New short films show the shocking impact of nuclear waste plan on the Kimba community
The stories of Kimba farming families and local townspeople opposed to the proposed National Radioactive Waste Management Facility in the district have had their story documented in a message to wider Australia.
Port Pirie filmmaker Kim Mavromatis has released a series of mini-documentaries over the past three months telling the stories of communities impacted by the four-year process to determine whether the facility had broad community support at Kimba or Hawker.
Mr Mavromatis said he had been following the debate around both the waste facility and the SA nuclear fuel cycle process, and he believed the communities involved were only given one side of the story throughout consultation.
“At the end of the day… the government weren’t doing the right thing by the people,” he said.
He said as a member of the Port Pirie community he had also been concerned that his community, which could potentially see the waste transported through their town or port, had not had the same opportunity for consultation as the Kimba and Hawker communities who late last year participated in community ballots to measure support for the proposal.
In one of Mr Mavromatis’s videos, Kimba locals and members of the No Radioactive Waste Facility for Kimba District group spoke about why they remained opposed to the proposal, and the impact the years of uncertainty and community debate has had on them personally.
Among those featured were neighbours of the proposed sites.
Secretary of the group Toni Scott said through the years they had discussed ways of getting their message out to a wider audience, and while it was difficult for many to tell their story there were still many people across the wider Eyre Peninsula and the state who needed to know what was going on as a final decision looms.
“We’re at the stage now where we really want to create as much awareness as we can,” she said.
“We’re hoping people can relate to it.”
Many of the interviewees featured are visibly emotional in the film, which Mrs Scott said was an unintentional outcome of individuals being encouraged to share their stories openly.
“Those raw emotions just came out… I think it’s important for people to see that and realise how affected members of our community actually are,” she said.
Mr Mavromatis said it was “shocking” to see first-hand the impact on the community.
“It’s their livelihood, it’s their future, it’s their kids’ future and it’s permanent,” he said.
The filmmaker has also created a documentary about the impact of the process on the Barngarla people, who in an independent ballot last year voted 0% in favour of the facility.
Mr Mavromatis said the lack of genuine engagement with the traditional owners, who are native title holders of areas neighbouring both proposed sites, was a “total disgrace.”
A rally is planned for Kimba on February 2, with Kimba community members encouraging the wider state to join them.
“We are asking people from Eyre Peninsula and SA to join us in a peaceful protest so the minister (Resources minister Matthew Canavan) can get the message that Kimba is not the right place and farming land is not the right place,” Mrs Scott said.
The video series can be found at vimeo.com/mav17557967.
Uncle Kevin warns that the people, and the lizard are fighting back against BHP and its uranium mine
Uncle Kevin “The lizard has had enough and so have the people. And the old country has been ruined, devastated by BHP.
In 2020, we’ll be having serious meetings on the Borefield road, somewhere near Canegrass swamp.
BHP is one of the biggest miners in the world and Olympic dam at Roxby is the biggest uranium mine in the world. They are fully supported by the federal and state governments.
At Canegrass swamp people were tricked by WMC who started this development. We could not do anything about it back then in the 70s and 80s.
Olympic dam development is taking 42m litres of sacred artesian water from the Lake Eyre basin each day. This is going to be expanded to 50m litres per day for the next 25 years. We must stop this now.
Native title and ILUAS have made it harder for us. Our people are being tricked and this has been devastating for the Arabunna people who don’t want their land destroyed.
I am calling out for all people land and water protectors concerned about global warming and environmental destruction to come and help.
The lizard has had enough, come and help us close Roxby down. Dates will be announced, we’re thinking of June/July 2020.
BHP at Roxby are sucking the blood out of the land – the water of the great Lake Eyre basin.
And BHP wants more.
They are killing us.
Turning our mob against each other as they fight over the crumbs of the destruction.
Greed is poison. Their lust for the poison will kill us all unless we take a stand.
Lake Eyre is talking. Be aware.
