Investors urged to dump Toro Energy at company AGM
Conservation Council of Western Australia, 18 Nov 15, Traditional Owners and environment groups will ask shareholders to withdraw support for Toro Energy highlighting community opposition to the company’s uranium mine plans and a flat lining uranium market at the Toro’s AGM today.
Vicki Abdullah, Traditional Owner of the Lake Maitland area where the company plans to mine uranium will be attending the AGM today.
Ms Abdullah said, “I’ve told Toro Energy time and time again that they are not allowed to mine at Lake Maitland, they have no right to destroy our homelands, our sacred places and the burial sites of our old people. You wouldn’t let them do that your home or your ancestors. Well I won’t let them do it to mine.”
CCWA Director Piers Verstegen, said “After ongoing weak performance we expect Toro Energy will be asking shareholders to ‘hang in there and be patient’, however the reality is that community opposition and weak market are serious impediments that are not going to go away.
“Uranium is unnecessary, unsafe and unwanted and we will be asking Toro shareholders to place their investments in more lucrative and responsible industries like renewable energy.
“Toro must also face reality and cease pressuring local communities and Traditional Owners causing anxiety and conflict over a mine that will never make economic sense” concluded Mr Verstegen.
Bega climate activist Philippa Rowland to speak at UN summit in Paris
Community projects lead to world stage: Bega climate change activist to speak at UN summit in Paris ABC South East NSW Ian Campbell, 17 Nov 15 Philippa Rowland, one of the founding members of a regionally-based climate action group, is Paris-bound, keen to play a role in shaping a safer climate future for the world.
The United Nations Conference on Climate Changeruns from November 30 to December 11, and Ms Rowland will be there as a voice from rural Australia.
Motivated by her connection with Clean Energy for Eternity (CEFE), based in the Bega Valley of New South Wales, Ms Rowland said she would bear witness at a pivotal time in the world’s response to a warming atmosphere.
“If we turn the corner now we still have time,” she said.
Since 2006 CEFE has championed a range of renewable energy projects that have resulted in solar panels being installed on community buildings, and culminating in the Tathra Solar Farm coming online earlier this year……..http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-17/bega-activist-to-address-un-climate-change-paris/6947248
Bathurst residents rally to protect Sallys Flat from nuclear waste
Residents rally to protect Sallys Flat from nuclear waste http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-18/sallys-meeting/6950152 Residents in a Bathurst district village are rallying to fight Federal Government plans to store nuclear waste on a local property. Dozens of people have attended a public meeting at Hill End yesterday to discuss the proposal to house the material at nearby Sallys Flat.
Local resident Ross Brown says more than two-thirds of the community attended and all were opposed to the waste being dumped in the area. He said they were getting advice from environmental groups and federal MPs on how to stop Sallys Flat being selected by the government.
“It’s not a place where we want it to be, at Hill End or Sallys Flat,” Mr Brown said.”We want to know how best to object to it being at Sallys Flat or Hill End.
“Most people see that if the facility is here it will devalue their land. “They’re not really happy with the process of how it was selected.”
A committee is being set up as part of the community’s efforts to stop Sallys Flat being chosen.Mr Brown said locals would do everything they could to protect the area. “They’ve all offered methods in counteracting this proposal and show that the local community are (sic) entirely against it.”
Toowoomba shop owner Peter Campbell sees nuclear waste dump as a joke
Comic book seller says nuclear waste dump for southern Queensland has great potential ABC Southern Qld ,By Peter Gunders , 17 Nov 15 Peter Campbell does not claim to be a nuclear energy expert, scientist, or waste disposal expert.
But he knows his chosen industry — pop culture — and in that capacity, he cautiously welcomes the idea of a nuclear waste dump in his backyard of southern Queensland.
Late last week Inglewood, a small town west of Toowoomba, was name-checked as one of six locations shortlisted by the Federal Government as a possible site to store low-to-intermediate level nuclear waste.
