Antinuclear

Australian news, and some related international items

Bendigo calls on Australian Govt for Solar Energy

Bendigo energy push, 28 Jun, 2010 Bendigo Advertiser, THE Bendigo Sustainability Group is calling on the federal government to look at a new renewable energy resource for Central Victoria that could be a first for Australia…… Continue reading

June 28, 2010 Posted by | energy, solar, Victoria | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Climate Change will hit Australia hardest

Dire climate change warning to Australia  Herald Sun: AAP * June 28, AN international conference on the Gold Coast this week will hear Australia will be one of the hardest hit developed countries when climate change starts to bite. Continue reading

June 28, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, energy | , , , , | Leave a comment

Will Gillard toe Ferguson’s line on Muckaty nuclear waste dump?

“In no way can we allow any state or Territory government to get in the way of establishing a repository,”  said Martin Ferguson

Hendo urges Gillard to dump Muckaty, Northern Territory News, NICK CALACOURAS June 26th, 2010 AUSTRALIA’S new Prime Minister Julia Gillard should rethink her predecessor’s decision to build a nuclear waste dump in the Northern Territory, Chief Minister Paul Henderson said. Continue reading

June 26, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics, uranium | , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Will Gillard ACT on Climate Change, as well as TALK?

New Australian PM ‘should focus on cutting emissions’, Low Carbon Economy, 6/25/2010 There are hopes that Australia’s new prime minister could help improve the country’s environmental record………..In her first speech as prime minister Ms Gillard said she believes in climate change and that humans are contributing to the problem….

..Greenpeace Australia Pacific said that the first steps Ms Gillard should take would be to move subsidies from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, introduce a carbon levy and limit emissions from new power stations. New Australian PM ‘should focus on cutting emissions’ – Low Carbon Economy

June 26, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, energy | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Griffith University’s Zero Energy building

Australia’s First Zero-Energy Teaching and Research Building Unveiled, Inhabitat by Bridgette Meinhold, 06/25/10 Griffith University in Australia recently secured funding for a $21 million dollar research facility that will be the country’s first zero-emission and self-powered building driven by solar-hydrogen energy. Continue reading

June 26, 2010 Posted by | climate change - global warming, energy, Queensland, solar | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Australia’s nuclear waste danger

Obama’s visit later this year may well lead to Australia becoming an international nuclear waste dump – THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY and RADIOACTIVE WASTESour theme for June 2010 With the National Radioactive Waste Management Bill, the Australian government is  setting Australia up for a possible later step in the sorry story of nuclear wastes.

The decision to impose a nuclear waste dump on Northern Territory Aboriginal land has been followed quickly by an agreement between the Australian government and President Obama, on sharing nuclear technology. And this will now be followed by Obama’s visit to Australia – just at the time when Obama is in deep trouble over the USA’s growing mass of nuclear wastes.

At the same time, Obama has set up a (somewhat pro-nuclear industry) “Blue Ribbon Panel” to find out what on earth to do with USA’s nuclear wastes

Australia is still signed up to the International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation , (that’s the new name for the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership), by which uranium -selling countries agree to take back nuclear wastes from overseas countries

June 25, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, Christina reviews, uranium, wastes | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mining corporations expecting Gillard to retreat on the Resources Tax

Australian Miners Won’t Mourn Rudd’s Departure,  Wall Street Journal, by David Cottle, 25 June 2010, It’s safe to say the vast Australian mining industry isn’t going to miss ousted prime minister Kevin Rudd……. It looks as though a watered-down version of the levy is on the cards now, if not a total return to the drawing board……………………

June 25, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics, uranium | , , , | Leave a comment

Australia’s Enhanced Renewable Energy Target legislation passed

Australia’s Enhanced Renewable Energy Target : Renewable Energy News, 25 June 2010, After last minute amendments to satisfy all parties, long awaited changes to Australia’s Renewable Energy Target were finally passed on Thursday, changes some are calling the biggest climate change reform in Australia’s history. Continue reading

June 25, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, energy, solar, wind | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Julia Gillard – an unknown quantity on nuclear issues?

Writing as the uninformed peasant that I am, I pose the question: “what can we expect from Prime Minister Julia Gillard.?”

I understand that Gillard is supposed to be a member of the “left wing” faction, but that her cause has been promoted by the “right wing”

What does it all mean?  As Kevin Rudd vacates the throne, I am reminded of Hilaire Belloc’s Cautionary Tale ” Always keep a hold of Nurse, for fear of finding something worse”.