Are u listening? https://www.facebook.com/groups/941313402573199/
South Australia’s Liberals keen to weaken health and safety laws on uranium
Push to cut green tape for new uranium mines in South Australia, https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/push-to-cut-green-tape-for-new-uranium-mines-in-south-australia/news-story/5cee611673d15b550eabeb7210afdf8f?fbclid=IwAR3nf_aFghOlO3glVVwF964xz0H9dvJJ_GeX-libfDWV1ehu9o6R-allX2Q
29 Dec 19 “Unnecessary” green tape is choking the potential for lucrative new uranium mines in South Australia, the State Government says.
The Marshall Government is calling for Canberra to slash federal environmental approvals to pave the way for new mines as a once in a decade review of the nation’s environmental laws gets underway.
SA already has four of the country’s six uranium mines, which have produced 24,300 tonnes and $2.1 billion worth of uranium over five years.
But SA has made a submission to a federal inquiry into nuclear power calling for Canberra to axe the requirement for Commonwealth environmental approvals, in addition to state approvals, for new uranium mines.
It argues the removal of this duplication “will not diminish existing standards of regulation safety and compliance and will increase efficiency, reduce costs bourne by industry”.
It would also boost SA’s status as a “favourable investment destination”.
The submission notes “unnecessary” extra green tape is a “significant barrier to the viability of new uranium mine developments” in SA.
It also calls for changes to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act to remove the ‘nuclear action trigger’ for uranium and other mines with naturally occurring radioactive minerals, to stop the need for federal approvals.
SA will push for the power to go it alone in a once in a decade review of the EPBC Act, currently being conducted by former ACCC chair Graeme Samuel.
A state government spokesman said SA wanted the federal and state approval duplications removed “so costs can be reduced and economic benefits increased”.
“The nature of our State’s geology means radioactive impurities found in other productive ores are inadvertently captured by the nuclear action trigger, and the review is an important opportunity to address this anomaly,” he said.
Two of SA’s uranium mines are operational, while Boss Resource’s Honeymoon mine is in the process of restarting.
BHP has also discovered copper, which uranium could potentially be found near, at the Oak Dam site 65km from its existing Olympic Dam mine.
New Liberal senator for SA Alex Antic has called for SA to look at using nuclear power generation along with a nuclear fuel waste storage facility, saying it could add
“billions of dollars from our participation in the nuclear fuel cycle”.
The state government’s submission said nuclear power was “unviable now and into the foreseeable future” in SA but noted it could be used in remote mining if small modular reactor technology advanced, although the state was currently looking at renewables with power storage for those situations.
The submission also highlighted that nuclear power could be viable in other states, which would create more demand for SA’s “significant” uranium deposits.
Senator Antic welcomed the possibility of next generation nuclear power technologies playing a role in SA’s future energy grid.
He hit out at nuclear power critics, saying: “Those who tell us that we are in the middle of a climate emergency can’t have their ideological cake and eat it too.”
“Nuclear power has proven to be virtually emission free, reliable, and safe.”
SA Chamber of Mines & Energy chief executive Rebecca Knol welcomed the call to slash “unnecessary duplication” of approvals, saying it could save an estimated $426 million in regulatory and operational costs.
It could help SA achieve its 3 per cent annual growth target, she said.
Mr Samuel is due to report to federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley by October.
A spokesman for the Minister said she had been clear that “stringent environmental protection” was fundamental to any review outcomes.
South Australia facing hightened bushfire conditions, as blazes continue
 ‘Elevated fire conditions’ to hit South Australia on Monday as firefighters continue to battle blazes ABC, 29 Dec 19Key points:
Extreme temperatures, damaging winds and severe thunderstorms are expected to grip much of South Australia on Monday, prompting a “severe to extreme” fire rating for most of the state. The conditions have prompted the Country Fire Service (CFS) to warn those in bushfire-prone areas to remain vigilant and make decisions early about staying or leaving their property. It comes as the CFS continues to battle blazes at Cudlee Creek, in the Adelaide Hills and at Duncan, on Kangaroo Island, which both remain at advice level….. A catastrophic fire danger rating has been flagged for Adelaide, Mid North and the Yorke Peninsula, while extreme danger is predicted at Murraylands and the Lower South-East districts. A severe fire danger rating is also in place for the rest of the state, which includes the Adelaide Metropolitan, Flinders, Riverland, Kangaroo Island, the West Coast, Lower and Eastern Eyre Peninsulas and the Upper South East……. Weather to bring ‘elevated fire conditions’Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) forecaster Bonnie Haselgrove said very hot conditions were expected on Monday with very hot and dry north to north-westerly winds…… Outside of South Australia, Swan Hill in Victoria is expected to reach 43C on Monday, and Menindee in New South Wales is also forecast for 43C. As for metropolitan areas, Parramatta in Western Sydney is expected to reach 38C on Monday; Melbourne is forecast to reach 43C; and the northern Adelaide suburb of Elizabeth could reach 41C. Canberra is expected to hit 39C on Monday and Tasmanians will not be spared from the heat either with Hobart predicted to hit 40C.https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-29/elevated-fire-conditions-to-hit-sa-on-monday-as-fires-burn/11831200 |
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BHP’s plan to take yet more water for huge copper-uranium mine
https://www.melbournefoe.org.au/olympic_dam_uranium_mine_expansion1219
The federal government is inviting public comment on BHP’s proposed expansion of the Olympic Dam copper-uranium mine (ODM) until Tues. 10 Dec 2019.
BHP plans to increase extraction of precious Great Artesian Basin water to an average 50 million litres per day for the next 25 years, with likely serious adverse impacts on the unique and fragile Mound Springs ‒ which are listed as an Endangered Ecological Community and are of significant cultural importance to Aboriginal people.
Please make a brief submission to the Federal Minister for Environment. You can use our pro-forma submission and just add your name (and you can add any additional comments you like).
More information:
- Short briefing papers on the proposed Olympic Dam expansion are posted at https://nuclear.foe.org.au/olympic-dam/.
- See esp. the “Preconditions to Protect Mound Springs in Olympic Dam Expansion EIS Guidelines“.
- Detailed BHP information: See the BHP Referral at http://epbcnotices.environment.gov.au/publicnoticesreferrals/ and scroll down to Referral Number 2019/8570, dated 27 Nov. in chronological listing, or Search (use the tab “Filter by Referral Number’) for 2019/8570.
How are Australian States progressing on renewable energy? South Australia way ahead
South Australia leading the nation in renewable energy, https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2019/11/25/renewable-energy-winners/ Samantha Dick
South Australia is shifting to renewable energy faster than any other state or territory.
This is despite the federal government’s “lack of leadership” and continued support for major fossil fuel projects, says the Climate Council.
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Progress is based on how much electricity is derived from renewable energy, proportion of households with rooftop solar, large-scale wind and solar capacity per capita, and policies to support the transition. South Australia earned this year’s top spot for generating more than half of its electricity from wind and solar, and for setting a target of net 100 per cent renewable energy in the 2030s. Following closely in second place was the Australian Capital Territory, which is on track for 100 per cent renewable energy from 2020. The ACT has also announced impressive plans to achieve net zero emissions by 2045 by cutting emissions from transport and cities. Tasmania was in third place for making headwinds toward 100 per cent renewable energy by 2022, and for researching three pumped hydro sites that could supply energy to Victoria over the next 10 to 15 years. Victoria was ranked fourth, winning points for planning the nation’s most ambitious large-scale wind and solar projects, and for legislating a renewable energy target of 50 per cent by 2030. However, more than 80 per cent of the state’s power still comes from fossil fuels, meaning it has a long way to go to catch up to the frontrunners. Further behind in fifth place was Queensland, where nearly half of Australia’s large-scale renewable energy projects were completed last year. But despite making big improvements, the Queensland government lost marks for continuing to support new fossil-fuel projects like the Adani coal mine. The Adani coal mine, backed by the federal government, will put out an estimated 7.7 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases over 60 years through extracting 2.3 billion tonnes of coal. It is also unlikely the Sunshine State will meet its target of 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030.
