Australian Labor votes with Liberals against an amendment for action on climate change
Labor just voted with the Coalition to defeat Adam Bandt’s amendment to the Clean Energy Act repeal bills currently in the Parliament That all words after “House” be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:
(1) “rejects this bill and the related bills and recognises that global warming is an enormous threat to the Australian way of life and is getting worse; and
(2) calls on the government to take stronger action to protect the Australian people from climate change.”
Air conditioning costs becoming unaffordable for many Australians
Australians Sweating On Air-Conditioning Electricity Costs 20 November, 2013: Despite the majority of Australian households now owning an air conditioner, solar energy advocate Nick Brass of Energy Matters warns many people will swelter in their furnace-like homes this summer rather than switch on the cool. The reason – electricity sourced from the mains grid has simply become an unaffordable luxury. http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=4033
“Electricity prices have risen by a whopping 72% in real terms since 2004[1] and the rise of air conditioners is partly to blame,” commented Mr Brass. “There will be 750,000 more air-con units installed this year alone, bringing the total number of household units to over 9.2 million[2].
“For many people, powering their air conditioner has become unaffordable due to the high cost of electricity. Ironically, it’s because of air conditioners that electricity prices have spiralled out of control. Continue reading
It turns out that W.A.’s ‘Poles and Wires’ (not renewable energy) are the culprit in high electricity costs
The news is cold comfort to those who have been fighting myths and misinformation for years regarding the true villains of electricity price rises and extolling the benefits of clean, distributed energy generation – including a reduction in infrastructure spending. Sadly, it appears the message still may not be getting through to some.
$1 Billion Power Pole Price Blowout For Western Australia http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=4039 21 Nov 13 ‘Poles and wires’ have been the major culprits behind electricity price increases in recent years – and there’s more bad news on this front for Western Australia. Western Power’s 5 year maintenance plan for its wood pole network may have originally been just a little optimistic on the expense and time side of things. It was initially estimated to cost $1.35 billion. Continue reading
Arabunna elder highlights the costs of BHP’s uranium trade at annual meeting
21 Nov 13, Mr Kevin Buzzacott, the President of the Australian Nuclear Free Alliance and a respected Arabunna elder will today take his concerns over the proposed expansion of the Olympic Dam uranium mine in South Australia to BHP Billiton’s annual meeting in Perth. Mr Buzzacott has been vocal in opposing the Olympic Dam uranium mine and the planned expansion. Mr Buzzacott unsuccessfully tried to halt the expansion through the courts and has now been ordered to pay court costs to the Government and to BHPB. At today’s meeting he will be asking whether BHP, the world’s largest miner, will be seeking to follow this cost order.
“I’m an Arabunna elder and I’ve spent the last thirty years trying to protect my country and the water from my country from this monster mine,” said Mr Buzzacott. “Now I’ve come all the way from South Australia because this is so important for me, I’m getting old and this could be my last chance to get BHPB to quit to shut Olympic Dam down and leave the desert and us in peace.”
“All my life I’ve stood up for my country because that is the right thing, that’s what we’re taught to do. Now BHPB have a choice whether they’re going to penalise me, take me for the court costs, for standing up for my country – or whether they’re going to respect my rights to protect those sacred places.”
The planned massive expansion of Olympic Dam has been shelved because of low uranium prices and market uncertainty. The current Olympic Dam mine consumes over thirty five million litres of water day from the Great Artesian Basin from Arabunna country and any future expansion would increase pressure on water resources.
“Now you say the expansion is on hold well we have a right to know whether you’re going to try and get this expansion happening or not. I mean it doesn’t make sense to dig deeper when people are waking up and saying no to the nuclear industry around the world.”
“Our land is our life and we will follow BHP Billiton to the ends of the earth to stop this mine from damaging our country and draining our water,” concluded Mr Buzzacott.
Australia’s 99 year leases – a blatant Government campaign to end Aboriginal land rights.
Don’t take our lands – Yami Lester The Stringer, by Gerry Georgatos November 16th, 2013 There is a wave of fear spreading across remote Aboriginal communities where people had believed that in the least they had achieved the return of Country through various forms of land rights and agreements. Elders around the country are joining Northern Territory Elders in speaking out against the blitzkrieg campaign being conducted by the Federal Government for communities to effectively sign away their Country for 99-year-leases – what many Elders believe a blatant Government campaign to end Aboriginal land rights.
South Australia’s Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Elders are concerned that the Minister Nigel Scullion-led-campaign in the Northern Territory remote communities to sign away their townships over to 99-year-leases is on its way across the border to South Australia’s APY lands. APY Maralinga Tjarutja Pitjantjatjara Elder Yami Lester said it is self-evident that this is what is occurring.
Mr Lester lost his sight as a young child in 1956 after the atomic bomb tests at Maralinga. “I may be blind but I can see what is happening, and so can many others of our people in this Country. Across the border in Country shared, everyone, there and here, is worried by what is happening.”
“The leases are about ending our land rights. Continue reading
AUSTRALIAN NUCLEAR FREE ALLIANCE (ANFA) 2013 Statement
AUSTRALIAN NUCLEAR FREE ALLIANCE ANFA 2013 Statement http://ausnukefreealliance.wordpress.com/2013/11/12/anfa-2013-statement/ ANFA Meeting Statement 2013 The 2013 meeting of the Australian Nuclear Free Alliance (ANFA) was held on the weekend of October 25-27 on the land of the Peramangk people in the Adelaide Hills. The Alliance brings together Aboriginal people, environment and health groups and trade union representatives concerned about uranium and nuclear projects.
The ANFA gathering was attended by representatives of the following Aboriginal nations, organisations and affiliated groups:
Alyawarr, Anmatjere, Arabana, Arrernte, Bailai, Gurindji, Iwaidja, Katyede, Koara, Kokatha/Anterkirinya, Kokatha/Mirning, Kokatha/Narrangar, Larrakia, Martu, Meriam, Mir, Eastern Torres Strait Islands, Ngalia, Nyoongar, Kunarakun, Ngarninjarra/ Pitjantjatjarra/ Yankunytjatjara, Tanganekald/Meintangk, Tjupan, Walpiri, Wajarri Yamatji, Warlmanpa, Warumungu, Wulgurukaba.
Arid Lands Environment Centre, Australian Conservation Foundation, Beyond Nuclear Initiative, Conservation Council of Western Australia, Environment Centre of the Northern Territory, Friends of the Earth, Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation, Hands Around the World, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, Maritime Union of Australia (NSW and NT), Medical Association for Prevention of War, South Coast Trades and Labour Council (NSW), Public Health Association Australia (NT), National Tertiary Education Union (NSW), Uranium Free NSW, Western Australia Nuclear Free Alliance.
Issues and concerns discussed at the meeting included: Continue reading
Off grid solar for Australia’ s remote area mining industries
Miners investigating off grid solar, PV Magazine 20. NOVEMBER 2013 BY: JONATHAN GIFFORD Australia’s mining industry is investigating solar to supply some of its energy needs in off-grid and remote locations. In the resource rich state of Western Australia, estimated savings could reach an excess of AUD$2 billion……..
Australia’s mining industry may finally be making moves towards renewables, as evidenced by strong interest in the recent technology forum. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is leading the way in supporting such development. ARENA hosted the recent event in the Western Australian capital city of Perth in partnership with the Chamber of Minerals and Energy to promote renewables for mining installations.
ARENA’s support scheme, the Regional Australia’s Renewables – Industry Program (I-RAR), assists the industry with such mining applications. The program, which is accepting proposals until the end of the year, offers support for such projects in diverse ways. “We’re actually looking at a variety of support mechanisms, everything from upfront capital grants to revenue based support to what I would call contingent or risk-sharing grants on the backend,” ARENA CEO Ivor Frischknecht told pv magazine……..
Frischknecht told pv magazine that ARENA had already received a number of applications for funding and support under the regional renewables program, including mineral and natural gas extraction ventures. He said that the body has a project pipeline worth “several billion dollars” that it is currently evaluating. “In terms of technologies we’re currently looking at projects that could include solar thermal or PV, or wind,” said Frischknecht…….
The Chamber of Minerals and Energy, ARENA and Austrade are currently working on a publication to share some of the challenges to realizing mining industry renewable projects featuring case studies from existing installations.http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/miners-investigating-off-grid-solar_100013493/#axzz2lJMBH8HE
Australian Renewable Energy Agency kicks off funding for Australian Community Renewables
Australian Community Renewables Receives Funding http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=4036 21 Nov 13, It’s not armed with a huge chunk of change, but a new ARENA-supported project will investigate realising the potential of community-owned renewable energy projects in Australia. On Tuesday, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency announced it was providing $165,280 to theUTS Institute for Sustainable Futures for a $266,280 project that aims to develop ways to growing the local community-owned renewables sector.
There’s certainly no shortage of interest in the concept – dozens of communities throughout Australia have expressed interest in developing community owned wind and solar farms; but start-up funding to get the ball rolling has been practically non-existent.
The Fund Community Energy project has been calling on the federal government to establish a $50 million grant program to support the development stage of community renewables.
While that goal is yet to be realised, the ARENA/UTS project is at least a start. Continue reading
South Australian Aboriginal Call For a Treaty
Don’t take our lands – Yami Lester The Stringer, by Gerry Georgatos November 16th, 2013 “……..South Australia’s Kaurna Elder and Chair of the Kaurna Nation Cultural Heritage Association, Lynette Crocker said that instead of 99-year leases Governments should settle their differences once and for all with Aboriginal peoples with a Treaty “and instead do the right thing by all Aboriginal peoples.”
