Another week in nuclear news Australia
It’s getting hard for comedians, to compete as far as international relations go, with real life becoming more ridiculous. Politicians in Norway and USA are recommending Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. All sorts of reactions to the much vaunted “Nuclear Summit” between Trump and Kim. My own favourite was Trump’s own proud boast about not preparing for the summit – he makes decisions “by touch and feel”.
Accelerating Sea Level Rise is Being Driven by Rapidly Increasing Melt From Greenland and Antarctica. Leaked UN draft report – world is on track to exceed 1.5C of warming.
NUCLEAR
Donald Trump alienates America’s allies, raising the question “Should Australia get its own nuclear weapon?”
Australia’s Maralinga Nuclear Veterans unrecognised – (Government strategy – wait for them all to die?)
Nuclear industry bigwig Erica Smyth gets Queen’s Birthday Award – don’t it make ya sick! (the one who REALLY deserves recognition is Dr Helen Caldicott)
Federal Nuclear Waste Dump Plan for South Australia. Why is nuclear industry puppet Resources Minister Matt Canavan not considering Leonora , Western Australia, as nuclear waste dump? Centre Alliance Senator Rex Patrick exposes wider flaws in the Australian govt’s targeting of South Australia as nuclear waste dump. South Australian site selection for a national radioactive waste facility is a “sham”, as Western Australian private project is revealed.
Government assessment of proposed Kimba nuclear waste dump area is a farce.
More Submissions to the Senate Inquiry on Nuclear Waste Dump Site Selection Process.:
- Medical Association for Prevention of War – an urgent need for an independent inquiry into the production and management of Australia’s nuclear waste.
- Friends of the Earth: Need for an Independent Commission of Inquiry into Australia’s Nuclear Waste Management.
- Philip Fels: a farming family saddened at community disruption, due to unwise Barndioota nuclear waste dump site selection.
- Anna Taylor: Lucas Heights is the appropriate place, with the technology and expertise, for temporary storage of nuclear wastes.
- Kimba farmers Darren and Kellie Hunt deplore the Australian government’s flawed process for selection of nuclear waste dump site.
- Leon Ashton lays bare Australian govt hypocrisy, double-talk, lies , in its process for selecting nuclear waste dump site.
- Flinders Local Action Group’s detailed submission: Nuclear Waste Dump decision is a National matter – not just a local one.
- Kay Fels’ strong submission against nuclear waste dump siting, – from a farmer’s point of view.
- Ellenor Day is concerned about conflict of interest in nuclear waste site volunteered by Grant Chapman.
Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) agreement with IAEA on enhanced protection for uranium workers.
CLIMATE. Australia not doing its fair share on carbon emissions. Graham Readfern exposes the climate denial group “The Australian Environment Foundation“.
Aboriginal issues. Historic Northern Territory treaty agreement means ‘the old way is finished.
RENEWABLE ENERGY AEMO sees rooftop solar trebling in 10 years, batteries rising 10-fold. Sunny days ahead in Mayo with investment in community solar. Energy retailer greed backfires, as consumers switch to solar, batteries. Who should control household rooftop solar and batteries? State-based renewable schemes “critical” – especially under NEG.
Australia – nuclear news this week
In the coming week the “nuclear summit” meeting between USA President Donald Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un will be a diplomatic conference like no other has ever been. It is remarkable because, between these two dominating national leaders, trading threats and insults, the world has been brought so close to the brink of nuclear war. It is remarkable for being a meeting between two exceptionally narcissistic, sociopathic personalities.
And, behind the scenes, one, Kim Jong Un, risks the loss of his domestic support, even his life endangered, if he should be seen to be weak, or to give up North Korea’s proud achievement of becoming a nuclear weapons State. The other, Donald Trump, proudly ignorant of co-operative negotiating processes, is being advised by a number of belligerent personalities in his closest associates. The world should be relieved if this meeting even comes about, and relieved if there is no outcome, other than pleasant waffle.
A new study suggests several future scenarios – outcomes for the world because of climate change. Most predict collapse of civilisation. One, more optimistically, predicts sustainability in both population and global temperatures rise – but only if populations switch to “low-impact” resource use. It’s now”Aspiration” rather than a genuine plan for limiting global warming to 2 degrees. Read Climate and Ecological Delusions and Contradictions That Will Rapidly End Humanity. And listen to Radio Ecoshock.
AUSTRALIA
Australia needs a more consistent and rational approach to China.
The Australian government at last giving Julian Assange some help? US activist Kevin Zeese calls for demonstrations against the persecution of Julian Assange.
Senate Committee Says Further Regulatory Burden on Charities Unnecessary.
A cry from a brave indigenous heart.
CLIMATE Malcolm Turnbull mouths platitudes about climate change, but his government has no clear policy on climate action. Queensland Govt considering funding $100m road for Adani mine.
NUCLEAR. Jim Green exposes the Warren Centre’s fake “debate” on The Future of Nuclear Energy in Australia.
Decades overdue Ranger Uranium Mine rehabilitation plan released The world is watching. Ranger mine closure and rehab to cost $1bn.
More submissions to Senate Inquiry on Site Selection Process for Nuclear Waste dump:
- Conservation Council South Australia: No adequate case has been made for the establishment of a National Radioactive Waste Management Facility.
