Australia’s Maralinga veterans and Aboriginals paid the price for nuclear bomb testing
Finally they can heal together, Adelaide Now, Bryan Littlely, From:The Advertiser, November 12, 2011 THEY are snapshots from a secret time. An insight into a life in one of the harshest and most secure places in Australia. The men who took these photographs at Maralinga during the series of British nuclear testing and clean-up from 1952 to 1967 carry them proudly. Most also carry another legacy of this land and the controversial atomic testing that went on here.
Cancers and other conditions linked to the radiation, plutonium, burilium-laced lands that were left after the testing has claimed the lives of many of the men who were at Maralinga. In 1985, a survey found that of the 12,500 people involved in the British nuclear testing program in Australia, 11,000 had died. Hundreds of Maralinga-Tjarutja people were also forced from their homeland during the testing.
Few of the veterans remain today but the handful who have gone back to Maralinga for the Remembrance Day reunion have done so with the blessing of the traditional owners, so the two groups of people for
whom Section 400 is so significant can heal together…. Australian Nuclear Veterans Association founder Avon Hudson, the Maralinga whistleblower and advocate for compensation claims for the men, said there were only about 50 members of that association left.
“We’re nearly buggered … most of our members are old buggers like me and we are dropping off the perch,” Mr Hudson, 74, said. “We can get a bit of healing coming back here. It brings back a lot of sad memories because almost all my mates are dead but it is mixed feelings because I have a lot of good memories, too.”…
“We were sent on to that Taranaki ground zero site to test some stuff… nobody knew it was contaminated,” he said…..
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/finally-they-can-heal-together/story-e6frea83-1226193206591
Malcolm Turnbull makes a strong case against Climate Change Denialists, and Koch brothers
THEY’RE LIKE SMOKERS: Malcolm Turnbull turns on climate change sceptics, Perth Now November 06, 2011 Turnbull highlights new study by climate sceptics It still found the planet was 1C warmer than in 1950s FORMER Liberal leader Malcolm Turnbull has compared climate change sceptics with people who refuse to admit smoking causes lung cancer.
Mr Turnbull, who lost the Liberal leadership almost two years ago when he backed Labor’s old 
emissions trading scheme, has seized on a US study showing global temperatures are rising….. In his attack on climate-change deniers, Mr Turnbull highlighted a study of the world’s surface temperatures by Richard Muller, which was partially bankrolled by a foundation connected to global warming deniers.
But despite drawing funding from industrialist brothers David and Charles Koch, the study by the University of Berkeley
in California, still found the Earth was 1C warmer than in the 1950s. “One of the big financiers of the anti-climate change movement is a family called Koch, K-O-C-H, and they put a lot of money into these climate sceptic organisations and they’ve got big interest in fossil fuels,” Mr Turnbull told the Seven Network on Sunday.
Mr Turnbull said the backers of the study “presumably” hoped to demonstrate climate science was not reliable, and used the results to criticise people who continually question global warming. “They’re like the guy who gets told by his doctor to stop smoking, lose weight and decides not to do that,” he said. “He met a mate down the pub who said his Uncle Ernie had lived ’til 95 but he smoked a packet every day. It’s ridiculous.”….
http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/special-features/theyre-like-smokers-malcolm-turnbull-turns-on-climate-change-sceptics/story-e6frg19l-1226186990042
Marathon uranium miner to sue South Australian government
Mining company Marathon Resources sues over Arkaroola ban, Courier Mail, Greg Kelton, From:AdelaideNow, November 12, 2011 MINING company Marathon Resources will sue the South Australian State Government over its plan to ban mining at Arkaroola in the Flinders Ranges.
The Government’s proposed ban, one of Mike Rann’s final acts as Premier, directly affected a Marathon mining lease which had been granted by the Government. Legal proceedings were issued in the Supreme Court yesterday by Kelly & Co on behalf of Marathon….. Marathon was carrying $15.8 million of exploration expenditure relating to its Mt Gee tenement in its December accounts and the Government’s decision would require the company to write off these expenses – destroying all but $500,000 of Marathon’s residual equity in one blow. While the State Government may not have a legal obligation to compensate Marathon for its expenditure, it is likely to offer an “egratia” payment for political purposes. http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/national/marathon-resources-sues-south-australia-government-over-arkaroola-mining-ban/story-e6freooo-1226193147653
Another USA military base for Australia
“This current global situation is characterised by John Bellamy Foster as “the attempts of Washington to restore and expand its global hegemony, using its military power to enhance its economic position”…….When imperial power starts to fade, as was the case with Britain’s in the early 20th century, it seems that Australian polticians’ response is to tie us ever closer to the sinking ship”….“potentially the deadliest period in the history of imperialism.” If we sow this wind in Darwin, then we’ll reap the whirlwind…..”
