Australia’s gas industry a lesser evil than uranium and nuclear power
As one who cares about the environment, I am reluctant to enthuse about LNG. However, the facts must be faced. In this over-populated world, with developing countries wanting material prosperity – energy use is escalating. And Australia is an energy exporter.
Nuclear energy’s real promise for the future is global and permanent pollution, epidemic cancer, escalating war and terrorism risk – increasing fear, danger, and suppression of civil liberties.
Liquified Natural Gas has its own threats of environmental damage, and erosion of civil liberties (especially for farming communities).
Until the world swings properly to energy conservation and renewables, LNG presents itself as a lesser evil, and as one more piece of compelling evidence that Australia does not need nuclear power, nor uranium mining. – Christina Macpherson
Gas boom could put us on top of the world: Woodside’s Michael Hession, THE AUSTRALIAN, RICK WALLACE, TOKYO CORRESPONDENT , July 20, 2011 AUSTRALIA could become the world’s largest exporter of LNG, the head of Woodside’s Browse Basin project told a major energy conference in Japan yesterday.
Woodside’s Michael Hession said Australia was poised to become the second-largest exporter behind Qatar, and was ideally placed to meet the soaring demand being driven by Asian growth and the shift away from nuclear power in the wake of Japan’s Fukushima disaster.
The conference heard a range of bullish predictions on the future of Australia’s LNG industry, including the assessment from Australian government forecaster Jane Melanie that “what we are expecting to see is nothing less than a gas revolution”….. Dr Hession said the trend away from nuclear power in Japan and other countries would fuel this demand even more....http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/gas-boom-could-put-us-on-top-of-the-world-woodsides-michael-hession/story-e6frg9df-1226097870716
Australian uranium mining greed puts profits above World Heritage ecology
Australian Mining Company in $400m uranium project in Tanzania, BUSINESS WEEK, 17 JULY 2011 , MARY JOHN, DARES SALAAM, TANZANIA – An Australian uranium mining company, Mantra Resources, plans to build a $400-million uranium mine in the Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania within the next three years…….
“We hope that UNESCO Heritage Committee will not halt the mining in the Game Reserve as it did recently in Serengeti National Park road project, considering the effect of the uranium activities to the environment,” said the analysts. Continue reading
China not a military nuclear threat to Australia
Compared with China’s 200 nuclear warheads, the US has 2150 operational strategic nuclear warheads together with 2850 warheads in reserve that are relatively quickly deployable…
…. let’s not frighten ourselves to death by drumming up the next military threat to Australia and basing our defence policy on the likelihood that we are going to be attacked by China.
Knocking on nobody’s door, THE AUSTRALIAN, Paul Dibb , July 18, 2011 “……..Since its first nuclear explosion in 1964, Beijing has struggled to develop a minimum nuclear deterrent force. Unlike the US and Russia, it has no credible nuclear war-fighting capability. Continue reading
How the Northern Territory Intervention gets Aboriginals off their land, and uranium miners on to it
It is worth noting that the majority of Australia’s extensive supply of uranium (almost half of the world’s supply) is currently found under Aboriginal land in the Northern Territory, making these lands extremely valuable to the Australian government and mining companies…
Some communities have found themselves forced to travel extreme distances to access a store where the Basic Card is accepted…..This last factor is taking a lot of people off their lands, as they are driven to larger towns in order to buy food and small and remote local shops are going out of business.
On the Northern Territory Intervention, FEMINISTE, by HEXY on 16 July 11 “……..Compulsory acquisition of townships currently held under the title provisions of the Native Title Act 1993 through five year leases, with no appeal process and exclusive rights over all buildings and properties. Continue reading
Australian Liberal politician attacks climate science teaching in schools
Queensland Education Minister Cameron Dick said Mr McIver’s comments were an “outrageous slur” on the professionalism of the state’s 38,000 teachers. “The curriculum taught in Queensland state schools is developed and delivered by educational experts, not politicians, nor backroom political party operatives like Mr McIver,” he said.
”Quite simply, students studying science in Queensland state schools are taught scientific facts.
