In Western Australia, the system and the media benefit miners, not Aboriginals
the reality is that once an Aboriginal community commits to the Native Title process they are locked into a process which guarantees that mining will take place on their land whether they want the mining or not..
..In WA the mining interests are also assisted in an almost blanket (corporate) media message that mining is good for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people alike. This is nowhere more evident than in the sole WA daily newspaper, The West Australian which fawns over local magnates Andrew Forrest and Gina Rinehart in weekly articles and opinion pieces,
Yindjibarndi Aboriginal people take on WA FMG mining magnate, CPA The Guardian, 4 Aug 11 On one side are the proud Yindjibarndi people, who wish to preserve their culture, customs, language, way of life and country which embodies their spirit. On the other side is Australia’s second richest person, Andrew Forrest (another Western Australian mining magnate, Gina Rinehart being the richest) with a net worth of $6.9 billion who is chairman of the corporation he founded, Fortescue Metals Group (and currently appealing a ruling by the Federal Court that bars him from running FMG), which mines and exports iron ore. Continue reading
Too much success for household solar power in Western Australia
WA solar rebate scheme too popular to continue, SMH, Courtney Trenwith, August 1, 2011, The WA government has axed one of the most successful household environmental programs – the solar panel rebate scheme – precisely because it was too popular.
No new applications will be accepted from today. More than 65,000 household solar panels have been installed since the scheme started in 2009…WA solar rebate scheme too popular to continue
Anti nuclear protest at Australian Uranium Conference on in Fremantle.
Anti-uranium protest in Fremantle, Anti-uranium campaigners have staged a protest outside Australia’s largest annual uranium conference., ABC News, July 21, 2011 “…….Politicians and uranium industry delegates are attending the forum to discuss the future of the industry in WA, which as yet has no operational uranium mine.
The Conservation Council of WA organised the rally, which included Australian Manufacturing Workers Union WA boss Steve McCartney, Greens MP Robin Chapple and Fremantle Mayor Brad Pettitte.
The protesters say they hope to draw attention to the decline in the nuclear industry and reflect on the recent tragedy at the Fukushima plant in Japan…
Fukushima ‘incident’ makes nuclear industry safer, says Paladin chief
He said the Fukushima incident in Japan had been nothing more than a smokescreen obscuring the positive underlying fundamentals of the industry.A positive side to the Fukushima incident, where there were no deaths despite alarmist reports, was that it will make the industry even safer
Paladin Energy CEO delivers broadside against Greens Party, A leading Australian uranium industry figure fired a broadside at the country’s Greens Party which has pushed a case that Australia could be run totally on renewable energy by 2040. Ross Louthean, Mineweb 21 Jul 2011 PERTH – –
Speaking in the last session of the Australian Uranium Conference in Fremantle this evening, Paladin Energy Ltd’s chief executive John Borshoff described the case made by the country’s Greens Party that Australia could be run totally on renewable enrergy by 2040 as stupid. Continue reading
Toro uranium company to press W.A. govt for exemptions to royalty payments?
Toro managing director Greg Hall said he would examine the proposal and consider approaching the government for possible exemptions
State royalty plan hits Toro hopes for uranium project, THE AUSTRALIAN, SARAH-JANE TASKER , July 21, 2011 TORO Energy’s plans to become the first new uranium miner in Western Australia have been hit by news the state government will force the emerging industry to pay a royalty. Continue reading
Big Money Behind Australia’s Climate Change Denial
Ms Rinehart…. recently sponsored a speech by controversial UK climate-change sceptic Lord Christopher Monckton …Her speech at the Boao Forum for Asia business conference in Perth last week, where she arranged for climate-change sceptic Prof Ian Plimer to address the audience, highlighted her scepticism of man-made climate change…Ms Rinehart wrote a reference letter for former CSIRO nuclear physicist and Federal Coalition backbencher, Dr Dennis Jensens, backing his doubts that humans have caused global warming
Australia’s richest woman fumes over carbon tax, Russell Quinn Business Reporter : The Sunday Times , July 16, 2011 THE country’s richest woman, WA mining magnate Gina Rinehart, has demanded a referendum on Julia Gillard’s carbon tax.
Anti uranium stance likely to return Western Australia’s Labor Party to power
“Campaign Capital director Daniel Smith, who commissioned the polling, said the polling indicates the state Labor Party may be able to exploit the issue at the next state election, after strengthening its opposition to uranium mining at its recent state conference.
“The polling indicates WA Labor’s reaffirmed opposition to uranium mining provides political opportunities in the marginal seats that will decide the next state election,” said Mr Smith.
“Among the swinging voters that will decide these elections, support for uranium mining was recorded at only 28 per cent.”
Japanese disaster hurts WA’s uranium support, Nick Evans , PerthNow , July 14, 2011 “……PerthNow has seen the results of recent polling put to 400 voters in four government held marginal seats – Riverton, Jandakot, Swan Hills and Mount Lawley – that shows opposition to uranium mining has grown since the Fukishima disaster in Japan.
Almost half the voters contacted by Western Australian Opinion Polls said they opposed uranium mining in WA, with 32 per cent of people saying they strongly oppose the idea.
Only 5 per cent strongly support the opening of uranium mines in WA, with total support running at only 32 per cent….. Continue reading
Western Australia Labor Party policy on nuclear power and uranium mining
Labor policy adopted- 25th June 2011, Chapter 4: Economics, Industry and Regional Development, Minerals and Energy
Uranium Mining and Nuclear Energy
241. Recognising the hazards and dangers of nuclear power, especially relating to:
a. The safety of the nuclear fuel cycle;
b. The unsolved problems pertaining to the reprocessing and storage of radioactive wastes and spent fuel;
c. The growing concern about the biomedical effects of even low radiation
d. The coupling of nuclear energy and nuclear weapon developments
e. The added danger of a future plutonium economy and the threats to civil liberties involved in a nuclear economy; and
f. The fact that Labor policy contained herein on fossil fuels, energy conservation and renewable resources will ensure Western Australia energy self sufficiency.