Not perfect, but better: why we’re going for Gillard. « The Green Hat, 24 June 2010, What policies does she support for forestry in Tasmania, management of the Murray-Darling Basin, subsidising renewable energy and nuclear power, increasing high-density livingNot perfect, but better: why we’re going for Gillard. « The Green Hat

“…….February 25, 2007 .…….Earlier that day, deputy ALP leader Julia Gillard told the Ten Network that she supported ALP leader Kevin Rudd’s push to dump the ‘no new mines policy”, arguing that an expansion of uranium mining would bring “economic prosperity” to South Australia in particular. Uranium: Leave it in the ground! | Green Left Weekly

June 24, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, Christina reviews, politics | | Leave a comment

Uranium company director Ken Talbot and Arkaroola corruption charges

The death of Ken Talbot in an airplane crash puts a stop to  the legal proceedings that have been ongoing over corruption charges, and the murky history of uranium miner Marathon resources.

The charges concerned $300,000 allegedly paid by Talbot to Nuttall while Nuttall was a Minister of the Crown. Nuttall was sentenced in July this year to seven year’s jail…………

Arkaroola uranium hunter on bribery charges, The Independent Weekly, HENDRIK GOUT17 Oct, 2009 The owner and director of the largest shareholder in the company which the state government allows to explore the Arkaroola wilderness for uranium, Marathon Resources, is awaiting trial on charges of having bribed a government minister.

Ken Talbot of Talbot Group Investments Pty Ltd is accused of corruptly making payments to Gordon Nuttall, then a Labor minister in the Queensland Government…………In December 2008, Gordon Nuttall and Ken Talbot were committed to stand trial on 35 corruption charges. Continue reading

June 24, 2010 Posted by | secrets and lies, South Australia, uranium | , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Australia well placed to be hub of renewable energy export industry

Could Australia be the hub of a renewable energy export industry powering the homes, industry and electric car fleets of our region? In fact, our proportion of the global renewable energy resource is much higher than it is for coal.

Do renewable energy by the numbers, and it all adds up, Sydney Morning Herald,  MIKE SANDIFORD June 24, 2010 “………..Geographically dispersed production – spreading out renewable energy farms so as not to rely on weather conditions in one area – is one way to improve energy stability and security. And our nation-continent, stretching across climate and time zones, appears ready-made for that.

Two new studies published by the Melbourne Energy Institute look at just these issues. Continue reading

June 24, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, energy, solar, wind | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Australian govt’s new trick to benefit nuclear industry

The NT intervention is clearly racist and is not motivated by concern for Aboriginal children but to enable government control of Aboriginal land…..Many Aboriginal communities have been forced to sign over their land on five-year leases to the federal government — land that contains gold, iron ore, uranium as well as areas that have been slated as potential nuclear waste dumps.


We are all in this together, Green Left Weekly, Ruth Ratcliffe June 20, 2010…….The Rudd government plans to extend the paternalistic policy of welfare quarantining, which the Howard government initiated in remote Aboriginal communities, to other areas of disadvantage. Continue reading

June 23, 2010 Posted by | aboriginal issues, AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, uranium | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Welfare quarantining in order to re-instate Racial Disrimination Act?

Racial discrimination act delayed as welfare rules extended * Patricia Karvelas * From: The Australian * June 22, 2010 THE Racial Discrimination Act, suspended for welfare quarantining in Northern Territory Aboriginal communities, will not be reinstated until December.Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin said it would take some time for it to be fully reinstated after the government passed new laws to make income quarantining apply to indigenous and non-indigenous Australians….. Continue reading

June 23, 2010 Posted by | aboriginal issues, AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL | , | Leave a comment

New hope for Australia to get real Climate Change policy

That [lack of a carbon tax] may change after the election if the Greens hold the balance of power in their own right.

Wong negotiates renewable energy plans, Sydney Morning Herald, June 23, 2010 The Rudd government is preparing to unveil a new climate action policy ahead of the next federal election, likely in a few months. Continue reading

June 23, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, energy, solar, wind | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Agreement on Australia’s renewable energy scheme

Deal reached on renewable energy scheme, The Age, TOM ARUP, June 23, 2010 PROJECTS such as wind farms and solar power stations are set for a boost after the federal government, the Coalition and Greens struck a deal to fix Australia’s renewable energy scheme. Continue reading

June 23, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, energy, solar, wind | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment