Antinuclear

Australian news, and some related international items

Radioactive waste dumped in Kakadu National Park

Toxic waste dump in Kakadu,  Northern Territory News , NIGEL ADLAM, March 13th, 2010
THE equivalent of six Olympic-size swimming pools of radioactive soil and mining equipment has been buried in Kakadu National Park.

Parks Australia said it was not nuclear waste and the level of radioactivity was low.

The soil and equipment had been stored in shipping containers.

It has now been put in containers with a structural life of 1000 years and buried four metres down.

Toxic waste dump in Kakadu | Northern Territory News | Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia | ntnews.com.au

March 13, 2010 Posted by | environment, Northern Territory, uranium | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear spin intensifies in lead-up to Obama’s Australian visit

the PR teams of the nuclear industry have been hard at work trying to make the idea of a nuclear future more palatable. The same sorts of spin doctors that once sang the praises of asbestos and denied any link between smoking and cancer

En Passant » Nuclear power is no environmental alternative, by Andrew Cheeseman, Socialist Alternative online, 09 March 2010

Once more, the Rudd government is talking up a nuclear future. There are plans for a new nuclear waste dump and it’s quite likely that this month’s meeting between US President Barack Obama and the Australian parliament will see further discussions of so-called “uranium leasing”. [ The Global Nuclear Energy Partnership] Continue reading

March 13, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, spinbuster, uranium | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Faltering start to new South Australian uranium mining ventures

...The uranium expansions are having to factor in lower uranium price expectations. Prices …. have been steadily declining…..The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics said the price decline reflected the situation where supply would exceed demand for the second year in a row.

Uranium mining cranks up at Honeymoon, Sydney Morning Herald BARRY FITZGERALDMarch 12, 2010 COMMISSIONING of Australia’s fourth uranium mine begins next month…..Honeymoon is nevertheless set to reach the production stage before what was meant to be Australia’s fourth uranium mine, the Four Mile joint venture between Heathgate and Alliance Resources. Continue reading

March 12, 2010 Posted by | business, South Australia, uranium | , , , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear, Fossil Fuel, people stack Australia’s New Renewable Energy Centre

Members of the interim board for the Australian Centre for Renewable Energy include:
Graeme Hunt (Chair) – formerly in charge of BHP Billiton’s Olympic Dam expansion;
• Prof Mary O’Kane – former Vice Chancellor of Adelaide University;
John Ryan – awarded the public service medal for his work on the PM’s Task Force into Development of Uranium Mining and Nuclear Energy in Australia;
Emma Stein – has served on the boards of energy, oil and gas utilities;
• Dr John Wright – CSIRO Energy Transformed;
Other members without clear relevant expertise in renewable energy development.

Centre for Renewable Energy welcome, but Greens amendments would have improved it | Greens MPs

March 11, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, energy, solar, spinbuster, wind | , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Australia’s Renewable Energy Centre designed to fail

“You could almost say (the centre) was designed to fail.”

Greens slam new renewable energy body, Sydney Morning Herald, March 10, 2010 The Australian Greens have slammed a new body designed to develop renewable energy in Australia.Greens’ senator Christine Milne told parliament the Australian Centre for Renewable Energy was not independent, transparent or adequately qualified to carry out its duties Continue reading

March 11, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, energy, spinbuster | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Martin Ferguson’s hypocrisy about medical radiation

Here’s another example of Martin Ferguson’s duplicity.  He’s promoting the planned radioactive waste dump on aboriginal land, as necessary for Australians because it’s for medical waste.

BUT:  1. There’s no scientific reason why the nuke waste dump has to be in the Northern Territory, let alone on aboriginal land.

2. The dump will also take highly radioactive spent fuel rods – conveniently opening the door for a future intake of high level nuclear waste from  – well, perhaps the USA, as Howard and Bush had intended.

March 11, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, secrets and lies | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Planned NT nuclear waste dump will not be just for ‘medical’ waste

What will be stored at Muckaty? – ABC Darwin – Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 10 March, 2010  By Liz Trevaskis We’ve heard that medical waste will be stored at an Australian radioactive waste dump, either at Muckaty station or wherever else a site is chosen. But spent nuclear fuel rods, which are of a higher level of radioactivity, will also be stored in any waste dump that’s established.