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Record heat, catastrophic fire danger for South Australia – what a great place to plan transport and dumping of nuclear waste -NOT
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Total fire bans declared across SA ahead of catastrophic conditions on Wednesday, ABC , 19 Nov 19 By Eugene Boisvert A total fire ban has been declared for South Australia on Tuesday ahead of catastrophic conditions expected on Wednesday.
Key points:
It is one of the first times the Country Fire Service (CFS) has declared a pre-emptive fire ban 24 hours before a hot and windy day, the agency’s head said. “It’s pretty unusual that we take a precautionary fire ban and I hope that people will realise we’ve done so in response to the severity of the conditions which are forecasted for Wednesday,” CFS chief officer Mark Jones said. Catastrophic fire conditions are expected on Wednesday for the lower Eyre Peninsula, the Yorke Peninsula, the Mid North and the Mount Lofty Ranges, when a total fire ban will also be in place All other regions have severe or extreme ratings, including the Adelaide metropolitan area. The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast a top of 42 degrees Celsius for Adelaide on Wednesday, after a high of 29C on Tuesday….. Fire season already started in SA The fire danger season has officially started in all of South Australia’s fire ban districts, apart from the lower South-East, where the season starts on Friday…… https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-18/total-fire-bans-across-sa-on-tuesday-ahead-of-catastrophic-day/11713696 |
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The vote of one town shouldn’t be the views of all people in South Australia.
Fuel tanker fire on highway near Kimba – just as well it wasn’t a nuclear waste transport
Emergency services responded to reports a fuel tanker rolled and caught alight on the Eyre Highway at Kelly, about 15 kilometres east of Kimba just after 7am on Thursday 31 October.
Fortunately, the tanker driver was not injured in the crash.
The fire caused damage to the road surface and required repairs by Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure.
The highway is open, but speeds are currently restricted to 40 km/h at the scene of yesterday’s fire.
Kimba’s Dramatic drop in property values, since nominated for nuclear dump
Zac Eagle Fight To Stop Nuclear Waste Dump In 
Flinders Ranges SAProperty values dropped nearly 30% in 12 months since Kimba nominated for a dump.
Destruction of local communities in more ways than one. Kimba was 496th in South Australia, now 952nd. more https://www.facebook.com/groups/941313402573199/
South Australia – the nuclear wasteland state
South Australia – the wasteland state, SEBASTIAN TOPS, PORT LINCOLN TIMES OCTOBER 17 2019 South Australia’s Nuclear Citizens’ Jury had many researched reasons to say ‘no’ to another’s (nuclear) waste.Farmers, traditional owners and ratepayers unite in anti-nuclear rally,
The rally began in Gladstone Square, before stopping outside Stuart MP Dan van Holst Pellekaan’s office to deliver a letter from Green’s senator Sarah Hansen Young.
Kimba resident Terry Schmucker owns a farm in Cootra, close to the proposed Napandee site on the Eyre Peninsula.
“The decision to put radioactive waste on farmland is wrong,” Mr Schmucker said.
“Farmland is valuable. If you take out as little as 160 hectares, that’s still farmland that’s gone and that’s along with the mining that’s happening, that’s along with urban sprawl, that’s a long with everything … We need to protect our farmland.”
Grains and oilseeds are Australia’s largest category of food exports, representing 24 per cent of total agricultural exports.
Strict industry guidelines make Australian growers highly competitive internationally, while also supplying high-quality products for domestic consumption……..
“We are also pretty isolated on grain marketing and we grow really good produce but the buyers don’t want to pay us a good price, so they will use any excuse to discount us. All they have got to say is that there’s radioactive waste right next to us, here’s $50 a tonne less.
“So whether it actually affects our produce is not actually the important bit, it’s all in the head for people who wind us down and bargain with us on price.”
