Bushfire in Adelaide Hills is still a threat
Just after 4pm on Sunday, the Country Fire Service issued an alert to residents around the Mt Lofty Ranges after a fire started on Montacute Rd, Montacute.
The fire, started from a discarded cigarette butt, was burning steep terrain, making it difficult for crews to access. The spread of the fire has been contained, however the hot and dry conditions forecast this week mean it could pick up again, the CFS say……….A severe fire danger warning, as well as a total fire ban, has been issued today for the Mt Lofty Ranges due to very hot and dry conditions. https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/sas-breaking-news-blog-the-pulse-fire-crews-battle-uncontained-fire-in-mt-lofty-ranges/live-coverage/dc7bcd73c3c461533c4d8f911319fd20
Defence Department accused of deception over Woomera radioactive wastes
Defence under attack on nuclear waste dump https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/defence/defence-under-attack-on-nuclear-waste-dump/news-story/fd851b6cefd7c5701d354c7ed1adf09d LUKE GRIFFITHS @_LukeGriffiths DECEMBER 27, 2018
Woomera must be revisited as a potential site for Australia’s first nuclear waste dump, says Centre Alliance senator Rex Patrick, who accuses the Defence Department of deception over claims the site is unsuitable.
Senator Patrick said he would question Defence officials at Senate estimates hearings over why the department dismissed Woomera as a potential site because of an “intolerable risk” and its “impracticability” — a position since backed by Resources Minister Matt Canavan.
The 122,000sq km Woomera Prohibited Area, located in the South Australian outback 450km northwest of Adelaide, is a military testing range under federal government control.
Senator Patrick said significant nuclear waste materials had been stored there since 1994, including 10,000 drums of low and intermediate-level waste from a CSIRO research facility at Fishermans Bend in Melbourne.
In a report published on its website last week, the CSIRO said tests had found the material posed no threat to health or the environment. Tests in May found radiation levels adjacent to the storage had “natural background values” for Australia, as would be found in typical soil and rock.
“The report findings make a mockery of Defence claims there’s no way a national radioactive waste management facility could be located anywhere in the enormous expanse of the WPA,” Senator Patrick said.
“The reality is radioactive waste has been safely stored at Woomera for a quarter of a century. Defence can expect considerable scrutiny in the new year over the bureaucratic obfuscation and deception on this issue. It seems Defence is never stronger in defending territory than when it comes to defending its own.”
Senator Canavan has short-listed two sites near Kimba, 465km northwest of Adelaide, and one site near Hawker, in South Australia’s mid-north, for the waste facility.
The process, which has divided both communities, stalled after a Kimba ballot scheduled for August 20 was delayed by court action from an Aboriginal group that believes traditional owners should vote, despite not living within the shire’s boundaries.
In a similar move, traditional owners at Hawker last week lodged an Australian Human Rights Commission complaint, prepared by Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, that alleged a “fundamentally flawed process”.
Labor has not said how it would proceed should it form government after the election, which must be held by mid-May.D The Department of Defence did not respond to questions.
Radioactive waste at the Woomera Test Range
CSIRO 19 Dec 18 “……..Where did the waste come from?Almost 10,000 210-litre drums of waste now stored at the Woomera Test Range came from the clean-up of a former research site at Fishermans Bend, Melbourne, in the early 1990s and comprises of mainly soil and building materials…..
What is CSIRO doing about it?
CSIRO is using robotic equipment to better understand the physical condition and contents. This work will take 12–24 months and will inform future activities to characterise, separate and repackage waste and reduce its volume for transfer to the NRWMF. The robots are able to travel between the tightly packed drums which cannot be reached by people.
The robotic work will also help us better understand the physical integrity of the drums before further testing. The painted or galvanised drums are just over half way through their expected useful life of around 40 years……
Some material will be low level radioactive waste (LLW) and a very small amount may be intermediate level waste (ILW). Measures will be taken to ensure the material is safely stored to meet ARPANSA regulations until a final disposal pathway has been identified.
What does this mean for a National Radioactive Waste Management Facility (NRWMF)?