US Marines to have Darwin base: expert reactions, The Conversation, 11 November 2011, http://theconversation.edu.au/us-marines-to-have-darwin-base-expert-reactions-4260 The Labor Government will reportedly allow the US to permanently base American Marines in Darwin.
If this goes ahead, Australia will join a long list of countries around the world that host American soldiers, including former US colonies such as the Philippines and Cuba, its vanquished WWII foes, Japan and Germany, and scores of other countries. What does it mean for Australia?…
Dr Kelvin McQueen, Faculty of The Professions, School of Education, University of New England:
There are disturbing reports that the Gillard government is giving the US Marines a base in Darwin. Not since the Vietnam War will Australia have seen such an invasion of US miltary personnel into its territory. But it’s 35 years since that war ended, so what is the threat to both the US and Australia that necessitates a Marine base in our northern capital? Continue reading
Australia does little for nuclear disarmament, just follows American line
The Rudd and Gillard governments, like those before them, have taken a cautious approach to nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament. They have been unwilling to push for anything more than the United States will accept. Indeed, Australia’s policies perfectly mirror those of our powerful nuclear-armed ally…
For years, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons has urged the Australian government to join the international mainstream in supporting negotiations on a comprehensive nuclear weapons ban – a
nuclear weapons convention. But it has refused to do so, ..
Australia driving the push for nuclear disarmament? Hardly ! Crikey.com November 11, 2011 by Tim Wright Fifteen years ago in The Hague, the International Court of Justice – the highest legal authority in the world – handed down one of its most
contentious advisory opinions. To the chagrin of the nuclear powers, it declared that all governments are legally obliged to disarm, and todo so without unreasonable delay.
“The destructive power of nuclear weapons,” the court remarked, “cannot be contained in either space or time. They have the potential to destroy all civilisation and the entire ecosystem of the planet.” It observed that radiation released by a nuclear explosion would affect health, agriculture and natural resources, and pose “a serious
danger to future generations”. Continue reading
Running out of time to act on global warming – not that Martin Ferguson cares
Five years to act on climate: report The Age , Tom Arup and David Wroe November 11, 2011THE world has just five years to make ”urgent and radical policy changes” or lock in dangerous climate change, the world’s leading energy agency has warned, sparking a debate about whether Australia should shift to gas or renewable energy.
The 2011 World Energy Outlook – released by the International Energy Agency late on Wednesday night – finds the world is on track to build enough fossil-fuel power stations, energy-intensive factories and buildings by 2017 to close the door on keeping climate change to a safe level…… The outlook says coal consumption needs to peak well before 2020 if the world wants to halt global warming at a 2 degrees rise, which scientists say is needed to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
If energy and climate policies currently proposed by all world governments – including Australia’s carbon tax – are put in place, temperatures will rise by 3.5 degrees. If the world remains on its current path of growth in fossil fuels global temperatures will rise by 6 degrees, the outlook says.
Agency chief economist Fatih Birol said if by 2017 there is not a start to major new clean infrastructure investments ”the door to 2 degrees will be closed”. ”I am very worried,” he said, ”if we don’t change direction now on how we use energy, we will end up beyond what scientists tell us is the minimum. The door will be closed forever.”
The outlook comes as nations prepare to converge on the South African city of Durban later this month for the next round of global climate change negotiations, but there is almost no expectation significant progress on a global pact will be made.
The agency’s report says emissions from existing fossil-fuel power plants, factories and buildings have already locked in 80 per cent of the emissions allowed by 2035 to keep carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere to 450 parts per million, the maximum possible to keep temperature rises to 2 degrees. The other 20 per cent will be eaten up by 2017 on current development trends the outlook says.
Greens deputy leader Christine Milne told The Age the report showed that there was no longer time to use gas – which is a cleaner-burning fuel than coal – as a stepping stone to renewable energy such as wind, solar and geothermal. ”[The outlook] is basically saying to the investment community, ‘You are going to be gambling on how long gas has got as any kind of transitional fuel’.”
Australia would need to make deeper cuts to keep to a 450ppm target, which would restrict the number of permits under the carbon-pricing scheme and make emissions more expensive.
However, Mr Ferguson told The Age: ”The flexibility of gas-fired technology and the fact it is the cleanest fossil fuel make it an attractive investment option.” In addition to gas, the message I am getting firsthand out of China and India … is that coal-fired power will increase and Australia is well placed to supply coal to fuel their growing economies.”… http://www.theage.com.au/national/five-years-to-act-on-climate-report-20111110-1n9he.html#ixzz1dRh1PZbd
Martin Ferguson’s conflict of interest on renewable energy, and attack on Greens
Yes, it’s an awful shame that Australia has a Minister for Resources, Energy and Tourism – when there is clearly a conflict of interest in that role
Martin Ferguson has chosen to effectively be Australia’s Minister For Nuclear Power, and Fossil Fuels – sure – they are forms of energy. It’s just a pity that these are in direct conflict with renewable energy, and tourism, for which Ferguson is also responsible. He has a firm grip on disseminatng information to downgrade renewable s, even to having his own stooge representing Australia at IRENA. – C.M.