- Ruth Tulloch on “community consultation” by National Radioactive Waste Management – ” a huge, expensive marketing exercise “
- Chloe Hannan: community mental health is a serious issue that is ignored in the nuclear waste dump site selection process.
- Katrina Bohr is dissatisfied with the National Radioactive Waste Management Facility’s process for “Community Consultation”.
- Nuclear Waste Dump Site Selection: Leszek Gaweda points out the Conflict of Interest, and other negative factors.
National Geographic promotes the nuclear industry , with support from Flinders University Adelaide.
ANSTO‘s secret transport of spent nuclear fuel assemblies through Sydney’s streets. ‘Safety breaches and lack of management support’ at ANSTO’s Lucas Heights nuclear facility.
Aboriginal issues. South Australian government decides against process towards Aboriginal Treaty. Victorian lower house passes treaty legislation after Greens accept Labor deal. Australia’s frontier war killings still conveniently escape official memory. Aboriginal sovereignty – mere symbolism will never be accepted.
RENEWABLE ENERGY National Energy Guarantee (NEG) final draft due next week, reliability mechanism may never be triggered. Gupta’s stunning deal to supply cheap solar to South Australian industry. “Time to take control of rooftop solar” industry says . Wind and solar farms face tough new connection hurdles.
Nuclear news Australia to June 1st
With the world still teetering about North Korea etc, and the famous Kim-Trump summit still supposed to be happening, the nuclear weapons industry continues to thrive.
The impacts of climate change will not affect all regions equally – they will be worse in places with already fragile social and ecological systems. The nuclear waste time bomb will keep ticking – America’s 60 years of radioactive trash. And, as if the facts were not enough to worry about, Margaret Attwood (of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale”), suggests a future dystopian world, as the result of climate change.
AUSTRALIA
USA rejected Julian Assange’s offer to talk about Wikileaks and ‘Russiagate’.
Yet another failure for Australian uranium company Paladin – Namibia uranium mine mothballed.
South Australian Parliament Bill to protect whistleblowers.
NUCLEAR. There’s quite a disgusting silence both from the Australian media and Australian politicians, about anything nuclear, but especially about the plan for dumping nuclear waste, (which they call “medical” waste) on rural South Australia. Also, were it not for REneweconomy, Australians would learn hardly anything about the renewable energy transition now going on. But our media did a splendid coverage of the British royal wedding!
Federal nuclear waste dump plan Federal Government National Nuclear Waste Dump Selection Process – a B-grade horror movie plot. Sydney’s Opal nuclear reactor’s High Level Wastes off to France, later to return to planned Federal Nuclear waste Dump Adnyamathanha Traditional Land Association again confronts Resources Minister Matt Canavan on nuclear waste dumping.
Some more of the 108 Submissions now published on the Senate website.
- Leanne Lienert not necessarily opposed to nuclear waste dump, but very critical of the process.
- MNEMOSYNE GILES’ powerful submission exposes the deceit in the National Radioactive Waste Management Facility plan.
- Submission: NO RADIOACTIVE WASTE ON AGRICULTURAL LAND IN KIMBA OR SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
- Australians trust Labor more than Liberals, on energy policy.
CLIMATE
Clean Energy Council and Smart Energy Council call for high emissions reduction targets, as Frydenberg promises no change to the party room’s energy policy. Global and Australian food companies failing to deal with climate, health issues.
Adani coal mining company to pay for Isaac council staff working on Carmichael coal mine activities Greens MP refers Adani to Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC). Wangan and Jagalingou Traditional Owners: “We’re on the frontline defending our lands against Adani” -Activists take to the streets to Stop Adani .
RENEWABLE ENERGY
- Tesla plans 18 new EV supercharger stations for Australia, in major global roll-out. The Australian Energy Market Operator and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency want to expand their successful trial of demand response activities in wholesale markets and by networks.
- Australian renewable energy developer CWP Renewables brings in Partners for 1,300MW of wind, solar and batteries.
- Japanese companies(one is TEPCO!) join in starting storage battery business in South Australia. Gladstone approves 350MW solar farm – another for Queensland coal centre . Queensland’s biggest solar farm starts generating to grid. Adelaide shopping centres take Gupta’s lead, in 1MW shift to solar. Mars goes 100% solar for six Australian factories.
- New 40MW wind farm approved in western Victoria. Victorian dairy producer signs 10-year wind farm PPA
To 26 May -nuclear, climate, environment news – Australia
Back to the brink, as Donald Trump cancels the North Korea-USA Summit? Optimistic commentators rattle on about how this could turn out better. It’s deeply disappointing for South Korea’s President Moon who has tried so hard to defuse the tensions. Trump has been a failure as a negotiator, – seems aimed at wrecking international agreements – climate, Iran, North Korea …. Meanwhile, all nuclear powers, but America in particular are doing a feeding frenzy on nuclear weapons spending. USA excels in illogic, with USA National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) plan for unsafe and unnecessary production of plutonium pits (nuclear weapons triggers), – of which they already have a glut.
Earth’s climate could increase by 4 °C, compared to pre-industrial levels, before the end of 21st century.
I just had to put “environment” in the headline today. Of course, everything is connected anyway, but – what’s happening to the world’s insects? There’s a dramatic decline in insect numbers, the world is losing species. Is it due to climate change? Is it due to electromagnetic radiation causing disorientation in them? 5 G networks soon, Wow! Oh heck – insects are only little. They don’t matter. OR DO THEY?
