue governments for millions of dollars in unfair international tribunals over changes to domestic laws, known as ISDS*,” said Dr Ranald.

“The Australian government has not sought changes to provisions for more vulnerable temporary migrant workers, from Vietnam, Malaysia, Japan, Canada, Mexico and Chile, without testing if local workers are available. This is contrary to its own claims to have reintroduced such testing. There have been no changes to the chapters on trade in services and state-owned enterprises which could restrict future governments from re-regulating essential services like TAFE, energy and financial services, even if there are demonstrated market failures .

Dr Ranald explained that the 20 suspended clauses are mostly about medicine and copyright monopolies. Other governments had only reluctantly agreed to US demands on stronger monopolies over biologic medicines and longer copyright periods in these areas to gain access to the US market. But President Donald Trump announced, on election, that he was pulling the USA out of the 12-nation TPP because it was a very poor deal. Hence the new moniker, TPP-11.

The intellectual property chapter still entrenches other restrictions on government ability to change regulations in future, a fact which has been criticised by the Productivity Commission.

It is telling beyond measure that the Turnbull Government will not let its own “Productivity” Commission examine the TPP deal: the government knows the TPP deal does not stand up to proper economic analysis, says net national benefit over 10 or 20 years. As usual, political partners and the corporate “mates” do best out of the deal, not struggling Aussie battlers.

The 11 governments signed the agreement in Chile on 8 March. The text will be tabled in Parliament and reviewed by a Joint Standing Committee on which the government has a majority, to consider the implementing legislation. Here’s another porky in the Minister’s media release:

“The Joint Standing Committee on Treaties (JSCOT) will conduct full public enquiries into the Agreement and report back to Parliament.”

Well, yes, but JSCOT is not permitted by the terms of the agreement to change one single word in the deal. Nor is the Australian Parliament.

“This is virtually a rubber stamp process because, in addition to public submissions, the committee receives a major report from the department that negotiated the agreement, which always says ‘yes’ to the implementing legislation,” said Dr Ranald.

“The government has so far refused to commission independent studies of the costs and benefits of the (deal). We call for independent studies of its economic and social impacts, and for a Senate inquiry that can critically assess whether the deal is in the public interest and whether the implementing legislation should be passed.”

The TPP will remain forever as it was begotten originally, the illegitimate child of multinational corporate interests fathered by at-best naive politicians. Commentators have noted that one of the beneficiary groups of trade deals can be negotiating politicians themselves, some of whom enjoy a post-politics career serving on the boards or payrolls of the very corporations whose rapacious desires they have helped fulfil.

March 14, 2018 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics | Leave a comment

Bill Shorten – so weak and wishy-washy on Adani coal megamine project

Bill Shorten’s stance on Adani coalmine leaves voters cold – Guardian Essential poll
Highest level of support was for Greens’ anti-Adani position with Turnbull government’s position second
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/mar/13/bill-shortens-stance-on-adani-coalmine-leaves-voters-cold-guardian-essential-poll

Bill Shorten Waffles About Adani Because Labor Is In The Pocket Of Big Coal
Michael Brull
The ALP’s ‘on-again off-again’ position on the Carmichael mega-mine is entirely consistent with the party’s recent history
https://newmatilda.com/2018/03/12/bill-shorten-waffles-adani-labor-pocket-big-coal/

March 14, 2018 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, politics | Leave a comment

Our Future | Beach culture a casualty of climate change industry.


http://www.examiner.com.au/story/5273210/beach-culture-a-casualty-of-changing-climate/?cs=97  Dr David Rissik , 11 Mar 18,

Beaches are important for most Australians. Not only are they an escape for many during the summer, but they’re also the heart of our nation’s tourism industry.

 Our country has more beaches than anywhere in the world and roughly 85 per cent of Aussies live within 50 kilometres of the coast, so what will happen to our wonderful beach lifestyle when the climate warms and sea levels rise?

With rising seas beaches and foreshores could be lost, and without beaches to attract tourists, local surf clubs and restaurants may lose their primary source of income.

In some areas houses could be flooded frequently and others undermined through beach erosion, leaving residents to either re-locate or cough up huge financial costs.

Ecosystems will also be impacted as creatures and environments struggle to cope with changing tides and warmer waters.

The impacts are known so well, yet there continues to be development in inappropriate areas, putting homes, lives and businesses at risk.

Some councils and governments are starting to assess the impacts climate change may have, but others have not even considered the risks.

So now, it’s up to businesses, industry, and communities to get the ball rolling.

Raising this issue at work, council meetings or creating awareness groups are great ways to inspire action.

There are many resources that can help you learn more and get started. The National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility’s (NCCARF) CoastAdapt provides information about climate change on the coast and how we can respond.