“If there’s one thing comics have taught us, it’s that we could all gain superpowers,” Mr Campbell laughed. The co-owner of Brutal Deluxe, a Toowoomba store specialising in comics and video games, said nuclear themes pervaded pop culture.
“Bruce Banner was a normal guy until he was exposed to high levels of gamma radiation, and now he’s the Incredible Hulk,” Mr Campbell said. “Right throughout pop culture, people are always being exposed to radiation.” And if any problems arose at the nuclear dump?
“Well, there is not a gamer on this planet that isn’t playing Fallout 4 at the moment,” he said.
“And that shows that so much fun can be had in a post-apocalyptic nuclear wasteland.”……..http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-16/pop-culture-store-owner-says-nuclear-waste-facility-could-be-fun/6945128
The Kakadu Charter led to stopping of uranium mining
The 15th anniversary of the Kakadu Charter is a good time for Aboriginal and environmental advocates to re-confirm our shared concern, action and effectiveness for the long awaited total rehabilitation and completion of Kakadu National Park.
The Kakadu Charter Which Helped Stop A Uranium Mine Marks 15 Years Of Shared Values https://newmatilda.com/2015/11/16/the-kakadu-charter-which-helped-stop-a-uranium-mine-marks-15-years-of-shared-values/ Tomorrow marks a significant anniversary in a landmark battle to protect a people, and a place. Justin O’Brien and Dave Sweeney explain.
Continue reading
Cancer Council’s warning on sunburn
The Cancer Council and the Australasian College of Dermatologists are joining forces this week during the National Skin Cancer Action Week http://www.cancer.org.au/preventing-cancer/sun-protection/campaigns-and-events/national-skin-cancer-action-week.html to remind Australians that damage from UV radiation adds up whether by accident or attempts to have a tan and increases the risk of skin damage and cancer
Australians’ risk for cancer-causing sunburn higher at home than the beach, study finds, IBT, By Karla Tecson on November 16 2015 Half of weekend sunburns occur while Australians are going about their day-to-day activities at home, a new study suggests.
According to Cancer Council’s National Survey, one in two adult sunburn cases occurs during daily activities such as gardening and chores around the house, along with passive recreation activities such as reading, enjoying a picnic in the park or having a barbecue. Continue reading
King Islands’s world first renewable energy success
Renewable energy a power coup for island http://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/3489296/renewable-energy-a-power-coup-for-island/ THE use of renewable energy to power King Island’s electricity supply for 33 successive hours has been hailed as a significant milestone. The latest achievement of the Hydro Tasmania’s King Island Renewable Integration project was an unprecedented milestone, project director Simon Gamble said.
“What makes this significant is that we’ve used renewable energy to support the needs of an entire community, which includes residential and industrial loads, for a full day,” Mr Gamble said.
“Our system has successfully managed the peaks in energy consumption that occur over the course of a full day, including early evening when demand is at its highest and there’s no solar contribution.
“It’s the first time anywhere that this has been achieved at a megawatt scale for such an extended period of time.”
King Island mayor Duncan McFie said the progression of the project helped to support the image of the island, and Tasmania, as clean and green.
“That King Island is leading the way on this is a highly significant achievement,” he said. Australian Renewable Energy Agency chief executive officer Ivor Frischknecht said the project was an example of how renewable energy and enabling technologies could work together to provide stable, reliable power.
“Hydro Tasmania is using a unique combination of technologies to reduce King Island’s reliance on expensive shipped-in diesel and provide residents with a more secure and reliable energy source,” he said. “This innovative energy solution could benefit off-grid communities on islands and in regional mainland Australia. “I look forward to seeing Hydro Tasmania continue to refine and commercialise its approach in other locations
Total Environment Centre’s legal challenge to South Australia solar tariff proposal
Solar penalty tariff proposal for SA households subject of Federal Court challenge, ABC News By Candice Marcus, 16 Nov 15, An environment group wants the Federal Court to uphold the energy regulator’s decision to reject a penalty tariff on South Australian households with solar power.
The Total Environment Centre has intervened in a court case in which SA Power Networks is challenging the Australian Energy Regulator.
