Australian government opposes any expansion of nuclear industry – Penny Wong
Wong said the federal government has made its position on the nuclear industry clear and it was also clear in opposing any expansion of the nuclear industry.
She said solar and wind powered energy should be considered, as should the potential for geothermal energy. “We do have these resources and we should use them,” she said.“We have an underinvestment in the energy sector.”
ENRICHING THE URANIUM DEBATE, Australian Mining, By Jessica Burke 9 May 2011“……Penny Wong recently warned South Australia against becoming involved in nuclear enrichment. The senior federal South Australian Minister and former climate change minister told ABC radio that enriching uranium or having power stations is “not the sort of vision I want for South Australia.” Continue reading
Australian govt’s rush to pass nuclear waste law – no consultation with Palmerston municipality
Palmerston Mayor nuclear fallout with Federal Government ABC News Darwin By Nicole Foote, 10 May 11 The Mayor of Palmerston has strong concerns over the transportation of radioactive nuclear waste from Darwin Port through his community. The proposed nuclear waste dump at Muckaty Station is around 800 kilometres south-east of Palmerston, yet Palmerston Mayor Robert McLeod is very concerned about its impact.
If the dump site goes ahead, radioactive waste from other states and overseas is likely to be transported through Palmerston.
Looking at proposed transport routes, Mayor McLeod says the current recommendations from Linfox and Toll to the government would see waste transported in 20 foot containers either by rail or road from East Arm Port down the Stuart Highway. Either way, the Palmerston Mayor is concerned that neither the Territory or Federal government have consulted Palmerston Council so far.
“At this stage the Federal Government hasn’t spoken to anyone within regards to moving stuff throughout our municipality.”…… The Palmerston council has passed a motion for the Mayor to approach Energy Minister Martin Ferguson. Robert McLeod will be writing to the minister and meeting with him in Canberra this June to raise his concerns….. http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2011/05/09/3211495.htm
ERA talks up Ranger uranium mine, despite floods, share price fall
…… Energy Resources itself has also been under siege, with accusations that it may be lax in environmental monitoring during its operational suspension.
fears were raised over pollution leaks from the Ranger mine, and it was accused of allowing 100 000 litres of contaminated water to seep from its tailings dam….
A NEW ERA FOR ERA, Australian Mining 10 May 2011 “……Rio Tinto’s Energy Resources Australia (ERA) has stated that it believes there is an additional 34 000 tonnes of high grade uranium oxide underneath its existing open pit at the Ranger mine, near Jabiru in the Northern Territory. According to the miner, exploratory drilling at its 3 Deeps project is set to increase the life of the mine.This is despite the world’s fourth largest uranium producer’s suspension on its operations.
…… A total of 2 490 millilitres of rain has inundated the mine since September last year, the wettest period it has seen since recoding 2 527 millilitres of rainfall in 2006/07. This rainfall also flooded out Energy Resources’ Pit 3, essentially forming a pit lake. Due to this, Energy Resources Australia does not expect to obtain access to the high grade ore at Pit 3 until much later this year. Continue reading
Despite legal action, Australian govt to rush nuclear waste law
Traditional owners have begun a challenge to the nomination in the Federal Court.
Ownership of nuclear waste site disputed, Lindsay Murdoch in Tennant Creek, Sydney Morning Herald, May 9, 2011 DOCUMENTS unearthed in the National Archives challenge the Gillard government’s push to build a nuclear waste dump on disputed Aboriginal land near Tennant Creek, lawyers say. Continue reading
South Australian govt’s unseemly haste to push for uranium mine expansion
Concerns have been raised that the State Government will ram through approval of the $20 billion project on the same day the latest environmental impact statement is released – leaving no room for public consultation.
Concern at pace of mine approval | Adelaide Now, Russell Emerson May 08, 2011 THE latest version of the Olympic Dam expansion is likely to be released publicly on Thursday or Friday. Continue reading
Collapse of uranium industry affecting Cameco, BHP Billiton
Cameco’s chief executive says “Germany’s ”weak political leadership” had prompted its decision to make an ”illogical and emotional decision to close a number of older nuclear facilities”.
BHP to feel uranium slide, Barry Fitzgerald, Sydney Morning Herald, May 9, 2011 THE partial meltdown of the Fukushima nuclear power plant in March has prompted leading uranium producer Cameco to cut its demand forecasts for the nuclear fuel. The cut has implications for BHP Billiton, which must find a home for the additional uranium it will produce with its planned $30 billion expansion of the Olympic Dam copper/uranium/gold mine in South Australia’s outback. Continue reading
Australian Parliament: Greens Senator tabling call for Independent Commission on Nuclear Waste
Senator Ludlam plans to table a counter proposal calling for an independent commission to make decisions on nuclear waste disposal…..” Mr Ludlam had “real concerns about the obsession the government has with location the material at remote Aboriginal sites”.
NT nuclear waste dump plan forges ahead 9 NEWS, May 7 2011 By Fiona Willan, “…….WA-based Australian Greens senator Scott Ludlam told ninemsn it was “grossly inappropriate” for the nuclear waste dump to be debated in Parliament while there was an ongoing court case over the proposed land. Continue reading
Australian Politics – Secret Deals on Nuclear Waste Importing
“We would return an enormous amount of money’ – Bob Hawke
Mr Sweeney said there was a bi-partisan push for nuclear waste dumping….“We are seeing increasing amounts of back-room deals in the wake of Fukushima in Japan,” he said.