“Treaty should have come in South Australian regions in the 1830s when the colonialists dispossessed our peoples, and similarly so around Australia. But our Government does not care about Treaties, or about land rights or of doing the right thing. But we will keep the battle up and fight for Treaty. We will get it.”
“What little we have did not come easy. What happened to Australia was the Aboriginal voice rose, Gough Whitlam came along, a friend to our peoples, then the Wik decision and Eddie Mabo. Don’t’ ever imagine that Australian Governments want to give us anything. I approached the then Prime Minister, Julia Gillard about Treaty, and she responded to me, ‘We don’t’ need any more bits of paper.”
“The Prime Minister said to me ‘there will be no Treaty’. We have to raise our voices to get it, we have to come together because look what is happening otherwise – land rights are disappearing, lands are being taken back, and this is what the 99-year-leases are about to make sure we lose back to them – the control of our Countries.”…… http://thestringer.com.au/dont-take-our-lands-yami-lester/#.Uo5eU9Jwo7o
Ranger Uranium Mine safety record cause for concern…again
20 Nov 13 The Northern Territory (NT) Branch of the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) is very concerned that four drums used for yellowcake transport have recently been found at a property in Darwin’s rural area, as reported in local media.
“We expect an immediate investigation into the radioactivity of these drums will follow and a further public and environmental health response will be taken accordingly. We understand these drums have since been claimed by ERA and taken to the Ranger mine,” said Dr Michael Fonda, PHAA’s NT Branch Secretary.
This current case follows a serious operational breach earlier this month where a Ranger mine vehicle left a controlled and contaminated area without authorisation.
“These latest incidents – in the context of more than one hundred reported safety failures over the last 30 years – continue to cast doubt on the effectiveness of the safety regulations at Ranger. They also come at a time when ERA is seeking approval for an expansion to uranium mining at the Ranger mine with the 3 Deepsunderground project,” explained Dr Fonda.
Of further concern are comments made by NT Mines Minister Willem Westra van Holthe yesterday, suggesting less Federal Government scrutiny in future NT uranium mining projects.
“These safety incidents, along with the inherent dangers associated with the uranium industry, reinforce the importance of strict government regulation at a federal level. The NT Branch of PHAA is calling for an urgent independent public inquiry into the safety operations at Ranger, including any proposed expansion of the industry in the region,” said Dr Fonda.
For further information/comment: Dr Michael Fonda, NT Branch Secretary, Public Health Association of Australia 0429 435 595
ERA’S GROWING LIST OF URANIUM FAILURES IS NO BARREL OF LAUGHS
The Environment Centre NT and the Australian Conservation Foundation have condemned the latest in a conga line of failures at Ranger uranium mine amid revelations that four uranium barrels were discovered abandoned in Darwin’s rural area today.
Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) is currently under investigation for a serious operational breach following the recent unauthorised removal of a mine vehicle used in the controlled and contaminated area of the Ranger mine. This latest incident is further evidence of systemic failure at Ranger and highlights the need for an urgent review into the mine’s operations.
“ERA has not only lost control of a vehicle and uranium barrels, they’ve also clearly lost the capacity for responsible management and effective operations”, said Lauren Mellor from the Environment Centre NT. “Uranium mining, with its risks to public health and safety and long-term environmental contamination must be subject of greater Federal government scrutiny – not less as Northern Territory Mines Minister Willem Westra Van Holthe suggested today”.
Environmentalists are calling for a full, public and independent review of the operations and impacts of Ranger. “These drums are literally warning drums about the serious regulatory problems at Ranger and their description matches ERA’s assurances – empty, weathered and fire damaged”, said ACF nuclear campaigner Dave Sweeney. “ERA is currently undergoing an environmental assessment process for their proposed Ranger 3 Deeps underground mine and these systemic breaches should be a red light to Federal and Northern Territory Government assessors that ERA does not have either the capability or credibility to mine and export uranium safely and securely.”
“While there is still uncertainty as to the outcome of the investigation into ERA’s security breach, some things are crystal clear. It is clear that ERA has failed to control its operations on or off the Ranger mine, clear that the regulatory regime is deficient and clear that there is an urgent need for an open and independent review of Ranger.”
In 2011 it was confirmed that Australian uranium was inside the failed Fukushima nuclear reactor and the UN Secretary-General called on Australia to conduct an in-depth assessment of the net cost impact of the impacts of uranium mining on local communities and ecosystems. Environmentalists are calling for this assessment to now be urgently implemented.
“ERA is losing vehicles, barrels and credibility and the Northern Territory community is losing confidence and patience. It is time for the regulators and those who are meant to protect the community and country of Kakadu to get serious and get to work on closing the door to this toxic industry for good,” concluded Ms Mellor.