But unless we begin to seriously address the risks of climate change, our coastal and beach lifestyle may change forever.

Dr David Rissik is an adjunct Professor with National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF).

March 11, 2018 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming | Leave a comment

Global weapons corporations lavish gifts on Australia’s top Defence personnel

Spoils of war? Weapons industry heavyweights wine and dine Defence top brass, Canberra Times  Michael Inman, Steven Trask, Markus Mannheim , 9 Mar 18 

Weapons industry heavyweights were among companies that lavished almost half a million dollars’ worth of hospitality and gifts on Australian Defence executives and top military personnel.

Government records show sovereign nations, arms manufacturers and private businesses furnished Defence staff with about $490,000 worth of gifts, sponsorships and hospitality in the past four years.

Defence staff are required to register the acceptance or soliciting of gifts, hospitality and sponsorship. The information is kept in a central ledger, which is not published publicly but was made available under freedom of information law.

Six of the world’s largest weapons manufacturers are listed on the register: Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Airbus, Thales and BAE Systems.

Among the declarations on the register were $117,821 worth of gifts, received from 2014 to 2017. ……. The Defence Department also logged more than $34,000 worth of hospitality. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/spoils-of-war-weapons-industry-heavyweights-wine-and-dine-defence-top-brass-20180307-h0x5h7.html

March 9, 2018 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, secrets and lies | Leave a comment

Bad news for Australia’s uranium industry – India aims to stop importing uranium

World Nuclear News 8th March 2018, India is planning a tenfold increase in uranium production over the next 15 years, Minister of State Jitendra Singh told the country’s parliament
yesterday. State company Uranium Corporation of India Ltd (UCIL) has
outlined expansion plans to meet the Department of Atomic Energy’s (DAE)
vision of achieving self-sufficiency in uranium production.
http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/UF-India-plans-tenfold-uranium-output-growth-0803187.html

March 9, 2018 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, business | Leave a comment

“Broad community support” for a nuclear waste dump near Kimba should mean a national referendum

Steve Dale Nuclear Fuel Cycle Watch South Australia “The federal government has said that it will not choose any site without broad community support.” A statewide referendum is required for that – and maybe a national referendum to ask if Australian’s would prefer to find alternatives to its radioactive waste spewing reactor. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1021186047913052/

March 9, 2018 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, Federal nuclear waste dump | Leave a comment

Traditional Owners opposing Adani hold smoking ceremony at QLD Parl,  call on Premier not to extinguish native title

 8 March 2018
‘At a smoking ceremony outside Queensland Parliament today the Wangan & Jagalingou Family Council
called on the Queensland government to rule out extinguishing W&J Native Title for Adani,
the week before a crucial Wangan & Jagalingou Council’s Federal Court case commences.
High quality stills and vision can be made available.
‘Spokesperson Adrian Burragubba said,
“The Queensland Government has the power to extinguish our Native Title,
but they don’t have to go down this path.
Premier Palaszczuk should rule out ever extinguishing our native title for Adani.
‘“We are demanding a meeting with the Premier to explain why there is
no consent from us for Adani’s dirty land deal,
why the Queensland Government should remove its support for the Adani’s sham ILUA,
stop opposing W&J Traditional Owners in the courts
and not extinguish our native title.
‘“Adani’s destructive mine has no part in our future and would tear the heart out of our ancestral lands.
Premier Palaszczuk must pledge to not extinguish our native title for a deal with Adani. [1]
‘“We are determined to prevent our land being taken without our consent
and to protect our country and sacred places from destruction,
for an empty promise of jobs and some trinkets.
‘“We have never given consent to this mine or the surrender of our land rights
and have voted to reject a deal with Adani four times since 2012.
We will not rest until this destructive proposal is abandoned..
‘“A clear majority of Queenslanders are with us and
do not support the government pushing ahead with Adani’s mine
without the consent of Traditional Owners. [2] … ‘
wanganjagalingou.com.au/traditional-owners-opposing-adani-hold-smoking-ceremony-at-qld-parl-call-on-premier-not-to-extinguish-native-title/
wanganjagalingou.com.au/category/latest-news/

March 9, 2018 Posted by | aboriginal issues, Queensland | Leave a comment

New York Times buys into ANSTO’s nuclear spin about Kimba?

This New York Times author gives a fair coverage to the Kimba radioactive waste dump issue. But it’s misleading in 3 important ways, as if the author completely buys the nuclear lobby’s propaganda.:

  1. States that “The country has no nuclear power plants.”  But fails to mention the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor [which is the source of the really important radioactive trash for Kimba]
  2. Fails to mention the fact that South Australia has a clear law prohibiting establishment of any nuclear waste facility
  3. Seems unaware of the huge distances (2000 km) involved, which would mean that the vast majority of  medical wastes would no longer be radioactive, in transport from the main points of production and use.