AUSTRALIA
Will Australia’s Prime Minister Turnbull cave in to USA pressure for Australia to join in USA efforts against Iran ?
Submissions to Senate Committee inquiring into process for selecting nuclear waste dump site:
- Australia’s Federal government process for nuclear waste dump siting disrespects indigenous community – Adnyamathanha Traditional Land Association
- South Australia’s No Dump Alliance sends a powerful submission opposing Federal nuclear waste dump plan for Flinders Ranges.
- Environmental Defenders Office shows up flaws in Department of Industry, Science and Innovation’s report on nuclear waste siting.
- Toni Scott’s submission asks: will the government hound the Kimba and Hawker communities until they support nuclear waste dumping?
Friends of the Earth debunk the propaganda of pro nuclear shill Ben Heard.
Adani’s desperate bid to sell Carmichael coal to Vietnam.
RENEWABLE ENERGY.
South Australian Liberals vow to continue energy transition, go big in batteries. EVs will fast-track Australia’s shift to 100% renewables. UPC lands investor to advance huge wind, solar projects. Can the rooftop solar boom keep going?
RES plans 176MW solar and battery plant near Adelaide. Tasmania’s biggest solar farm wins council approval . Goldwind begins construction of 144MW Tasmania wind farm. Carnegie raises $5.3 million for solar, battery, wave. Gupta says could build 10GW of large scale solar across Australia. Unions support Liddell’s clean energy transition.
To May 19 – nuclear and climate news Australia
International politics teeters about over the Iran nuclear deal. Plans falter for nuclear summit meeting between Trump and Kim Jong Un. Trump will “decimate” North Korea unless Kim agrees to denuclearise the Korean peninsula.
Pro nuclear propaganda becomes more sophisticated and subtle. National Geographic now a stooge for the International “New Nukes”lobby
Scientists warn that worst-case climate change scenario could be more extreme than previously thought. Climate change is heading for a major wipeout of the world’s insect species.
AUSTRALIA
Labor prepared to strengthen environmental protections, as grass roots members demand.
ACT brings forward zero emissions target to 2045.
Australia’s nuclear propagandist Ben Heard wrote a paper rubbishing renewable energy’s potential: a group of international scientists refute it.
NUCLEAR. South Australia nuclear waste dump plan. A journey to the heart of the anti-nuclear resistance in Australia: Radioactive Exposure Tour 2018. ANSTO is lying to South Australians: nuclear medicine does NOT need a nuclear waste dump in Flinders Ranges. South Australia’s battles against nuclear waste dumping won, – and now fought again. Federal Nuclear Waste Dump the precursor to importing nuclear waste – South Australia’s Liberal Party plan. We must not leave nuclear waste decisions up to poorly informed Kimba residents.
Latest Submissions to Senate Inquiry:
- Sue Tulloch’s scathing criticism of the federal nuclear waste dump process and shambolic Barndioota Consultative Co
- Janette Thomas – on the biased “community consultation”on Barndioota nuclear dump plan, seismic and flooding dangers.
- Ken and Carole Wetherby demand that Eyre Peninsula remain ‘clean and green’ – NO nuclear waste dump.
CLIMATE. Turnbull’s budget shows complete ignorance about climate change. Adani’s vain hope global coal market will save Carmichael mine. ECOM withdrawal from Adani Coal Should be ‘Final Nail in the Coffin’
RENEWABLE ENERGY Australia’s scarce water could be helped by solar and wind power. Australian businesses on the move to renewable energy. Community Buying of solar power – a very good deal for Australia’s Non Profit organisations. Australia’s biggest solar farm switches on in Port Augusta . Australia’s biggest wind farm project lands connection deal. Queensland’s biggest solar farm connects to the grid. Mackay council goes solar – and saves big – with city-wide rollout . NAB, CBA to provide $80m finance for Crowlands wind farm .
The week that has been in nuclear news – Australia
Trumpiness AGAIN! Yes! He’s pulled America out of the Iran nuclear deal. Doesn’t augur well for the North Korea – USA summit to be held in Singapore on June 12. Increased risk of war in the Middle East.
Thirty thousand experts, policy people and diplomats are in Poland, planning for the next round of climate talks, The 1.5 degree C limit is a matter of life and death for some Pacific Island nations. 2 degrees is beyond safe.
Isn’t it good to learn about some sane, co-operative action? The power of environmentalism – Israelis, Palestinians and Jordanians unite in campaign for the environment.
Renewable Energy Now Employs 10.3 Million People Globally.
AUSTRALIA
NUCLEAR
Nuclear waste dump plan, Some more submissions to the Senate Inquiry on Selection of Site
- Eddie Hughes MP– Nuclear Waste Dump Site Selection Process is Deeply Flawed.
- David Noonan: No sound reason for ANSTO’s nuclear reactor wastes to go to Kimba South Australia as STRANDED WASTES.
- Gary Cushway shows up the lack of indigenous support for nuclear waste dump.
Geophysicists say that North Korean nuclear blast ‘moved mountain’. Australia’s seismic station plays role in monitoring.
CLIMATE. Adani’s Carmichael mine in Queensland no longer a viable proposition. Turnbull’s election budget dumps on climate and renewables.
RENEWABLE ENERGY.
- Australian Energy Market Operator chief Audrey Zibelman on changing energy market: “Get used to it”.
- Australia beats 100MW rooftop solar installs for 7th month in a row.
- SolarReserve may add 70MW solar farm to Port Augusta solar tower.
- Solar microgrid to launch in the heart of Victoria’s coal country.
- New home buyers in WA offered “game-changing” solar PPA. A
- nother two solar farms join NSW and Queensland grids .
- Massive 1.5GW solar plant proposed for south-east Queensland.
South Australian Parliament debating law to protect whistleblowers.
USA, Australia, want to keep fossil fuel lobbyists in climate talks – developing nations want them OUT.
to 7th May – nuclear news Australia
Oh dear – it’s all – will he or won’t he destroy the Iran nuclear deal? Will he have a successful nuclear talk with Kim Jong Un? Will he sell nuclear reactors to Saudi Arabia without safeguards against nuclear weapons? Will I ever do a newsletter without Trumpiness?
NUCLEAR
Australia, France, in support of Iran nuclear deal.
Federal Nuclear waste dump plan Two years of community resistance to nuclear waste dump plan for Australia’s iconic Flinders Ranges. Local indigenous not impressed! ANSTO brought an indigenous nuclear spruiker from New South Wales to Flinders Ranges. Australia’s “Nuclear Archbishop” Dr Adi Paterson, graced Kimba with a visit.
These are some more submissions received by the Senate Inquiry into Selection Process for Siting Nuclear Waste Dump
- Pastoralist Donald Fels finds that Barndioota, South Australia, is a totally unsuitable site for a nuclear waste dump.
- Independent and Peaceful Australia Network South Australia demands that the project receive 90% support from all communities involved. That includes communities along the nuclear waste transport path, those dependent on the underground water in the wider surrounding area, and indeed State and national support.
- Anica Niepraschk calls on the government to dismiss the Hawker and Kimba site nominations for nuclear dumping. Australia’s radioactive trash, and the history of failed attempts to set up a nuclear waste dump.
- Colin Mitchell’s powerful submission to the Senate finds the national radioactive waste selection process to be deceitful.
- Christine Wakelin – very sceptical of National Radioactive Waste Management Facility Taskforce’s methods and plans.
Unanswered questions: what does ANSTO do with the high level nuclear waste canisters at Lucas Heights?
BHP, Heathgate, and Turnbull government keen to sell uranium to India.
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists praises “straight talk” from Dr Helen Caldicott.
CLIMATE
The North Shore Environmental Stewards – Liberals aim to unseat Tony Abbott, over his climate denialism. Malcolm Turnbull has become a de-facto climate denier. Doctors for the Environment Australia speak out on Australia’s disgraceful response to climate change. South Australia Health now dealing with infectious disease threats increased due to climate change.
RENEWABLE ENERGY Australia can be the first 100 per cent renewables-powered continent. Renewable energy jobs up by a third – Australian Bureau of Statistics. Images of the Day: Australia top solar postcodes, from the sky . Sapphire wind farm turns on for ACT’s 100% renewables target. Gupta signs up solar farm to power Victoria steelworks.
Australia becoming the global centre for renewables for mines.
Commercial solar hots up in WA, as business wakes up to savings. The subsidy-free wind farms that returned money to ACT consumers in 2017. “No way” anyone will fund new coal plants under NEG, says Schott. CEFC and Pro-Invest reach for the stars with first clean energy investment in the hotels sector . Australia Zoo goes solar, with 648kW of PV . South Australia solar farm connects to the grid. first lithium battery recycling plant established in Gisborne, Victoria.
Climate and nuclear threats merge – Australian news to 27 April
It’s a critical time for human and other species, as the threats from climate change and nuclear power are now merging. Climatologist Paul Beckwith explains this in his latest podcast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRu-Xs4U2r4&feature=push-u&attr_tag=jW6Jq2IuMN0E13lZ-6 Carbon in the Atmosphere is Regularly Exceeding 410 Parts Per Million for First Time in Human History.
This crisis in the global ecosystem is manifested in other ways, notably in loss of biodiversity.
Professor Majia Nadesan explains “Nuclearity” – how politics trivialises the nuclear threat bringing the probability of global nuclear catastrophe. Nuclear scientists have lower awareness of risks, compared to “life”scientists.
AUSTRALIA
USA wants nuclear attack submarines to be based in Perth.
Labor candidate for Monaro Bryce Wilson refutes MP Barilaro’s simplistic push for Small Modular Nuclear reactors.
Federal Nuclear Waste Dump Plan for South Australia. Gathering of South Australian groups to stand firm against nuclear waste dumping.
Submissions to Senate. The Senate Inquiry on Selection process for a national radioactive waste management facility in South Australia. has now 73 submissions published I am going through them, not at this point able to estimate how many pro-nuke how many anti-nuke.
Some recent submissions:
- Barngarla native title holders do NOT support National Radioactive Waste Management Facility on their land – the nominated sites.
- Australian Human Rights Commission predicts legal challenges that might stop nuclear waste dump plans for South Australia.
- Michele Madigan suggests alternative plan for Lucas Heights nuclear waste.
- Barbara Walker – nuclear waste dump would damage tourism, split community, and is illegal in South Australia.
Woomera’s high level nuclear waste to go to Kimba as “Intermediate Level Waste”.
Uranium market slump looks like being permanent. Paladin may shut loss-making Langer Heinrich uranium mine.
Applause for Aboriginal veterans in ANZAC Day march. Indigenous Rangers left waiting for funding commitment.
Renewable Energy. Big Queensland business first to use Tesla Powerpack to go off-grid . Westpac joins growing corporate push into wind and solar . Rental solar scheme targets 15,000 Queensland investment homes. Angry and frustrated, more customers are quitting the grid. More news at reneweconomy.net.au
INTERNATIONAL
Earth Day and the climate message of the “hockey stick” graph.
NORTH KOREA. Trump’s North Korea talks not likely to succeed. Report from China that North Korea’s “nuclear mountain” test site has collapsed. Was the collapsed nuclear test site Kim Jong Un’s REAL reason for suspending nuclear tests?
SOUTH KOREA. Hotline set up between North and South Korea.
USA.
- Trump says North Korea must get rid of its nuclear weapons. Donald Trump has no strategy for following through after talks with Kim Jong Un.
- French President Macron says that Donald Trump is likely to scrap Iran deal. US President Donald Trump and French counterpart Emmanuel Macron called for a “new” deal with Iran.
- Government Accountability Office slams Hanford nuclear waste plant operations.
- Trump administration considers adding a special new military branch – for weapons in space.
- Westinghouse CEO admits that the 2000s “nuclear renaissance” was never going to happen.
- America’s mounting piles of plutonium cores – to be removed, perilously, by contract workers.
- SAN ONOFRE’S NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE TANKS ALREADY BREAKING. Danger of rising sea levels to nuclear waste canisters at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station.
- Will Trump take emergency measures to bail out 2 economically failing nuclear power stations?
- Trump’s Nuclear Posture Review makes allowance for NEW NUCLEAR BOMB TESTING
UKRAINE. United Nations report finds Chernobyl radiation has caused many cases of thyroid cancer. New gigantic confinement dome over Chernobyl nuclear wreck is now almost completed. The true impacts of the 1986 nuclear disaster on people and the environment. Caring for Chernobyl’s children. Sisters now ill, exposed to Chernobyl radiation, – urge others to get cancer checks .
FRANCE. Electricite de France (EDF) now recognising the reality that new nuclear power is not economically viable.
UK.
- Conflict of interest in the appointment of UK’s Chair of the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Council. UK government struggles to get community consent for nuclear waste dumping. Flawed UK government policy in drive to make Cumbria host nuclear waste dump. UK’s Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) flip flops in its plans for Trawsfynydd wastes.
- Safety problems at Flamanville nuclear project throw Britain’s Hinkley C nuclear project into doubt.
- High cancer rates in UK’s nuclear test veterans.
IRELAND. Concern raised by Kilkenny County Council over proximity to Hinkley Point nuclear power plant.
RUSSIA. Loss of ice in Russian Arctic has doubled over past 10 years. Future Nuclear-Powered Spaceships (oh by the way, one crashed to Canada in the past). Nuclear corporation Rosatom partners with National Geographic – to promote nuclear power!
IRAN. The ‘demonising’ of Iran, by USA and other Western powers, despite Iran’s good record on the nuclear deal. Investigative journalist Gareth Porter refutes the spin and deception in claims that Iran is a nuclear threat. Iran’s warnings if Donald Trump tears up 2015 nuclear deal.
OCEANIA. Sea level rise will force evacuation of communities from low-lying islands. Many low-lying atoll islands could be uninhabitable by mid-21st century .
NEW ZEALAND. New Zealand’s Prime Minister Just Stood Up to One of The Most Powerful Industries in The World.
CANADA. Indigenous, environmental, groups warn that Canada is mismanaging nuclear wastes.
SOUTH AFRICA. 2018 Goldman Environmental Prize goes to South African anti nuclear activists.
JAPAN. Japan ‘covering up’ Fukushima nuclear danger-zone radiation levels and blackmailing evacuees to return to radiated areas swarming with radioactive pigs and monkeys. Japanese trading house Itochu ‘pulls out of nuclear plant project in Turkey’.
BELGIUM. Belgium’s move away from nuclear power – now pushing offshore wind parks,
The week that was in Australian nuclear news
Donald Trump says he’s ready to pull the plug on the summit meeting with Kim Jong Un, if he feels it’s “not going to be fruitful.” It took years of careful multi-national negotiations to develop a nuclear deal with Iran. Trump apparently expects Kim Jong Un to quickly agree to “complete, verifiable, irreversible dismantlement of the North Korean program”. That can’t be done quickly, even if Kim agreed. And what would Kim want, in return?
Remembering that Donald Trump’s main aim is to be the centre of attention – what better centre-stage position, than walking out of the summit, and bringing us all to the nuclear brink again?
Dr Helen Caldicott – forthright and clear – on Donald Trump, and the nuclear war danger.
AUSTRALIA
48 submissions now published on the Senate website – Inquiry into Selection process for a national radioactive waste management facility in South Australia. This top submission from ENUFF not yet published.
Australia to join global health and climate change initiative. Whichever way you cut it, Turnbull’s climate policy is still a sham . Coalition squibs on emissions in new energy policy paper.
Aboriginal Tent Embassy camp shines light on frontier wars. Indigenous rangers facing ‘nervous wait’ over funding.
New South Wales New South Wales Acting Premier John Barilaro is gung ho for nuclear power. He claims that nuclear power – Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMRs) are “inevitable for Australia”.
Time to close the unnecessary Lucas Heights nuclear reactor, now that bushfires are contained? New South Wales firefighter warns on the importance of climate change bringing extreme weather (near to nuclear reactor) Climate change – unseasonably hot weather made bushfires near Lucas Heights nuclear reactor become “apocalyptic” blazes. Government and media silence on the bushfire danger to Lucas Heights nuclear reactor. ANSTO closed the Lucas Heights nuclear complex to all but the most essential staff.
South Australia. Visit of pro nuclear Resources Minister Canavan has strengthened Aboriginal opposition to nuclear waste dump. Australian government successfully bribing Kimba community to host radioactive trash? Maralinga – Britain’s guinea pig land for toxic nuclear bomb testing.
Environment Victoria welcomes revelations of final brown coal project collapse .
The week to 15 April in nuclear news Australia
US, British and French forces launched air strikes on chemical weapons sites in Syria. Russia claims that most missiles fired were intercepted by Syrian air defence systems using Soviet-produced hardware. We all hope that this will not escalate, at present it being a targeted attack in response to Syria’s illegal use of chemical weapons.
Accelerating rate of heat increasing in oceans, especially around Australia. Even America might now wake up to global warming – A major climate boundary in the central U.S. has shifted 140 miles due to global warming
AUSTRALIA
Australian govt plans for nuclear waste dump in rural South Australia. Kimba area local communities to have a Postal Ballot on this – BUT the National Radioactive Waste Management Facility Taskforce is NOT truthfully informing people.
Still the Senate has published only 19 mainly pro nuclear submissions. You can bet that Holtec and other nuclear-related companies have sent in unpublished ones. Meanwhile, here are some of the better submissions so far (more to come later):
- Janet Tiller has deep concerns over this plan to dump radioactive trash on agricultural land.
- Holly Whittenbury on Nuclear dump siting- Aboriginal issues, tourism impact.
- Justine Major: Radioactive waste dump should NOT be on agricultural land .
- Scott Cameron’s Submission to Senate finds process for selecting nuclear dump is misleading and faulty.
- Federal Nuclear Waste Dump Siting IS A NATIONAL MATTER
- Noel Wauchope Stresses importance of generalist, not just “expert” opinion being considered. Notes that, with no discussion, South Australia is already assumed to be the location for the dump.
Nuclear Promotional Activities planned :Australia’s Department of Industry, Innovation and Science. Kimba Economic Working Group on nuclear waste dump set up by Dept of Industry Innovation and Science. Mayor of Kimba wavering about the area hosting a nuclear waste dump?
Lucas Heights’ accumulation of dangerous nuclear wastes. Costly and top secret transport of nuclear waste from Lucas Heights to (possibly) Port Kembla, then to France.
Bushfires today 15 Aug near Barden Ridge (i.e. Lucas Heights): could they be a threat to the nuclear reactor complex?
South Australia’s Liberal Premier “open to nuclear power“.
Whyalla steelworks boss Sanjeev Gupta says renewables ‘cheaper and easier’ than nuclear.a.
This week in nuclear and climate news, Australia
While I’m supposedly focussed on nuclear news, it is really madness to ignore climate. The biosphere is being dramatically changed by human activities. Climate news has become ever more complicated. Last week, I struggled to explain the complexity of the Arctic currents of warm air, their effects on the polar vortex, and the extreme cold in Northern Europe and America.
At the same time, climate change is heating up the southern half of the globe.
Rapid Sea Level Rise Possible as Ocean Floods into Antarctica at up to 400 Meters Per Year. Antarctica’s great ice sheet being eroded by warm water circulating underneath. Drastic action on fossil fuels is needed, as the Poles melt – with unpredictable consequences.
Women, today and always, understand and fight the peril of nuclear war, nuclear pollution.
The carbon footprint of huge digital data centres.
AUSTRALIA
Australia needs an independent National Environment Protection Agency.
The latest sally in the fight to further dumb down the ABC.
We should be outraged at the silencing of Julian Assange.
NUCLEAR. Submissions to the Australian Senate on process for siting of nuclear waste dump . Well, I think that this is a disgrace. Apart from the Terms of Reference being so weighted, and with the assumption that it’s a fait accompli that the proposed dump must be in South Australia – apart from all that – their handling of the submissions is odd indeed. For many weeks they published only 5 pro nuclear submissions. those 5 looked suspiciously alike – all coached by the nuclear lobby?
Now they’ve published 19 submissions – that would appear at first glance to be heavily weighted pro nuclear. (they did not publish mine, by the way).
New South Wales National Party rules out nuclear power plan. They distanced themselves from their Deputy Premier, John Barilaro, who spruiked for “new nuclear”. Barilaro, practically unknown as a nuclear advocate, was publicised, in his tax-payer funded jaunt to an American nuclear conference, billed as “one of the biggest names in nuclear“. Barilaro is a stooge for the shadowy group “Nuclear For Climate”. (I will attach their map plan for nuclear reactors below this page). Labor MP Yasmin Catley calls for Premier Gladys Berejiklian to rule out nuclear power in New South Wales.
URANIUM- Aboriginal traditional owners warn that Rum Jungle uranium mine rehabilitation is jeopardised. 20 years’ anniversary of Mirarr traditional Aboriginal owners blockade of Jabiluka.
Worrying changes to Gippsland mining plan – risk of radioactive pollution.
ENERGY– Monash family calls for coal power politicians to change the name of their group (Monash Forum) Australian rooftop solar boom rolls on – 351MW in first quarter – and heaps more news at reneweconomy.com.au
Australia – CLIMATE and nuclear news this week
Easter – Passover – time for religious observances and/or to be helping that bunny, (or bilby) to hide those chocolate Easter eggs – or something fun like that. Probably bad timing to be talking about climate change, as the news is not good.
It’s so bad, in fact, that I aberrate here from things nuclear to draw attention to what is happening in the Arctic. Radio Ecoshock keeps us up to date, and the latest news explains the exceptionally cold Northern winter, the Arctic Meltdown, and the proposals for renewable power AND geoengineering.
Arctic temperatures have skyrocketed to 30 degrees celsius over the long-term average. Warm humid air going into the Arctic hits the dense dome of cold air, and bypasses it, going up into the upper atmosphere, even to the stratosphere. The high altitude Polar Vortex split, and a deep persistent jet stream trough over North America shifts, bringing freezing weather.The high Arctic warming in the spring, autumn, and throughout the winter results in melting ice. The complexity of atmospheric “rivers”brings streams of warm air to the Arctic, carrying water vapour , itself a greenhouse gas, which increases absorption of heat.
For a detailed explanation of the Arctic situation, see the youtube videos by Paul Beckwith:
- Hot Wet Atmospheric Rivers Ravage Arctic: Part 1 of 4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5OifOXfJe0
- Warm Humid Air Penetrates Arctic Cold Dome: 2 of 4- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrUV21csBNc–
- Topsy Turvy Weather on a Planet in Peril: Part 3 of 4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viw_5MlJoRE
AUSTRALIA
CLIMATE. Escalating bushfire dangers, as climate change brings record winter temperatures. Victoria: peat fires near Cobden could continue burning for months. Marine heatwave in Tasman sea breaks all records. Good climate policy is beyond the Australian government – and maybe it should be .
Many supporters rally to Julian Assange, after his access to Internat is cut off. The Age print version carried article – Supporters rally after Assange banned from net access – but it’s not available on the Internet
Opposition to planned Gippsland mine – risks of thorium contamination.
NUCLEAR. Submissions to the Australian Senate Inquiry on siting federal nuclear waste dump – deadline 3rd April . Senate Inquiry into Nuclear Waste Dump Siting. Australian Senate Committee has published only the PRO NUCLEAR submissions. ?ignoring the others. Submission for the public good – to Senate Inquiry on nuclear waste dump selection.
South Australia’s new Liberal MP Dennis Hood will push for nuclear dump.
Strong support for Sydney’s Aboriginal rally against Brewarrina nuclear dump plan.
RENEWABLE ENERGY. How renewables trumped brown coal and gas over Australia’s summer. Victorian government backs push for solar on all new-build homes. Write-downs and rebates: What states can do about gold-plated grid. More at reneweconomy.com.au
This week in nuclear news – Australia
Well, it’s been quite a week, with all the Cambridge Analytica stuff showing the power and influence of corporations and political parties in manipulating social media– We should not be so surprised, except for the speed and effectiveness of the Cambridge Analytica’s opinion-influencing campaigns.
Manipulation of public opinion has a long and dishonourable history. Following the 1945 bombing of Hiroshima, America launched a successful pro nuclear power propaganda campaign, resulting in the growth of the ‘peaceful’ nuclear industry, especially in Japan.
Hitler used the 1936 Berlin Games to ‘sell’ Nazi Germany as a fine culture. Currently, Putin is being accused of using the FIFA World Cup as a glorification of his Russian regime.
We can look forward now to two years of global hype over the 2020 Olympics in Japan as a glowing (though lying) recommendation of a now healthy Fukushima.
All this in the desperate effort to save the reputation of the global nuclear industry. However not everyone, even conservatives, are buying this, as the situation in Britain shows, with renewables gaining popularity.
Climate: social science research also shows the way in which conservatives are being won over to accepting climate change, and the need to work actively to slow its progress. Polar Anomaly Flip in an Abnormally Warm World: Arctic to Cool as Antarctica Heats Up.
AUSTRALIA
Global bank HSBC warns that Australia is especially vulnerable to climate change.
The new Trans Pacific Partenership (TPP) just as bad for Australia as the old one.
NUCLEAR WASTE DUMPING. The Senate is accepting submissions about this, with (narrow Terms of Reference). closing on April 3. So far only 5 pro nuclear submissions have been published on their site. Yet I know that several anti-nuclear submissions have been sent. I’m working on mine now, and I urge others to send submissions. Ask the Australian Senate to consider this: why was South Australia chosen – to house Lucas Heights’ nuclear waste? Best way to make submissions to the Senate Inquiry on Nuclear Waste Dumping.
Nuclear waste dump for South Australia? Deafening silence from politicians and journalists.
- South Australia rejects the nuclear industry – as shown in poor vote for Cory ‘s Australian Conservatives.
- South Australia’s new Liberal Premier Marshall backs nuclear waste dump, despite community discord. Greens leader Mark Parnell calls for Lucas Heights nuclear waste to be kept at Lucas Heights. Protect South Australia from Nuclear Trash – the fight continues.
- New York Times buys into ANSTO’s nuclear spin about Kimba?
- Pro nuclear enthusiasm in Ben Heard’s submission to the Senate.
- Dumping nuclear waste is illegal in South Australia: South Australians will resist imposition of dump.