Nuclear debate heats up behind closed doors, Government News, :06/05/2011 By Lilia Guan, Additional reporting by Paul Hemsley According to Bob Hawke the greatest contribution Australia could make to the nuclear cycle would be to take the world’s nuclear waste.
Martin Ferguson disregarding Aboriginal court action against nuclear waste dump
Despite this, [Aboriginal landowners’ legal action in progress] Federal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson is already forging ahead to get plans for a national radioactive waste dump underway
NT nuclear waste dump plan forges ahead 9 NEWS, May 7 2011 By Fiona Willan, A federal government plan to dump nuclear waste on Aboriginal land is set to be debated in Parliament, as a legal battle over the site continues in court. Continue reading
Australia’s uranium marketing frenzy continues
Australia pushes nuclear exports, Al Jazeera, 6 May 2011
Nuclear power ‘not so bad’, says Woodside chief, Sydney Morning Herald, 7 may 2011 THE outgoing chief executive of the energy giant Woodside, Don Voelte, has backed the call by the chairman of Rio Tinto for Australia to embrace nuclear power.
They have not publicly lodged further submissions to the State Energy Initiative directions paper, due today. – WA’s chief industry groups lobby for a nuclear future, – WA Today, Courtney TrenwithMay 6, 2011 – Western Australia’s two chief business lobby groups support calls for nuclear energy in the state…. Continue reading
Globally nuclear is failing, Australia needs renewables
Globally, investment is flowing to renewables. The difficulty in delivering a nuclear plant on time and budget is perhaps the reason Areva has diversified its energy portfolio…..
Given Australia has the best solar radiation of any developed country, we are better suited to building commercially available base-load solar thermal and other renewable technologies, which can be completed in two to four years.
If we move now, we can develop the expertise and jobs locally. Delay further, and we’ll be buying clean technologies from overseas…
Best option for Australia is renewable technologies, Herald Sun, Patrick Hearps , May 06, 2011, JAPAN’S ongoing nuclear crisis has re-ignited debate about Australia jumping on the nuclear power bandwagon. Nuclear proponents continue to support the technology although the full impacts of the Fukushima disaster are unknown…. we should step back and ask whether Australia needs to consider nuclear power.
The answer is a simple “no”. Nuclear power is not necessary to solve Australia’s climate and energy challenges. Continue reading
Martin Ferguson pushes nuclear power
Ferguson rejects call to abandon N-power Matthew Franklin, The Australian * May 05, RESOURCES Minister Martin Ferguson has championed the future of nuclear power, rejecting calls that it be abandoned as an energy source in the wake of earthquake damage to Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant.
Mr Ferguson has also declared that the era of “cheap energy” in Australia is over, urging householders to accept that their demand as consumers of electrical appliances was driving up their power bills…..Ferguson rejects call to abandon N-power | The Australian
Martin Ferguson pushes uranium industry, but not nuclear
A nuclear Australia is inevitable: Rio chairman, Sydney Morning Herald, Courtney Trenwith, May 6, 2011“….The Minister for Resources and Energy. Martin Ferguson, was not persuaded by Mr du Plessis’s argument, saying Australia did not need nuclear power given the country’s abundance of low-cost and reliable alternative energy sources, namely fossil fuel and renewable.
Mr Ferguson said the Fukushima incident had not changed the government’s position on uranium exports. It would continue to support an expansion of uranium mining and the supply of the resource to countries that were signatories to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty…..’Australia’s uranium industry will continue to expand and my immediate priority is ensuring this happens in the proper way.”…… http://www.smh.com.au/business/a-nuclear-australia-is-inevitable-rio-chairman-20110505-1ea83.html#ixzz1LaYkrZiv
Shut Ranger uranium mine – it’s losing money anyway
Rio urged to curb uranium mine expansion,ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) By Jano Gibson May 5, 2011 The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) has urged Rio Tinto to stop a planned expansion of the Ranger uranium mine in the Northern Territory.Rio Tinto subsidiary Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) runs the uranium mine on a lease inside Kakadu National Park.Production is currently suspended following a record wet season in the Territory and Rio Tinto is holding its annual general meeting in Perth today.ACF spokesman Dave Sweeney says it should use the opportunity to scale back plans for the mine.”Ranger is a leaking, ageing and under-performing mine,” he said.”The mine is currently shut. It is not turning a dollar.”It is losing contaminants into the environment and it is losing money for Rio Tinto and ERA.”
Rio urged to curb uranium mine expansion – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) poor uranium investment future
The Sell argument is summed up by RBS Australia, which suggests there remains downside valuation and earnings risk from any further significant rainfall events. As well, a strategic review is likely to conclude the heap leach and Ranger 3 Deeps projects are not viable, which would further impact on valuation and sentiment in RBS’s view. BA-ML takes a similar view and has stripped both projects from its model.
No Joy For Energy Resources Of Australia, FNArena News – May 04 2011 – ERA proposes increased capex to deal with water issues – Valuations and earnings estimates adjusted lower – Broker opinions and targets remain divided, By Chris Shaw Continue reading
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