A Farming Town Divided: Do We Want a Nuclear Site that Brings Jobs?, NYT, By JACQUELINE WILLIAMS, MARCH 7, 2018  “……… Now, as the federal government considers whether to build the site on one of these two farms in Kimba, this community of about 650 people finds itself divided and angry. The prospect of jobs and subsidies that the site would bring has split locals between those who want to preserve rural Australia’s way of life and those who say the glory days of farming are over…..

Despite the distances, locals say Kimba always had a strong sense of community, at least until the nuclear site was proposed. Some said the allure of millions of dollars’ worth of grants and subsidies that the government was offering the host community had blinded people to the risks.

“If it wasn’t for the money that the government’s offering, we wouldn’t be where we are,” Austin Eatts, 89, said on the large wheat farm just out of town where he has lived all his life.

Mr. Eatts, from one of the town’s original families, is a neighboring landowner to Michelle and Brett Rayner, who have nominated their farm as a potential site for the nuclear dump.

“I share a pipeline with them; I don’t want to share a nuclear waste dump with them,” Mr. Eatts said. Looking at a pile of documents about the proposed facility he had collected over the past year or so, he said he worried about the effect of the radioactive waste on the town’s future generations. …..

as the federal government narrows in on this tiny community as one of two potential host communities, fear and outrage about the potential effect of it on Kimba’s farming land has grown. ……

The farms being considered for the proposed site are 10 to 15 miles outside town. Each year, the amount of low-level waste generated in Australia is smaller than one shipping container, according to government figures, along with intermediate-level radioactive waste the size of a Dumpster. The country has no nuclear power plants.

The site is expected to bring more than a dozen jobs, leading supporters to call it a much needed alternative to agriculture for the local economy.

Those against the facility, like Peter Woolford, a third-generation Kimba farmer, and part of the No Radioactive Waste on Agricultural Land in Kimba or South Australia group, say it will hurt the prices of crops and farmland. They also worry that Kimba will forever be known as the nuclear dump town. ……

To persuade residents to accept the site, the government has also flown some on all-expenses paid trips to Sydney to view a nearby nuclear laboratory.

The federal government has said that it will not choose any site without broad community support. In early 2016, a vote showed that Kimba was almost split down the middle. Later that year, the number in favor had increased slightly.

To end the sometimes bitter rift in the community, some politicians are urging the government to find another site.

“This has been a needless point of division in the community for more than 18 months now,” Nick Xenophon, a former senator who used to represent the state of South Australia, said in a statement. “It’s time for that to stop.”…..https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/07/world/australia/kimba-nuclear-waste.html

March 9, 2018 Posted by | Federal nuclear waste dump, South Australia | Leave a comment

Protesters unite against nuclear waste in Port Augusta

 https://www.transcontinental.com.au/story/5271501/protesters-unite-against-nuclear/ Marco Balsamo

Members of the Flinders Local Action Group (FLAG) stood side-by-side with Adelaide-based group Don’t Dump on SA in Port Augusta to protest against a potential radioactive waste facility in South Australia.

The two groups, together with local Adnyamathanha and Barngarla people, joined forces on the Princes Highway ahead of the state election, highlighting their concerns to locals and passing traffic with signs and information packs.

 With a large inflatable radioactive waste barrel and a lime green three-headed kangaroo on display, protesters made their disapproval of the potential facility in either Wallerberdina Station or Kimba very clear.

The protesters also encouraged locals to get involved by sending submissions to the Senate Inquiry into the selection process for a national radioactive waste management facility.

FLAG member and Hawker general practitioner Dr Susi Andersson said the broader community needed to know about the issue.

“The federal government is treating this as an issue for the local people only, but many people visit and care about the Flinders Ranges and don’t want a dump there,” Dr Andersson said.

  • Parliament passed the Nuclear Waste Facility (Prohibition) Act 2000 in order to “protect the safety and welfare of the people of South Australia” and the protesters encouraged locals to vote for parties who would defend this legislation.

    The Greens scored a five-star rating in a scoreboard conducted by an alliance of environment and community organisations across the state.

    The scoreboard was based on responses to a survey sent to the leaders of the state’s five parties, rating them on their commitment to stopping climate pollution, ramping up clean energy and protecting nature.

    SA Best scored second-best with a three-star rating, while Labor scored two stars followed by Liberal with 1.5 stars.

    The Australian Conservatives, who recently backed a nuclear waste facility in SA, did not respond to the survey.

March 9, 2018 Posted by | Federal nuclear waste dump, South Australia | Leave a comment

Minerals Council lobbies for changes to native title laws 

The Minerals Council of Australia is lobbying the federal government for urgent changes to native title laws which they say will remove uncertainty over the status of mining leases and tenements following recent court cases.