Ferguson slams Greens on renewable energy, Business Spectator , 11 Nov 2011 The Greens push for Australia to abandon non-renewable energy sources within a decade has prompted Energy Minister Martin Ferguson to say the party is “living in fantasy land” in comments that risk further escalating rifts between Labor and the Greens, according to a report by The Australian.
Mr Ferguson said the Greens’ push to abandon non-renewable energy sources will not be achievable so long as renewable energy is more expensive than traditional energy sources.
“It is time the Greens stopped deliberately misleading the Australian public with their claims that Australia can move to 100 per cent renewable energy within a decade,” Mr Ferguson said, according to The Australian.
“They are living in fantasy land if they think this can be achieved.” The Greens have declared that the federal government’s $23-a-tonne carbon tax, passed by the Senate on Tuesday, does not go far enough on moving towards renewable energy, the newspaper added. http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/Ferguson-slams-Greens-on-renewable-energy-pd20111110-NGRE4?opendocument&src=rss
Australia might block investment in nuclear weapons, including in Future Fund
Australia to Weigh Powers for Blocking Nuke Investments NTI Global Security Newswire, Nov. 10, 2011 Australian Defense Minister Stephen Smith has requested a formal opinion on whether he wields authority under existing statutes to bar the possession of financial stakes in firms involved in nuclear weapons activities, The Australiannewspaper reported on Thursday (see GSN, Oct. 17).
Smith instructed William Blick, a former inspector-general of intelligence and security, to determine “whether the investment of funds in companies that develop, produce, acquire or stockpile weapons of mass destruction should be controlled” by the Weapons of Mass Destruction (Prevention of Proliferation) Act. Canberra has tapped the law in five instances over roughly the last two years to prevent transfers of items with possible WMD applications to Pakistan and Middle Eastern countries including Iran (see GSN, April 5, 2010).
The law’s potential use to prohibit financial interests in nuclear weapon-linked firms might affect a pension fund for Australian government retirees. Australia’s “Future Fund” had $137.7 million in holdings in 15 such companies, including Boeing, EADS, Honeywell and Northrop Grumman, according to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (Sean Parnell, THE AUSTRALIAN, Nov. 10).http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20111110_7447.php
Anti nuclear protest against Obama at Darwin, Australia
Local activists plan Obama protest News.com.au 10 Nov 11 LOCAL activists angry at
US military bases in Australia are planning to protest US President Barack Obama’s trip to Darwin next week. Justin Tutty from Darwin Residents Against War says he expects at least 20 locals to stage a peaceful protest near Parliament when Mr Obama arrives on Thursday.
“Our message is that we don’t want US bases, we don’t want US nuclear warships in Darwin Harbour and we don’t want US troops in Darwin,” Mr Tutty said. There has been speculation Mr Obama will use the visit to make an announcement relating to increasing the US military presence in the Northern Territory.
Australian Defence Minister Stephen Smith recently foreshadowed increasing the number of joint training exercises with America in Darwin and the US storing more equipment in the city for disaster and humanitarian assistance.
Already the US and Australia jointly run the Pine Gap spy base near Alice Springs in the Northern
Territory. Mr Tutty said there was little information about what a greater US presence in Northern Territory would mean.
“They have talked about a pre-positioning base and we are very sceptical about the nature of the base because of all the lies we have been told about Pine Gap,” Mr Tutty said.”For so many years they told us that Pine Gap was a communications base, but in the last few years it has come out about its offensive role and it was used to direct dozens of attacks on Iraq.” http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/national/local-activists-plan-obama-protest/story-e6frfku9-1226190123963#ixzz1dLAjnMoG
Obama’s Australian visit is vital to USA’s military industrial complex
Obama’s Australia visit vital says White House, Herald Sun by:By Erica Werner in Washington , November 10, 2011 US President Barack Obama is about to embark on a nine-
day trip to Hawaii, Australia and Indonesia that will take him away from Washington at an important time, but White House officials say its all about US jobs.
The trip also will underscore the economic, political and security importance of the fast-growing Asia-Pacific region, which the US sees as critical to American interests in coming years.
“The President’s No.1 priority is job creation, and our efforts to create American jobs are tied very directly to our engagement in the Asia-Pacific,” said Ben Rhodes, a White House deputy national security adviser.