Students ‘brainwashed’ over climate change: LNP, Sydney Morning Herald, Tony Moore, July 15, 2011 , The Liberal National Party president has blasted the Queensland education system for “brainwashing” students about climate change. Speaking to LNP members at the party’s state conference today, Bruce McIver said he was discouraged about how children were being taught about climate change in schools. Continue reading
Big Money Behind Australia’s Climate Change Denial
Ms Rinehart…. recently sponsored a speech by controversial UK climate-change sceptic Lord Christopher Monckton …Her speech at the Boao Forum for Asia business conference in Perth last week, where she arranged for climate-change sceptic Prof Ian Plimer to address the audience, highlighted her scepticism of man-made climate change…Ms Rinehart wrote a reference letter for former CSIRO nuclear physicist and Federal Coalition backbencher, Dr Dennis Jensens, backing his doubts that humans have caused global warming
Australia’s richest woman fumes over carbon tax, Russell Quinn Business Reporter : The Sunday Times , July 16, 2011 THE country’s richest woman, WA mining magnate Gina Rinehart, has demanded a referendum on Julia Gillard’s carbon tax.
New South Wales country businesses profiting from energy efficiency
Country areas stand out for the highest number of businesses who are participating, with only North Sydney, Sydney and Marrickville making it into the top 10 regions….
”NSW’s energy-efficiency programs are already helping businesses save over $56 million a year, but we haven’t even started to scratch the surface,” the council’s chief executive, Rob Murray-Leach, said.
”Energy efficiency could save the economy over $5 billion a year … These programs show that people who claim the carbon price will damage the economy are talking pure rubbish.”
NSW businesses cashing in on drive for energy efficiency, Sydney Morning Herald, Ben Cubby, July 16, 2011, THE state’s small- and medium-sized businesses are reaping the benefits of government energy-efficiency programs, saving a combined $70 million in power costs for about $8 million in government subsidies in the past two years, new data shows. Continue reading
Plan for Australia’s Clean Energy Future
Clean Energy Future plan, Sydney Morning Herald, 16 July 11 — A clean energy future is part of a long term plan to reshape our economy, cut carbon pollution, drive innovation, and help avoid the increased costs of delaying action on climate change. Continue reading
Australian govt debates nuclear waste dump, as Aboriginal opposition continues
Six years of ‘long, hard struggle’: Communities call for a new approach on radioactive waste management, Beyond Nuclear, 15 July 11, Today marks six years since the Howard federal government announced plans for a radioactive waste dump in the Northern Territory. There was immediate and resolute opposition from the Northern Territory Government and Traditional Owners and communities near all of the targeted sites.
Three Department of Defence sites were initially announced, with a site in the Muckaty Land Trust added to the short list after a controversial nomination by the Northern Land Council.
New legislation tabled by Resources Minister Martin Ferguson names the contentious Muckaty site as the only area to be further assessed, even though a federal court case by Traditional Owners is underway to challenge the nomination. Continue reading
Time that Australian govts stepped in to protect Kakadu from ERA’s dangerous uranium mining plans
little wonder that Ranger has been hammered by the market and described as Rio Tinto’s ”major shame in this country”…. the cold hard fact remains that no modern uranium mine has ever undertaken large-scale acid heap leaching let alone in the monsoonal tropics surrounded by a renowned World-Heritage site…
The time has come for the Northern Territory regulator the Department of Resources and the Commonwealth adviser, the Office of the Supervising Scientist, to ensure that ERA and the Ranger site addresses the systemic failures in tailings and water management and ends the habit of unnecessary risk taking. .
Need for greater mining rules to protect Kakadu, Canberra Times, BY GAVIN MUDD, 15 Jul, 2011 Plans to expand the Ranger uranium operations pose big dangers. Inside Australia’s largest national park lies one of the country’s most controversial mines. Earlier this year it came close to a serious failure that would have contaminated Kakadu, effectively forever. Now, instead of heeding the warning signs, it wants to expand. Continue reading
Queensland University leads in research for solar distributed energy
“In future, it will need to accommodate many, many more, smaller input sources in diverse locations, from renewable resources such as solar, geothermal and wind,” Professor Meredith says.
He says mid-size, commercial-scale renewable power generating systems like UQ’s will become increasingly common in urban and remote areas.