Further analysis and separation of material is needed to clarify how much of the material currently at the Woomera Range will require future disposal (LLW) or storage (ILW) at the proposed NRWMF.
The waste could not be transferred to a NRWMF until its contents are known and it is packaged to comply with the strict Waste Acceptance Criteria for the Facility. The current storage arrangement at the Woomera Test Range poses no health or environmental threat……. https://www.csiro.au/en/Research/Environment/Land-management/Radioactive-waste-Woomera?fbclid=IwAR2WeaBCrmpzBS5rZEqa-wH3IMh_sG7_L3Me5C3Ur5V6XhZo7WmiLCw7kEs
Exciting South Australian film project “Unwilling Nation”
Kim Mavromatis Fight To Stop Nuclear Waste In The Flinders 10 Dec 18 Ranges SELECTED FOR DOCULAB 2018 – We are really excited to be one of 6 teams selected to participate in the South Australian Film Corporation and Screen Australia Doculab Initiative.
OUR PROJECT : “Unwilling Nation” – a film about the 40 year fight to stop Nuclear Waste getting dumped in South Australia.
PROJECT KEY CREATIVES (Participating in the Doculab) :
Kim Mavromatis and Quenten Agius (Producers).
Robyn Ravenna (Writer / Researcher).
Supporting the development of a range of documentary and factual projects in South Australia, Doculab is an intensive three day lab for factual screen-makers.
Courtney Gibson (SAFC Chief Executive ) said “Doculab is about putting weight behind SA documentary projects and teams, bringing them together as a community to provide latest market intelligence and develop their projects to optimal creative strength before they’re out to market, and we’re so pleased to be partnering with Screen Australia to make this happen”.
Sally Caplan (Head of Content at Screen Australia) said “The calibre of content emerging from SA is both locally and internationally recognised and it’s important to continue nurturing its vibrant screen community. The Doculab initiative is committed to developing the skills and knowledge of diverse documentary filmmakers. We firmly believe that incubating people and projects through mentorships, funding and fostering pitching skills to penetrate specific markets is essential. We’re excited to see new South Australian projects develop from this initiative that we hope provide longevity for the industry.”
Read the fine print: future funding for Kimba/Hawker nuclear waste dump is NOT guaranteed
Kim Mavromatis Fight To Stop Nuclear Waste Dump In Flinders Ranges SA 8 Dec 18, Funding for Hawker / Kimba – WILL ERODE – GUARANTEED. Out of the proposed 31 million carrots, 21 million carrots will be supposedly delivered after the proposed site is built – do we really trust the fed liberal govnt to deliver the 21 million carrots after the site is built?? Read the fine print – how gullible do they think we are?? The same mob stabbed their leaders (prime ministers) in the back – told us the 10,000 barrels of radioactive waste dumped at woomera was only low level and nothing to worry about, then Rex Patrick discovers the waste includes intermediate level radioactive nuclear waste – lie after lie after lie – the fed libs deserve to get clobbered at the next election.
Bushfires near Kimba, proposed site for nuclear waste dump
Adelaide weather: Another scorcher as KI bushfire continues to burn, Adelaide Now Gabe Polychronis, Mitch Mott, The Advertiser, December 7, 2018 A large bushfire continues to burn on Kangaroo Island, as the CFS bring in dozens of reinforcement firefighters and trucks ahead of expected wind charges later today.
South Australia now supplying electricity to Victoria, as wind power surges
 Victoria now relying on SA for power as wind production rises and coal plants close, Adelaide Now Daniel Wills, State Political Editor, The Advertiser December 3, 2018 Green-powered South Australia is now sending Victoria more electricity than it takes back as wind production surges, leading energy experts to warn that more storage is the key to keeping the local grid stable.
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Total fire ban South Australia – a dangerous place to put a nuclear waste dump?
Total fire bans declared for most of South Australia, The Advertiser, December 1, 2018 Total fire bans have been issued for most of South Australia on the first day of summer.
The Country Fire Service’s state operation centre is ready to react to any large fires today as the mercury soars to 30C across the state before a possible storm late in the afternoon.