The regulator rejected a pricing proposal for households to face a solar tariff and a social tariff, which SA Power Networks said would have been directed toward helping low-income earners facing hardship in paying their bills.
It was estimated the solar tariff could cost the average solar-powered household about $100 annually.
The Total Environment Centre lodged submissions with the Federal Court urging it uphold the regulator’s rejection of the penalty pricing proposal.
Extra tariffs would be solar ‘disincentive’
Mark Byrne from the environment group said imposing additional tariffs would be a disincentive for people to install and use solar power.
“We’ve got half a million people living under solar roofs in South Australia already though and it’s going to negatively impact on them as well as making it less advantageous for new customers to install solar,” he said.
“Obviously in the long run we want to see more solar because it helps reduce greenhouse emissions as well as household electricity bills.”
He said SA Power Networks had a flawed argument.
“Their argument effectively is that solar customers should be paying more because they use less energy and the network is entitled to a fixed amount of revenue,” he said.
“The unfortunate thing about that is it discriminates against solar customers and will result in them paying about another $100 a year.
“What the network should be doing is introducing a tariff that affects everyone equally and recovers more of their revenue during those peaks, when they’re worried about the impact on prices because they have to build more to meet peak demand.”……..http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-16/court-hears-challenge-on-sa-solar-penalty-tariff-proposal/6944870
Indigenous Adnyamathanha Camp Law Mob shocked at selection of South Australian site for radioactive trash dump
Response from the Adnyamathanha Camp Law Mob regarding the Federal Resources Minister’s announcement of 3 sites nominated for a nuclear waste dump in South Australia.
The Adnyamathanha Camp Law Mob are a group of Adnyamathna people who meet regularly to discuss issues relating to our land and culture.
The Camp Law mob share this message on behalf of all Adnyamathanha people and other South Australians who are opposed to any further expansion of the nuclear industry. We have taken part in the SA Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission, and our views along with many others are clearly stated in our submission that we do not support any expansion of a nuclear industry this includes the imposition of a radioactive waste dump on Adnyamathana country at Barndioota.
We are shocked to hear on Friday 13th November 2015 that one of the 3 nominated sites in South Australia for a national nuclear waste dump is 377 Wallerberdina Road, Barndioota. We understand that ex-Liberal Senator Grant Chapman is the current owner of the nominated site that is a Perpetual Lease property and therefore no native title claim can be lodged over this area. It must still be governed according to the requirements of the Aboriginal Heritage legislation.
We demand that the Federal Resources Minister Josh Frydenberg publicly declare who he has consulted regarding these nomination, and who has the authority to nominate these sites.
We want to know who are the experts with local knowledge that took part in the advisory panel prior to these sites being nominated as waste sites? Who are the Traditional Owners that took part in this process? What Traditional knowledge from thousands of years of occupation has been incorporated into the decision-making?
Our involvement is this industry is nothing new. We were concerned by the government agreeing to uranium mining activities that have now permanently contaminated our land and our groundwater. We want no further expansion of the nuclear industry and we will continue to fight for our rights as Traditional Owners in respect of the wisdom of our old people that came before us.
That’s what Traditional Owners do. We care for our country. We only wish governments and industries would do the same. Stop playing with our future and care for our country.
Former Liberal Party presidnt and Senator Grant Chapman offers Grant Chapman land for high level nuclear waste dump
Proposed Flinders Ranges nuclear site identified as pastoral property belonging to former Liberal senator Grant Chapman, ABC News, By Daniel Keane, 16 Nov 15 A former South Australian senator and Liberal Party president who jointly owns one of several proposed sites for a nuclear dump in the state said he would be willing to allow high-level waste to be stored on the property in the future.
Grant Chapman owns the long-term lease to Wallerberdina, a station near Barndioota in the Flinders Ranges about 40 kilometres north-west of Hawker, which is currently used to graze cattle.
It is one of six sites across the nation, including three in SA, being considered by the Federal Government to store low- and intermediate-level nuclear waste.
News of its potential future use has alarmed some neighbours, who are opposed to a nuclear dump and said they had not been consulted.
Mr Chapman said if approved, a proposed nuclear storage facility would eventually occupy 100 hectares in the northern section of the 25,000-hectare property.
He said he nominated the site several months ago…….Mr Chapman was a strong supporter of storing nuclear waste in Australia during his time as a senator, chairing a Senate committee into the subject.
“If it was shown to be safe for that high level waste to be eventually transformed into a form that was safe to store in that situation then certainly the property would be a potential site for that,” he said…..
Neighbour angered and concerned by location
Artist Regina McKenzie, who lives on neighbouring Yappala Station, which shares a boundary with Wallerberdina, said she and her family were angry and frustrated they had not been consulted.
Ms McKenzie said she had heard rumours Wallerberdina was being considered but was shocked when that was confirmed by the Federal Government.
She said Aboriginal people have suffered greatly as a result of the Maralinga nuclear tests and she feared history would repeat itself.
“The water here that we use, the aquifers that are under the earth, what if they get contaminated by some leakages or something?” she said.
“I don’t care how safe they say it is. If it’s so safe, why don’t they take it back and put it in their own back yards. If it’s so safe, have it in Canberra there where all the pollies sit.”
Ms McKenzie said the area was culturally significant to the Adnyamathanha people.
We don’t want [waste] in the area. We didn’t want them to take it out of the ground in the first place, it’s against our culture, and now they’re sending it back to the country,” she said.
“It’s not right. If they take it, they should keep it. It’s poison. We don’t want the poison back.
“I’m a little bit scared about it. My grandchildren are going to come back here and visit as well.
“I just don’t want anything coming back on our communities.”………http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-16/proposed-nuclear-site-identified-as-wallerberdina-station/6944636?section=sa
Nuclear Medicine – the Fig Leaf on the Nuclear industry
Medical radioactive wastes — the nuclear industry fig leaf, Independent Australia, 17 Nov 15 With modern developments in the non-nuclear production of medical isotopes, perhaps it’s also time to shut down the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor and stop producing dangerous radioactive trash, writes Noel Wauchope.
Watching the Australian media last week, you would be sure that the government’s hunt for a nuclear waste disposal site was solely to do with medical wastes. Rarely do they mention the real impetus for this hasty search, which is Australia’s current obligation to take back processed nuclear wastes from France. Later, we will have to receive similar wastes returning from UK. …..
the vast majority of medical radioisotopes have very short half-lives, so there’s no need for them to be moved beyond the site of use…. The real problem is the returning intermediate level wastes from Australia’s used nuclear fuel rods reprocessed overseas….
it must be acknowledged that the medical radioisotopes produced at Lucas Heights do have their valuable uses in diagnostics and in the treatment of cancers.
However, it also must be recognised that all these radioisotopes can be produced without use of a nuclear reactor. This is happening increasingly and, rather like the distributed renewable energy boom, the world could be on the brink of a distributed medical radioisotope boom. Continue reading
Malcolm Turnbull assures India they can now buy uranium from Australia
India, Australia nuclear deal to come into force, Indian Express, by Shubhajit Roy | Antalya November 16, 2015 A year after India and Australia signed the civilian nuclear cooperation agreement during then Australian PM Tony Abbott’s visit to New Delhi, his successor, Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull told PM Narendra Modi Sunday that procedure for the pact has been completed and can now be implemented…..
“The PM thanked the Australian PM and said the nuclear agreement is a milestone and a source of trust and confidence. With the completion of procedures, including administrative arrangements, the Civil Nuclear Agreement will now enter into force,” he said.
This was Modi’s first meeting with Turnbull after he took over. Sources described the meeting to be “very constructive” and pointed out to the result-oriented conversation in their first-ever bilateral meeting.
It may be recalled that former Australian PM Julia Gillard paid a state visit to India in October 2012. The decision of Australian government to supply uranium to India was taken during her time and on September 5, 2014, India and Australia signed a MoU for “Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy” during Abbott’s visit.