Adnyamathanha woman Vivienne McKenzie also attended the rally, speaking on behalf of traditional owners in the Flinders Ranges.
Wallerberdina station near Barndioota in the Flinders Ranges is one of the three remaining potential sites for the National Radioactive Waste Management Facility.
The Seven Sisters songline, one of the most significant creation tracks throughout Australia, runs nearby this site.
Songlines explain the laws desert people live by, the origins of country and are a crucial element of Aboriginal culture.
“It’s a very, very important site for the women The Seven Sisters is because that is the first storyline up there in the Flinders Ranges that’s been recorded anywhere and it was tabled in the state parliament of South Australia,” Ms McKenzie said.
“Its like if you have a book and someone rips a page out, it takes away from the story that you’re given.
“It’s desecration, and we are trying to preserve those songlines for generations to come. “The Adnyamathanha people aren’t recognised in their own Country, they can’t even get a vote.” https://www.transcontinental.com.au/story/6456928/farmers-traditional-owners-and-ratepayers-unite-in-anti-nuclear-rally/
South Australian Labor comes out swinging against nuclear waste dump selection process
 Deputy Opposition leader slams federal government’s nuclear waste site selection process, Transcontinental, Amy Green 25 Oct 19,
“We are utterly opposed to the process,” says Deputy Leader of the Opposition Susan Close regarding the current federal approach to a national radioactive waste facility in regional South Australia. “We understand there is a need to do something with Australia’s domestic waste but they have gone about it so badly that they have put the community off. “They haven’t done the due consideration that they ought to be doing of what the possibilities physically are.” At a recent state conference, the South Australian Labor Party adopted a policy contesting the federal government’s site nomination and selection process. They have called for full transparency, broad public input and best practice technical and consultative standards.
Ms Close condemned the federal government’s current approach to building a potential facility at sites in Kimba and Hawker. “It is a federal issue but we just have a view about it that they have gone about it in an appalling way,” Ms Close said. “They get to make the decision, we don’t have have any capacity even if we were in government to do anything, but what they have done is asked landholder if anyone wants to have this and left the Aboriginal community out. “For some reason, the only three sites they are looking at are in South Australia which is very strange.” Federal Minister for Resources Matt Canavan said thethree potential sites in South Australia were all voluntarily nominated and the facility will only be built where a community broadly supports it…….. Premier Steven Marshall has maintained a stance that radioactive waste management is a federal issue and the state government has remained quiet during the drawn out process. With community ballots now underway in the District Council of Kimba, and one scheduled later this year for the Flinders Ranges Council, Ms Close has accused the Marshall government of being “asleep at the wheel”……. “This is just part of a pattern that the Marshall Liberal government doesn’t seem prepared to have any kind of argument with the commonwealth govt and that is to the detriment of South Australia’s interest.” The Transcontinental reached out to the state government for comment, but did not receive a reply. https://www.transcontinental.com.au/story/6454080/state-labor-party-weighs-in-on-nuclear-debate/ |
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Radioactive liquids in Olympic Dam waste pools are killing native birds
Olympic Dam Alert: BHP propose a major new Evaporation Pond 6 for radioactive acid liquor wastes that will continue deaths of hundreds of birds each year
The federal government are inviting comments on BHP’s “Olympic Dam Evaporation Pond 6 EPBC Act Referral 2019/8526” (scroll down to Date of Notice 21/10/2019).
Public submissions are only open until cob Monday 4th Nov 2019, see info on how to do so at end of this e-mail.
Please consider making a brief submission, key Recommendations are provided below, along with a Background Briefing Paper and a feature press article “BHP vs Birds”.