March 11, 2010 Posted by | Northern Territory | , , , , | Leave a comment

Australia could reduce greenhouse gas without nuclear power

Nuclear does not have the answers we need, Sydney Morning Herald, SCOTT LUDLAM, March 10, 2010 -“…….Dr Hansen argues that energy efficiency and renewable energy sources are our first-line weapons in the battle against climate change. No arguments there. In the Australian context, we have a growing body of scientific research mapping out sustainable energy scenarios that would allow us to keep the lights on while also sharply reducing greenhouse emissions. Continue reading

March 10, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, energy | , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Australian govt quietly planning expansion of ANSTO’s nuclear facility

Central Australia to get nuclear waste dump Herald Sun  AAP * March 09, 2010 “…federal parliament’s public works committee is holding an inquiry into proposed extensions to the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) facility at Lucas Heights, in Sydney’s south. Continue reading

March 10, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics, uranium | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

All types of nuclear reactors can be used for nuclear weapons

Nuclear does not have the answers we need, Sydney Morning Herald, SCOTT LUDLAM, March 10, 2010 -“…….claims made about the “proliferation resistance” of novel nuclear power concepts do not stand up to scrutiny.

Dr Hansen is keen on the “integral fast reactor” concept. Continue reading

March 10, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, weapons and war | , | Leave a comment

Melbourne’s big nuclear debate was a blow to the nuclear industry

“Should Australia Embrace Nuclear Power?”  – The big debate at the Melbourne Town Hall, on March 4, – resulted in an audience  swing of opinion against nuclear power

A poll before the debate found an eight percent margin in favour of nuclear power. A poll taken immediately after the debate revealed a margin of 24 percent against nuclear power – 34 percent in favour, 58 percent against. This 32 percent turn-around was all the more striking given that the  pro-nuclear debating team included high-profile nuclear advocates Dr Ziggy Switkowski and Dr  James Hansen.
The video will be posted sometime soon at:
http://www.iq2oz.com/events/event-details/2010-series-melbourne/01-march.php

ABC TV will broadcast the debate on “Big Ideas’, possibly on 23rd March.

March 9, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, spinbuster | , , | Leave a comment

Coalition Joins Labor in PLan to Impose Nuclear Waste Dump on the Northern Territory

“Fourteen years worth of research that was conducted that identified 15 sites around Australia, none of which were in the Northern Territory.

Coalition to support nuclear waste dump, ABC News 9 March 2010, The Federal Opposition has confirmed it will support the Government’s plan for a nuclear waste dump in the Northern Territory. oday, the Opposition’s resources spokesman, Nick Minchin, said the Government’s bill reflects long-standing Coalition policy. Continue reading

March 9, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics | , , , , | Leave a comment

A reminder of uranium mining’s connection with nuclear weapons

Secretive Arms Tycoon Behind New Uranium Mine | The Media Freedom Foundation, 9 March 2010, James Neal Blue, who helped devise the Predator unmanned aircraft that are in use in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, is the director of a company that bought the Four Mile uranium mine in Australia. Blue is the chairman of Quasar Resources, which is affiliated with General Atomics, a major United States weapons and nuclear energy corporation. Continue reading

March 9, 2010 Posted by | South Australia, uranium, weapons and war | , , , , , | 2 Comments

Australian organisations unite to lead new climate, energy, campaign

The Transition Decade: New Campaign Aims to Reshape Australia’s Climate Politics, T10 Starts with Community-Wide Engagement, SolveClimate.com, by Leigh Ewbank – Mar 7th, 2010, In Australia, several environmental groups have banded together to encourage a new approach to climate action. Continue reading

March 8, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, energy | , , , , | Leave a comment

Australia’s shame – the treatment of atomic test veterans

They were given little protection against the radiation and were simply told to turn their backs on the explosions

Treatment of atom bomb veterans a ‘national disgrace’, Sydney Morning Herald JENNIE CURTIN, February 28, 2010 ONE of Australia’s most respected military figures has joined veterans’ groups in calling for war benefits to be paid to Australian servicemen who were exposed to British atom bomb tests in the 1950s. Continue reading

March 8, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, weapons and war | , , | Leave a comment