UQ powers up $7m solar array QBR, July 15, 2011, Brisbane has today stepped up its renewable energy research capabilities with the official launch of the University of Queensland’s $7.75 million solar array – the largest power system of its kind in Australia. Continue reading
A new variation on pro nuclear spin – from Flinders University
Check out the inflammatory heading and language in the item below. It’s no surprise that Professor Sykes’research is funded by the USA Departmnet of Energy (DOE) – a body that is wedded to nuclear power.
From Prof Sykes we learn how irrational we are, how we panicked, in our ignorance, being worried about low dose radiation. Why it prevents cancer!
She goes on to tell us that there is no leaukaemia,no solid cancers, no birth defects caused by low level Chernobyl radiation, (well they have a long lead time, new cases can be expected from 25 years on). She sheds doubt on the thyroid cancer cases. And goes on to enthuse about how low level radiation benefits diabetes and arteriosclerosis.
My oh my – no wonder the DOE wants to fund Prof Sykes’research!. – Christina Macpherson
Radiation response a meltdown in reason, Health Canal 14 July 11, The possibility that low doses of radiation may prevent or delay the progression of cancer is being explored by a Flinders University research team led by Professor Pam Sykes in a move that runs counter to the widely held perception that exposure to any radiation is harmful.
Professor Sykes, recently appointed to the University’s Strategic Professorship in Preventive Cancer Biology in the Flinders Centre for Cancer Prevention and Control says the public panic in responseto nuclear accidents such as that at Fukushima in Japan is the result of a general ignorance about radiation…..
http://www.healthcanal.com/cancers/18880-Radiation-response-meltdown-reason.html
Time to expose and remove Rupert Murdoch’s power over democracy
Avaaz , Ricken, Emma, Maria Paz, Giulia, Luis, Alice, Brianna and the rest of the Avaaz team, 14 July 2011“….. Murdoch is a global problem. He’s famous for dictating editorial positions to his papers. He corrupts and controls democracies by pushing politicians to back his extremist ideas on war, torture and a host of other planetary ills, and destroying the careers of politicians with smear campaigns unless they do his bidding. In the US, he helped elect George W. Bush and has most of the Republican presidential candidates actually on his payroll (see sources below). His Fox News Network spread lies to promote the war in Iraq, pushed resentment of Muslims and immigrants and spawned the right-wing tea party. Maybe worst of all, he has helped block critical global action on climate change.
Australia chairing IRENA – Yey! Martin Ferguson involved – Boo!
Australia To Chair International Renewable Energy Agency, By Ross Kelly Jul 13, 2011, NASDAQ , SYDNEY -(Dow Jones)– Australia has been elected as the inaugural chair of the International Renewable Energy Agency, established to promote the increased adoption of green energy worldwide, Energy and Resources Minister Martin Ferguson saidThursday.
Established in 2009, IRENA held its inaugural assembly in Abu Dhabi in April this year. It has 77 members, while 149 states and the European Union have ratified its statute.
“International cooperation is vital in accelerating the deployment of new technologies by driving down costs,” Ferguson said in a statement. “Australia’s election to this leadership role reflects our commitment to developing renewable energy.”
Australia on Sunday released details of a plan to impose a tax on carbon emissions of A$23 per metric ton from July 1, 2012. It also announced A$13.2 billion in government support for renewable energy projects.
Anti uranium stance likely to return Western Australia’s Labor Party to power
“Campaign Capital director Daniel Smith, who commissioned the polling, said the polling indicates the state Labor Party may be able to exploit the issue at the next state election, after strengthening its opposition to uranium mining at its recent state conference.
“The polling indicates WA Labor’s reaffirmed opposition to uranium mining provides political opportunities in the marginal seats that will decide the next state election,” said Mr Smith.
“Among the swinging voters that will decide these elections, support for uranium mining was recorded at only 28 per cent.”
Japanese disaster hurts WA’s uranium support, Nick Evans , PerthNow , July 14, 2011 “……PerthNow has seen the results of recent polling put to 400 voters in four government held marginal seats – Riverton, Jandakot, Swan Hills and Mount Lawley – that shows opposition to uranium mining has grown since the Fukishima disaster in Japan.
Almost half the voters contacted by Western Australian Opinion Polls said they opposed uranium mining in WA, with 32 per cent of people saying they strongly oppose the idea.
Only 5 per cent strongly support the opening of uranium mines in WA, with total support running at only 32 per cent….. Continue reading
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