For info see “Migratory Birds at Risk of Mortality if BHP Continues Use of Evaporation Ponds” a 3 page Briefing written by David Noonan for the ACF, Friends of the Earth and Conservation SA (30 June 2019), at https://nuclear.foe.org.au/wp-content/uploads/ODM-Migratory-Birds-BHP-Evaporation-Ponds.pdf
see “BIRDS VS BHP: Evaporation ponds at BHP’s Olympic Dam mine are killing hundreds of birds” article in The Advertiser 10 July 2019
Complications and secrecy about the Australian govt’s plans for nuclear waste dumping in the Flinders Ranges
No Nuclear Waste Dump Anywhere in South Australia, 21 Oct 19, https://www.facebook.com/groups/1314655315214929/
MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE FLINDERS RANGES COUNCIL HELD IN THE QUORN COUNCIL CHAMBERS ONWEDNESDAY 16 OCTOBER 2019 COMMENCING AT 6 PM,
http://frc.sa.gov.au/…/FRC%20Special%20Minutes%20-%2016%20O…
“4.2 NRWMF Risk Assessment and SWOT
Moved Councillor Taylor, Seconded Councillor Reubenicht
That: a. pursuant to Section 90(2) of the Local Government Act 1999, the Council orders that all members of the public with the Exception of the Acting Chief Executive Officer, Acting Finance & Administration Manager and T Davies be excluded from attendance at the meeting for Agenda Item 4.2 – NRWMF Risk Assessment and SWOT Analysis;
b. the Council is satisfied that pursuant to Section 90(3)(i) of the Local Government Act 1999, the information relates to litigation that the council believes on reasonable grounds will take place, involving the council; and
c. the Council is satisfied that the principle that the Meeting be conducted in a place open to the public has been outweighed in the circumstances because of the potential litigation.
CARRIED (255/2019) Council moved into Confidence and all members of the public left the Chambers at 6:54pm”
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Tim Bickmore Also…. The SWOT plan supposed to be released publicly on November 7… “Meeting moved out of Confidence and was reopened to attendance of the Public at 8:12pm
Moved Councillor Reubenicht, Seconded Councillor Anderson
That Pursuant to Section 91(7) of the Local Government Act 1999, the Council orders that the following document(s) (or part) shall be kept confidential, being document(s) (or part) relating to a matter dealt with by the Council on a confidential basis under Sections 90(2) and 90(3)(i) of the Local Government Act 1999:
• NRWMF SWOT Analysis and Risk Assessment;
• The Minutes of Special Meeting 16 October 2019; and
That the order shall operate until the Minister or his authorised representative gives consent for the information to be released either in draft or final form or 7 November 2019 whichever
is the sooner.
Kazzi Jai Omg! So…..if you use the SWOT – even though it is financed by the Feds – it is in contravention of our State Legislation and so the Council is open to liability? Is that correct?
The Feds ALWAYS THOUGHT that they have this one in the bag with respect to SWOT – that’s why they were happy to finance it but set the ballot date anyway!
Arrogant &%$#%&s
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Kazzi Jai Can’t a copy get “accidentally released”? Just like ScoMo’s talking points email?
Or get the Feds to release it – since they said this is an “open and transparent process” supposedly??Noel Wauchope I don’t really understand what this is all about, but methinks that perhaps the nuclear lobby’s waste dump plans just got a tad more complicated?Kazzi Jai, It will be IF the Feds don’t step in and release the SWOT results!
Kazzi Jai The Councils will RUE THE DAY they EVER had anything to do with this whole sorry process!! The Bribe Money should have been the BIG Warning Light!
1.This month
For international nuclear news go to https://nuclear-news.net/
EVENTS
more at Action Australia
Nuclear Waste in Australia – theme for January 2020
They haven’t given up on the plan for rural South Australia to become the world’s nuclear toilet.
Victorian Government INQUIRY INTO NUCLEAR PROHIBITIONThe submission closing date is Friday 28 February 2020. more – https://antinuclear.net/2019/11/07/victorian-government-inquiry-into-nuclear-prohibition/
Free Julian Assange, before it’s too late. Sign to STOP the USA Extradition
FEDERAL. Inquiry into the prerequisites for nuclear energy in Australia Read the published submissions on the Parliamentary website. Read the SUMMARIES of submissions here.