- Busting the pro nuclear spin to regional South Australia, by the visitors from Lucas Heights. Nuclear propaganda tour across regional South Australia – AUSTRALIAN RADIATION PROTECTION AND NUCLEAR SAFETY AGENCY.
- Anniversary of radiation accident at Lucas Heights – a warning to South Australia. An angry response from Eyre Peninsula resident to media coverage of South Australia nuclear dump plan.
David Noonan’s Submissions to Senate regarding Reprocessing Nuclear Fuel and Safety of Intermediate Level Wastes.
Group of Montebello nuclear test veterans have no medical insurance, not entitled to gold card.
Minerals Council of Australia wants nuclear technology to be government funded as “clean and green”.
Supreme Court appeal lodged against Yeelirrie uranium mining approval decision.
Neighbours not happy as a man builds his nuclear war bunker in Victoria.
CLIMATE and RENEWABLE ENERGY. Can Stephen Marshall stop South Australia’s transition to clean energy? Probably not. South Australian Premier Stephen Marshall carrying out the Liberal agenda – Cuts Access To Solar Batteries For Low Income Households. South Australia’s new Premier vows to kill the Tesla battery storage plan. There’s miles and miles of mostly very good news about renewable energy. Find this at reneweconomy.com.au
Australian nuclear news – on anniversary of Fukushima nuclear disaster
Tomorrow, Sunday March 11, will mark the seventh anniversary of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. I’m not sure that the mainstream media will cover this properly – or even at all. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHqbNmhx-d4 . . Radioactive debris piling up at Fukushima interim facility. The costly underground “Ice wall” to prevent radioactive leakage has not really been effective. Radioactive water continues to pour into the Pacific ocean. Exposures levels go up while environmental health protections are lifted: life is devalued. No. of children at time of Fukushima disaster diagnosed with thyroid cancer reaches 160. Fukushima Nuclear Fuel Release “Explicitly Revealed” In Wider Environment. Fleeing from Fukushima: a nuclear evacuation reality check.
The power of the people – Safecast gets the facts on Fukushima radiation.
Crucial US-North Korea talks – could defuse nuclear tensions? Donald Trump’s historic gamble on meeting Kim Jong Un – so much could go wrong.
A sad reflection on International Women’s Day – Climate change ‘impacts women more than men‘
AUSTRALIA
Seven years on, Fukushima still a disaster without a solution Toshiko Okada will be speaking at the Channon Market, NSW March 11
Nuclear waste dumping plan.
- New York Times – omissions in covering South Australia’s Kimba nuclear waste dump plan.
- Protesters unite against nuclear waste in Port Augusta.
- Best way to make submissions to the Senate Inquiry on Nuclear Waste Dumping.
- ANSTO spin and lies : Kimba nuclear fans shouted a visit to Lucas Heights.
- Which South Australian parties have the guts to say NO to the Federal nuclear waste dump plan? South Australia election: Greens OPPOSE, SA Best nearly oppose, nuclear waste dump in SA: Labor and Liberal vacillate.
Big global weapons corporations lavish gifts on Australian Defence executives and top military personnel.
Don’t Let Josh Frydenberg [ Minister for Uranium, Coal etc] approve Yeelirrie uranium mine or extinction!
Minerals Council lobbies for changes to native title laws .
RENEWABLE ENERGY/CLIMATE – lots of news at reneweconomy.com.au
To 4 March Nuclear News
The corporate-political-media machine now gears up the spin for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. This is no coincidence, as March will mark the seventh anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear catastrophe. After the 1945 nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagsaki, the American government swamped Japan with propaganda for setting up nuclear reactors – and indeed, the world, for”Atoms for Peace”. So again, the deception now is that the Fukushima tragedy is over – solved – fixed.
The Winter Olympics are over. We now return to your regularly scheduled nuclear crisis.
CLIMATE: Record warming in the Arctic. Some of the world’s biggest lakes Are drying.
AUSTRALIA
Visit of New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern. 60 minutes duly focused their interview on her pregnancy, not her policies. Of course Australian PM did not agree with her on New Zealand’s policies – of signing the nuclear weapons ban, and helping climate refugees.
NUCLEAR WASTE DUMPING.
Greenpeace finds nuclear waste headed to Australia classified as high-level waste by France. Vitrified nuclear waste due to be sent from UK to Lucas Heights, Australia by 2022.
The Australian government, indeed the major parties, are complicit in the pretense that the “temporary”nuclear waste dump planned for rural South Australia is of concern only to the immediate local community, where some white Australian has volunteered his land, in the expectation of making big bucks. However, at long last, at least there will be a Senate Committee Inquiry about this.
A draft Radioactive Waste Code drawn up by The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) widens the waste types permitted, and prepares the way for nuclear waste to be dumped on South Australia. Responses to this have been overwhelmingly negative.
South Australia election – nuclear garbage dump IS an election issue.
South Australia Liberal Party – confused policy on nuclear waste dumping. The lunar right: Senator Cory Bernardi promises $445 billion for South Australia, if it hosts international nuclear waste dump.
New South Wales – Brewarrina nuclear dump protests send clear message to Council: “Keep Bre Nuclear Free”.
Climate Change. Labor wavers back and forth on the Adani coal mine question.
Renewable energy – miles and miles of interesting stuff at reneweconomy.com.au
1 This month
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
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