A severe fire danger rating has declared for the following regions:
West Coast, Eastern Eyre Peninsula, Lower Eyre Peninsula, Flinders, Mid North, Yorke Peninsula, Riverland, Murraylands, Upper South East, Lower South East and Mount Lofty Ranges
The official bushfire season has also begun today for Kangaroo Island and will run until April.
When total fire bans are declared, well prepared and actively defended houses can offer safety during a fire.
But the Country Fire Service warns that if residents do not have a bushfire survival plan, leaving early before a fire start is the safest option.
CFS State Duty Commander Nick Stanley told ABC radio certain activities that could cause a fire risk are banned during the fire danger season…..
Multiple bushfires on Yorke Peninsula South Australia
Bushfires in SA after lightning hits https://www.sbs.com.au/news/bushfires-in-sa-after-lightning-hits
A band of lightning moving across South Australia is believed to be the cause of multiple bushfires, in particular on the Yorke Peninsula at Minlaton. 2 Dec 18 Multiple fires are burning in South Australia and are believed to have been caused by a band of lightning moving across the state.
The most serious fire is on the Yorke Peninsula at Minlaton, the SA Country Fire Service said.
Just before 3pm, the CFS was telling nearby residents to “leave if the path is clear to a safer place” however the authority now says the rate of spread of the fire has halted.
However the CFS says it’s concerned that could change when the wind changes in a few hours.
“The CFS has concern that when the wind change arrives, there may be an increase in fire behaviour,” a warning message said.
“People east of the fire ground need to remain alert to this wind change and enact their Bushfire Survival Plan.”
There are smaller grass fires near Ettick in the Murraylands district, the Globe Derby Trotting track in the northern Adelaide metro area, Kangaroo Island, Hindmarsh Island, Kanmantoo, Barabba and Long Plains.
There is a total fire ban for most of the state.
Woomera the suitable site for a nuclear waste dump – Senator Rex Patrick
Woomera must be considered fWor radioactive waste facility, Senator Rex Patrick says https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/business/sa-business-journal/woomera-must-be-considered-for-radioactive-waste-facility-senator-rex-patrick-says/news-story/3b8171ca619079bc36b1b35c19861cf9?fbclid=IwAR0FQ-25ObeztDdNn5d9xLWOpJuDHJkaEBAIIT9r6sSpj52tRW_uTaCCLhc Erin Jones, Regional Editor, The Advertiser, November 28, 2018 Renewed calls have been made for Woomera to be considered as the site for the national nuclear waste repository to end the divide in two South Australian country towns.
Centre Alliance Senator Rex Patrick said the 122,000sq km Woomera Prohibited Area should be revisited after a freedom of information document showed the reasons why it was rejected were “shallow”.
His calls come as Kimba and Hawker remain in limbo as to whether they will be chosen to host the low-level waste facility, with community ballots delayed until early next year.
“We have a divided community in both Hawker and Kimba and there is a site that may well be very suitable but has been dismissed on very shallow grounds,” Senator Patrick said
“We need to revisit the defence site properly.”
Renewed calls have been made for Woomera to be considered as the site for the national nuclear waste repository to end the divide in two South Australian country towns.
Centre Alliance Senator Rex Patrick said the 122,000sq km Woomera Prohibited Area should be revisited after a freedom of information document showed the reasons why it was rejected were “shallow”.
His calls come as Kimba and Hawker remain in limbo as to whether they will be chosen to host the low-level waste facility, with community ballots delayed until early next year.
“We have a divided community in both Hawker and Kimba and there is a site that may well be very suitable but has been dismissed on very shallow grounds,” Senator Patrick said.
“We need to revisit the defence site properly.”
Woomera was one of four defence sites in SA to be identified by the Federal Government that met suitability criteria for the repository.
The Defence Department, in 2016, said it did not support the facility at Woomera as it was “incompatible” with its weapons testing range and missile launch site.
However, a 2002 Education, Training and Science Department report found the site would be a preferred location, in part because both low and intermediate-level radioactive waste had been stored there since 1994-95 without incident. This includes the CSIRO storing 10,000 drums of waste at the site.