Lost uranium drums show regulatory failure at Rio’s Ranger mine
20 Nov 13, The Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation (GAC) is outraged by revelations that four uranium barrels from Ranger uranium mine have been located at Noonamah south of Darwin. It is understood that the NT Department of Health yesterday notified Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) of the drums and asked that they be removed. The drums have been returned to the Ranger mine within the bounds of Kakadu National Park for safe storage. This incident comes within weeks of another serious breach of radiation management at Ranger when a potentially contaminated vehicle left the Ranger site without authorisation
GAC’s Chief Executive Officer Justin O’Brien said: “It is clear that the radiation control measures at the Ranger mine site have failed on multiple occasions. While we welcome the timely reporting of this issue by the company, ERA’s management of radiation is plainly inadequate.
“The Commonwealth Government must step in and ensure that this matter is taken seriously. To date the response by the Office of the Supervising Scientist (OSS) has been dismissive and woefully inadequate. Both the NT and Federal Governments must broaden their current investigations into the vehicle incident and examine the entire management of radiation at the Ranger mine.
“This is not a only a matter between the Mirarr and the mining company, there are significant questions of public health to be considered here. We expect these issues to be considered in a comprehensive investigation of these incidents.
“This revelation raises very serious concerns for the Mirarr Traditional Owners regarding the suggestion of further mining at Ranger,” Mr O’Brien concluded.
Northern Territory joining Queensland in wanting State, NOT FEDERAL, control of uranium environmental approvals
Mines minister pushes Top End uranium projects ABC News, By Marty McCarthy 19 Nov 2013, Northern Territory Mines Minister Willem Westra Van Holthe says he will meet his federal counterpart to discuss ways to streamline environmental approvals for uranium exploration.
The Federal Government has already drafted a bilateral agreement with the Queensland Government for more localised assessment of environmentally sensitive projects.
Mr Westra van Holthe says he will discuss ways in talks this week for the Territory to cut red and green tape, to encourage uranium projects in the Top End. “I will be pushing for the NT to have more say and more control over the process of uranium mining,” he said……
Greens Senator Larissa Waters has already raised concerns about the impact of changes to uranium approval processes. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-19/westra-van-holthe-on-uranium-project-approval-process-talks-can/5102786
Australia’s role in wrecking the international climate talks
Australia turns into ‘anti-climate’ force at Warsaw REneweconomy, By Giles Parkinson on 19 November 2013It has taken just 7 days, but already the reputation of Australia as a constructive force in international climate policy has been completely trashed – both in terms of its domestic actions and in the wrecking ball tactics it has sent to Warsaw.
Australia is now seen as an “anti-climate” nation that is actively working against any consensus at these talks, as its domestic policies are translated onto the international stage. Continue reading
Ross Gittins’ apology to grandchildren on Australia’s climate change inaction
Climate change: Dear grandchildren, I can only say sorry November 20, 2013 The Age, Ross Gittins The Sydney Morning Herald’s Economics Editor I don’t have grandchildren but I’m hoping for some, someday, so this column is for them. I want you to know that although, in the mid-teens of this century, Australians elected a government that wasn’t genuine in its commitment to combating the effects of climate change, and that even abolished the main instrument economists invented for that purpose, I never accepted this complacency……….
Abbott associated with outright climate-change deniers and said things that seemed to brand him as one of them, while always adding, sotto voce, that he accepted human-caused climate change and the need to do something about it.
Apart from attracting voters away from Labor and its frightening carbon tax, the result of making climate change an issue of party dispute was to give Liberal supporters a licence to stop worrying about climate change – if the leaders of my party aren’t worrying, why should I? – while providing a fig leaf for those Liberals who retained their concern……
You will find this hard to believe, but in the mid-teens, it was still common to think about ”the economy” in isolation from the natural environment which sustained it. Economists, business people and politicians had gone for two centuries largely ignoring the damage economic activity did to the environment.
The idea that, eventually, the environment would hit back and do great damage to the economy was one most people preferred not to think about. At the time, it was fashionable to bewail the lack of action to increase the economy’s productivity.
Few people joined dots to realise the climate was in the process of dealing a blow to our productivity, one that would significantly reduce the next generation’s living standards.
At the time, we rationalised our selfishness – our willingness to avoid a tiny drop in our standard of living at the expense of a big drop in our offspring’s – by telling ourselves half-truths and untruths about the global nature of climate change…..
Did I ever doubt that climate change represented by far the greatest threat to Australia’s future economic prosperity? Never. Should I have said this more often, rather than chasing a thousand economic will-o’-the-wisps? Yes.
http://www.theage.com.au/comment/climate-change-dear-grandchildren-i-can-only-say-sorry-20131119-2xt90.html#ixzz2lDegPlGQ
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.
.
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)
To see nuclear-related stories in greater depth and intensity
Antinuclear 