The significant part of the civil nuclear cooperation agreement was that Australia agreed to become ‘a long-term reliable supplier of uranium to India’……..http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/india-australia-nuclear-deal-to-come-into-force/
Ipswich’s Councillor Paul Tully urges residents to fight nuclear waste dump plan
Tully speaks out against planned nuclear waste dump http://www.qt.com.au/news/tully-speaks-out-against-planned-nuclear-waste-dum/2841387/, 16 Nov 15 CR PAUL Tully has urged Ipswich residents and the community as a whole to prevent a nuclear waste storage facility less than three hours drive from the city from going ahead.
He said Ipswich had a proud history of preventing similar dumps going ahead within its city borders in the past. He drew the community’s attention to the issue on his Facebook page.
“The Federal Government has picked a potential site – one of six – near Inglewood 250km southwest of Brisbane to store nuclear waste from Lucas Heights in Sydney’s west and from other states of Australia,” he posted.
“This would mean hundreds of truckloads of hazardous waste coming through Brisbane, Ipswich and 
Toowoomba via cities and towns in NSW every year.
“Say no to Queensland becoming a nuclear waste dumping ground for the rest of Australia.
The Ipswich community stopped a similar dump at Redbank in 1988 proposed by the state government at the time, which was finally scrapped by the new Goss government in 1989.”
Adelaide branch of University College London (UCL) to close (and good riddance)
With UK import Tim Stone, and Prof Stefaan Simons leading the charge, this UCL branch has been a useful propaganda piece for the global nuclear lobby. South Australia has enough nuclear shills without UCL. It will be good to see it gone.
UCL Australia ‘to wind down by 2017’ https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/ucl-australia-to-wind-down-by-
2017/2018581.article#comment-5146
Future of branch campus in Adelaide under review as funds dry up and London focuses on partnerships
February 19, 2015University College London is set to close its Australia branch within two years as part of a wider review of its overseas campuses.
UCL’s Adelaide campus is likely to be wound up in 2017 on the completion of research deals with energy and mining companies Santos and BHP Billiton worth about A$20 million (£10 million).
Support from South Australia’s regional government is also due to expire that year, which led the university to carry out a review of UCL Australia’s long-term sustainability.
It is now undertaking a consultation process with its staff about a “move away from a stand-alone presence in Adelaide”, although it says this is “not a fait accompli”. Continue reading
Central West New South Wales wants consultation on nuclear waste dump plans
Calls for central west to consulted over nuclear waste plans http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-16/sallys-reax/6943130?section=nsw A Bathurst environment group says a number of central west communities could be put at risk from plans to store nuclear waste in a local village.
The Federal Government has shortlisted six sites including Sallys Flat near Hill End, to house the material that is used in medical procedures and is currently stored at Lucas Heights in Sydney and in hospitals.
The Bathurst Climate Action Network says the impact of the local community and capacity of the road network need to be carefully considered before any decision is made.The president Tracey Carpenter said there were several questions that needed to be answered.
“Apart from the residents, Hill End being a national park, and the thriving community and a tourism attraction and the stigma that would come from being a nuclear waste dump, it needs to transported along our roads, through our centres,” Ms Carpenter said.
“That’s putting all our communities at risk.”
Bev Smiles from the Mudgee District Environment Group said it was not just people around Sallys Flat and the Bathurst district who would be concerned.
“Road accidents with nuclear waste are a highly relevant concern for people and the idea of having nuclear waste buried in your backyard, is something that I think people in a large area of the central west would not be comfortable with,” Ms Smiles said.
Ms Carpenter said it remained to be seen whether the local state MP Paul Toole supported his federal counterparts.“Politically it’s a really interesting issue because the local member Paul Toole opposed wind farms in our region on the grounds that it was divisive to the community,” she said.
“This would certainly be the ultimate division for a community.”
The ABC has contacted Mr Toole for a response.
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PETITION – To: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Australian Labor Government
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