Resources Minister Matt Canavan told The Advertiser the site was unsuitable due to defence operations. He said waste at the site must be moved outside of the controlled defence area.
Woomera was identified by the Howard Government as the potential repository site in 1998, but was shelved following backlash from the Rann Government.
Community excluded from Australia’s nuclear waste dump Community Consultation
Katrina Bohr No Nuclear Waste Dump Anywhere in South AustraliaAfter a few of us attempted to enter the closed and impenetrable BCC meeting on Tuesday in Quorn, we were left with some guidelines.
‘There will be an opportunity to attend one of the other meetings coming up’
The transcript from this meeting will be available on line.
Why all the community exclusion now, Ian Carter?
More boxes ticked on their Government to-do list….that’s all! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1314655315214929/
Earthquake close to Federal govt’s planned nuclear waste dump site – Kimba South Australia
Earthquake Felt In Cleve Kimba Area Last Night. 3.7 On The Scale.
Geoscience Australia said 13 reports of the tremor had been received from Whyalla. The tremor was magnitude 3.7 on the Richter scale at a depth of 10 kilometres.
It was felt as far away as Kadina on Yorke Peninsula.
A Geoscience spokesman at the National Earthquake Alerts Centre in Canberra said that In the past 100 years there had been more than 300 earthquakes in the region. …https://www.whyallanewsonline.com.au/story/5772041/tremor-hits-whyalla/
Kimba property values plunge, following plans for nuclear waste dump there
Zac Eagle Fight To Stop Nuclear Waste Dump In Flinders https://www.facebook.com/groups/344452605899556/RangesSA 9 Nov 18
This is what happens to a property market when a town is going for a nuclear waste dump.
Kimba 28% down in 12 months.
Protestors rally at South Australian Parliament against nuclear waste dump plan
Nuclear protesters converge at Parliament House https://www.transcontinental.com.au/story/5745040/nuclear-protesters-converge-at-parliament-house/, Marco Balsamo
About 1500 people congregated at the steps of Parliament House in Adelaide to let the government know that they still oppose nuclear waste.
Protesters travelled from the Eyre Peninsula and the Flinders Ranges to join other South Australians on Saturday, November 3 at the rally organised by Don’t Dump on SA.
Federal government had initially planned to make a decision on the facility by the end of the year.
The protest aimed to deliver a message to federal government to abandon the site selection process and to the South Australian government to uphold the state legislation that makes radioactive waste facilities illegal.
“We want the government to take all sites in SA off the table and to hold a full independent inquiry into the best way to manage our most dangerous waste,” Mara Bonacci from Don’t Dump on SA said.
“The government must stop targeting remote and regional areas and give Aboriginal people a right of veto for proposals that threaten their country and culture.”
Two sites in Kimba and one site at Wallerberdina Station near Hawker have been nominated to host the facility.
Among the many speakers at the Parliament House rally was Adnyamathanha man Dwayne Coulthard, who described the selection process as “cultural genocide”.
“We have had enough of being ignored. No radioactive waste dump on Adnyamathanha country in the Flinders Ranges. No waste dump in Kimba,” Mr Coulthard said.
Other speakers at the rally included state Member for Giles Eddie Hughes and federal Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.
Community members from both Kimba and the Flinders Ranges gathered in Port Augusta in August to march across the Joy Baluch AM Bridge in protest against the proposed nuclear facility.
Australian govt’s nuclear waste dump plan has put Flinders Ranges/ Kimba residents through 3 years of hell
The Federal Government needs to come clean on this and stop keeping our communities in the Flinders Ranges and Kimba dangling as part of their political game. Ever since they made plans for a federal nuclear waste dump for the Flinders Ranges/or Kimba, many people in our communities have become very unwell, some suicidal, which can be directly linked to the stress, bullying and division that this dump business has put upon us all. The government is culpable, and they should be held accountable for our past three years of hell. more https://www.facebook.com/groups/344452605899556/
1 This month
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
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