In a submission to the Attorney-General’s Department consultation on changes to the Native Title Act, the council said legal validation was needed for a series of agreements used for granting mining and exploration rights over land subject to……. (subscribers only) http://www.afr.com/news/minerals-council-lobbies-for-changes-to-native-title-laws-20180308-h0x740#ixzz59CmmR5PN

March 9, 2018 Posted by | aboriginal issues, AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL | Leave a comment

Best way to make submissions to the Senate Inquiry on Nuclear Waste Dumping

There have been rumours that Senate Inquiry submissions are limited to 5-6 pages. This is not the case, if your submission is longer than 5 pages you need to provide a summary at the front of your submission. See suggestions below:

The best submissions:

  • clearly address some or all of the terms of reference—you do not need to address each one
  • are relevant and highlight your own perspective
  • are concise, generally no longer than four to five pages
  • begin with a short introduction about yourself or the organisation you represent
  • emphasise the key points so that they are clear
  • outline not only what the issues are but how problems can be addressed, as the committee looks to submissions for ideas to make recommendations
  • only include documents that directly relate to your key points
  • only include information you would be happy to see published on the internet.

Submissions that include complex argument, personal details or criticise someone may take the committee longer to process and consider.

https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/How_to_make_a_submission

Is your submission long? Have you provided a summary of your submission at the front?
Have you provided your return address and contact details with the submission?
Have you made sure that your personal contact details are not in the main part of the submission?
If you do not want your submission published on the internet, have you made this clear on the front of your submission and told us why?

Please read the terms of reference carefully before making your submission. The committee has resolved that it will only accept submissions strictly addressing its terms of reference, with a particular focus on the appropriateness and thoroughness of the site selection process for a national radioactive waste storage facility.

Submissions close on 3 April 2018.

https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Economics/Wastemanagementfacility

March 7, 2018 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, Federal nuclear waste dump | Leave a comment

ANSTO spin and lies : Kimba nuclear fans shouted a visit to Lucas Heights

“Australia does not produce any high level waste.” [???] said Bruce McCleary, the General Manager of the National Radioactive Waste Management Taskforce

[He also did not mention that these wastes for Kimba will be temporary, i.e. STRANDED WASTES]

ANational Radioactive Waste Management Facility:
Kimba locals welcomed to Australia’s nuclear facility Eleven members of the Kimba community were on site at Lucas Heights yesterday, to see first-hand Australia’s nuclear technology and radioactive waste management expertise.

The delegation to the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) included people with a variety of views on Kimba hosting the National Radioactive Waste Management Facility.

It included four neighbours of the two volunteered sites in Kimba, and three members of the Kimba Consultative Committee (KCC), as well as other interested community members.

Patricia Beinke saw the OPAL multi-purpose reactor, where ANSTO stores low and intermediate level radioactive waste, and how waste is prepared for transportation.

“It was a much bigger campus and complex than I had ever envisaged. I read all the information that comes my way, but wasn’t expecting this scale,” Mrs Beinke, who is a member of the KCC, said.

“I just found the trip so good. The scientists and engineers spoke on a level that everyone could understand.

“I saw the reactor, and we had a great discussion about how the waste is prepared for transportation, including the processes it would go through before being sent to a national facility.”

Austen Eatts has property that neighbours one of the volunteered sites, and is opposed to the facility, but was pleased to have seen ANSTO’s campus.

“I have always had a reasonable idea of what happens at ANSTO regarding medicine and industry, and what they are doing there is very good actually,” Mr Eatts said.

“The waste has to be put somewhere. I am still of two minds about whether it should be located in Kimba, but I found the trip very informative.”

Mr Eatts stressed that he is against the idea of a facility anywhere in Australia that could store high level, imported waste from overseas – a proposition not being put forward by the Federal Government.

Bruce McCleary is the General Manager of the National Radioactive Waste Management Taskforce, and said it was great to host people with a variety of views on trips such as this.

“Tours of ANSTO’s medicine manufacturing and radioactive waste facilities are a great information tool for communities considering if they want to host a radioactive waste industry,” Mr McCleary said.

“They are also a way of us establishing what questions the community still has, and for them to see and hear from experts who work with this material every day, first-hand.

“I can confirm for Mr Eatts – and anyone else who shares his concern – that the national facility will not hold international or high level waste, because it is for Australian waste only, and Australia does not produce any high level waste. [????]

“Our national facility needs 100-hectares for an above ground low-level waste disposal and temporary storage of intermediate-level waste, whereas an international high-level facility would need to be far larger and would require a deep underground facility in order to be safe and economically viable.”

For more project information: www.radioactivewaste.gov.au         

March 7, 2018 Posted by | Federal nuclear waste dump, South Australia | Leave a comment

« Previous Entries     Next Entries »