242. Labor will:
a. Reject nuclear power as an option for electricity generation in Western Australia;
b. Oppose the establishment of a nuclear enrichment facility in the State;
c. Reject the establishment of nuclear processing plants or the storage of nuclear wastes in the state;
d. allow no uranium mining or development in Western Australia; and
e. The platform recognises WA long and continuous opposition to uranium mining. The commencement and continuation of any uranium project is inconsistent with Labor Policy. Labor will accept no obligation to complete approval processes or honour contractual arrangements entered into by a previous government where such approvals or contracts are directed towards an outcome inconsistent with Labor s, restrictions and conditions applicable to the mining, processing, sale and transportation of uranium platform.
f. place thorium under the currently mines in Australia as outlines in the Resources and Energy section of the National Platform, so far as they relate to nuclear non-proliferation.
Western Australian Labor Party maintains policy against uranium mining
at the Labor state conference this week there was an attempt to weaken the Labor position
against uranium mines- to accept uranium mines that may be approved…
This motion was voted down with strength. There was Jon Ford – shadow
mines minister, Dave Kelly- secretary for the miscellanious union and
Steve Mc cartney from the AMWU. This has sent a really clear message
to uranium miners that there is no social license to operate and has
cast further doubt on the uranium industry
35,000 Western Australian homes to get wind energy
GE’s wind technology enters Western Australia, Industrial Fuels and Power June 21st, 2011 by IFandP Newsroom A consortium including GE and Australian firm Leighton Contractors has received a US$130m contract to supply and install 22 GE 2.5-100 wind turbines for the Mumbida Wind Farm. Located 40km southeast of Geraldton, marks the entry of GE in the Australia/New Zealand region.
A 50/50 partnership between Western Australia-owned utility Verve Energy and Macquarie Capital, the Mumbida Wind Farm will generate 55MW of renewable energy for the South West Interconnected System, enough to eliminate 165,000t of greenhouse gases annually and supply power to around 35,000 homes…….http://www.ifandp.com/article/0011718.html
Economic sense for BHP to pull out of Western Australian uranium mining
“Australian uranium exporters and investors are uniquely vulnerable to the volatile and unpredictable nuclear industry that has never lived upto the promises it has made in the past,” ….. “The nuclear renaissance is dead. The nuclear industry was in enormous trouble well before the disaster at the Fukushima complex…BHP Billiton moving senior staff away from Yeelirrie uranium project
Query on Yeelirrie after BHP moves PETER KLINGER, The West Australian, June 20, 2011, A fortnight after admitting it had put the Yeelirrie environmental approvals process on hold, BHP Billiton is understood to have begun dismantling the senior management team charged with overseeing WA’s biggest uranium development.
The miner is under enormous pressure from investors to find and develop projects that will make a material difference to its top and bottom linesComplicating the matter for BHP is that development of Yeelirrie would create significant political and community backlash in WA, where there is vocal opposition to uranium mining, in return for only modest financial rewards for the world’s biggest miner…..http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/business/a/-/wa/9669593/query-on-yeelirrie-after-bhp-moves/
BHP Billiton looks like pulling out of Yeelirie uranium mining
“the nuclear industry is increasingly unpopular and unprofitable and BHP Billiton has seen the writing on the wall for the uranium trade in WA”.
BHP’s Yeelirrie doubts reflect high risk and low return from uranium mining, 20 June 11, WA’s peak environment group today welcomed news that BHP Billiton’s Yeelirrie uranium mining project is indefinitely on hold, with growing speculation that BHP will pull out of the project altogether. Continue reading
Australia’s nuclear salesmen dream on, in secluded comfort in Perth hotel
In the safe and comfortable ambience of the Pan Pacific Hotel, Perth, the nuclear salesmen dream on.
Nuclear reactor by 2022, uranium body says, Sydney Morning Herald, Josh Jerga June 8, 2011 Australia should try to get its first electricity generating nuclear reactor up by 2022, despite the Fukushima nuclear plant accident in Japan, the head of the Australian Uranium Association says.
Michael Angwin, CEO of the AUA, told an International Uranium Conference in Perth on Wednesday he was puzzled why the country was debating a carbon price without talking about…….
The rush to dump Australia’s thorium and uranium wastes in Malaysia
Unknown to the public the poorly done Preliminary Environmental Impact Assessment (PEIA) for Lynas does not cover the radiation and health concerns……
- the space for underground wastes storage cells is very limited due to the groundwater being extremely close to the surface;
- the ground is susceptible to subsidence as it is a former peat swamp area…. CAP and SAM recommend that:
- The Lynas project be stopped in order to address the issues, including the Wastes Management Plan, which an Australian mining expert reported as being ‘yet to be disclosed by Lynas’;.
Lynas plant rushed ahead before radiation study Malaysia Kini 23 May 11 SM Mohamed Idris, president of Consumers Association of Penang and Sahabat Alam Malaysia — The Lynas plant in Kuantan is unravelling into a nightmare. The lanthamide concentrates (rare earths) from Australia that Lynas will import into Malaysia contain thorium AND uranium, which suggests the processing in Kuantan will produce massive amount of radioactive wastes. Continue reading
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