“Increasingly the centre of gravity in the 21st century is going to make the Asia-Pacific critical to all of our interests,” Mr Rhodes said.
Mr Obama leaves on Friday for Hawaii, where the US will host the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit, bringing together 21 member nations which together comprise 40 per cent of the world’s population. From there, he makes a long-delayed visit to Australia…
In Australia, the President visits the capital, Canberra, as well as Darwin, site of an Australian military base, where discussion is expected to focus on an emerging defence agreement that would let the US to expand its military presence in Australia….
Kim Beazley, Australia’s ambassador to the US, said in an interview today …”Australia’s geographic location is becoming increasingly important to the US.”…http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/obamas-australia-visit-vital-says-white-house/story-e6frf7ko-1226190900495
Expansion of renewable energy power spells doom for costly nuclear energy
Nuclear power ‘doomed in Australia’ by alternative energy, Adelaide Now, by:RUSSELL EMMERSON,The Advertiser November 10, 2011 THE success of a competitive energy market and the rise of wind power effectively spell doom for an Australian nuclear industry, an expert says.
A paper authored by University College London director Tony Owen links the rise of nuclear power to government backing, but warns the private sector is unlikely to see an economic case for nuclear power because companies will face greater investment risk without government security. Continue reading
Olympic Dam “Every word of the agreement favours BHP, not South Australians” – Liberal MP
Opposition industry spokesman Martin Hamilton-Smith joined the criticism of the deal struck with BHP Billiton. Mr Hamilton-Smith said, “Every word of the agreement favours BHP, not South Australians.”
Greens turn new Premier Jay Weatherill blue, The Advertiser, Sarah Martin , November 10, 2011 “……Mr Parnell agreed that the Greens did not support any expansion of uranium mining in Australia, and argued the mine could be viable without uranium exploration. Continue reading
Australia’s energy resources boom threatened by China’s move to renewable energy
China may go green
A BEIJING academic has warned Australia not to rely too much on China’s demand for iron ore and coal because a move to green power from the Asian powerhouse was real and could stem consumption of our exports.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/carbon-plan/china-may-go-green/story-fn99tjf2-1226190686413
Well, that is all I could get – unable to get online material from THE AUSTRALIAN. I think it’s because I haven’t paid up a subscription to it. – Christina Macpherson
Renewables plus energy efficiency can bring Australia to 100% energy
100% renewables, no hot air, Climate Spectator, Matthew Wright, 10 Nov 11 The Zero Carbon Australia Stationary Energy project has paved the way for Australian researchers to contribute their best scenarios for transitioning to a 21st century renewable powered economy in a decade….. We congratulate UNSW for being the first institution to take up the challenge.
As the community partner in the ZCA project, Beyond Zero Emissions welcomes the UNSW’s contribution with its soon to be released scenario for taking the economy to 100 per cent renewable energy.
Before we can discuss the merits of their proposal, we need to consider the two schools of thought on how to achieve a completely decarbonised economy: those who think we should have a fossil fuel powered “transition;” and those who think that transition using fossil fuel “lite” technologies – namely fossil gas – is a diversion, not a shortcut. Beyond Zero Emissions fit into the latter category while the UNSW fit somewhere in between……
Gas generation is the most notable difference between the Zero Carbon Australia plan and the UNSW scenario but it’s not the only one.
The ZCA included a significant energy efficiency program, the most ambitious one proposed to date, which shows how we can deliver half the end use energy we currently deliver. How we do that is being comprehensively detailed in the work of the Zero Carbon Australia Buildings plan, which will be published in February next year.
Then there’s our plan to link the main electricity grids in Australia: the Mount Isa mine grid in the north and the eastern seaboard grid with the West Australian grids. This proposed updating of infrastructure is on par with what’s happening in China, in South America, and serious plans to connect North Africa and the Middle East to Europe. Our plan to link eastern and Western Australia with HVDC, creating a national grid, is consistent with the recommendation of Siemens Australia. The cost of this technology has come down since we researched and produced our report……
Beyond Zero Emissions welcomes the UNSW study and looks forward to the ensuing debate on the proposal once it is released……. http://www.climatespectator.com.au/commentary/100-renewables-no-hot-air
Australia’s newest uranium mine, Honeymoon, is majority owned by Russia
Uranium One is now majority owned by the Russian’s…will they be first to sell uranium to Russia under the Howard-Putin deal that was ratified without any changes by PM Gillard & Foreign Affairs Minister Rudd against the recommendations of a JSCT Parliamentary Inquiry to not proceed with the deal ?
AUSTRALIA’S fourth uranium mine – Honeymoon in the northeast of South Australia – is up and running. Owned by Uranium One, It is the first uranium project to reach production since the Australian Labor Party scrapped its no-new mines policy in 2007.
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