19 May the latest nuclear and climate news – Australia
The English language news media hops about from one theme to another. While the nuclear crisis about North Korea seems to continue- the focus has shifted to the USA’s President’s credibility problem. Well, as long as he’s the focus, I guess that Donald Trump is happy, anyway.
Meanwhile the present drama about the computer hacking of hospitals and businesses has taken on a more sinister aspect. People now realise that computer hacking could affect nuclear power stations , even perhaps nuclear military sites.
A new twist to this subject is the realisation that “cyber warfare” – to paralyse a country’s computer systems, could become a more satisfactory way for an enemy to attack, rather than use nuclear weapons. Analysts now consider North Korea as potentially able to use this method.
Investigative journalism lives: Close to Norway – Russia’s secret nuclear weapons build-up, and waste dumps
AUSTRALIA
NUCLEAR
You wouldn’t know that a Parliamentary Committee is about to rubber stamp a plan for Australia to put money and resources into developing new nuclear power plants, despite our laws prohibiting this, now would you?
- Compelling argument against Australia joining the Framework Agreement for Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems.
- NO PUBLIC DISCUSSION! Australia’s Generation IV Nuclear Energy Accession.
- ANSTO must be transparent on costs of its nuclear research: Generation IV nuclear reactors – high cost for little benefit.
The military connection to the push for advanced nuclear reactors in South Australia. SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S NUCLEAR MILITARY-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
New South Wales National Party to embrace nuclear energy.
CLIMATE and RENEWABLES
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- Adani Carmichael coal mine: climate, health and economics are against it. Australia’s Attorney General Brandis intervenes in Wangan and Jagalingou court action against Adani. The enormous problem of Adani’s mine rehabilitation plans.
- 19 May climate news in Australia.
- The plight of Kiribati Island – desperate need for Australia’s help.
- Internationally respected Australian climate scientist calls on CSIRO to get back to a science culture.
- 19 May Renewable energy news in Australia.
- Australian government energy policy leading the nation to catastrophe – Professor Ian Lowe.
- Big solar energy projects taking off across Australia.
- Western Australia: renewable energy going ahead in leaps and bounds.
- Sydney leads in Australian cities’ push for renewable energy.
- Victoria’s grid could be dominated by wind and solar.
- Solar panels and the law: Can you stop your neighbour from blocking your sunlight?
12 May – Australian nuclear and climate news
The most headline-grabbing nuclear story of the week was the collapse of a tunnel at America’s Hanford nuclear site. While authorities stressed that no-one was injured, and no radiation was released, this accident highlighted the unsafe storage of America’s nuclear weapons waste.
In international politics, the elections of Emmanuel Macron, in France, and of Moon Jae-in, in South Korea, are unwanted blows to the global nuclear industry. Moon Jae-in also signals a trend away from alliance with USA, and a willingness to work with China.
Record-Thin Sea Ice Faces Big Predicted Arctic Warm-up This Week.
AUSTRALIA
NUCLEAR Today, the Parliamentary Inquiry into Australia on Australia joining the Framework Agreement for International Generation IV Nuclear Reactor Development published the submissions that it received. As this Inquiry has been kept quite secret from the media and the public, it is not surprising that nearly all of the submissions have come from companies and individuals with either a very clear, or a vested, interest in the nuclear industry.
2017 – Federal Budget – nuclear issues SUMMARY.
Finally, recognition for Australia’s atomic veterans. Help for Aboriginal victims of nuclear bomb testing “60 years too late” says Yami Lester.
In South Australia, a Forum was held very recently, to examine the question: What is driving the nuclear industry to dump its nuclear waste in South Australia? Some insights from the forum.
Australia to buy anti-radiation missiles from the United States. (should please Donald Trump, as he’s a shareholder in Raytheon, which makes these).
Australia keen to get involved in nuclear fusion research? (despite the fact that nuclear fusion is prohibitively costly, impractical and dangerous)
Stalemate in Australian govt’s effort to change Native Title Act.
CLIMATE and RENEWABLE ENERGY Malcolm Turnbull has now dropped all pretense of acting on climate change. Federal budget 2017: Funding boost for expanding gas sector, but little for renewable sector. Australia likely to lose National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility.
Australian renewable energy news. Queensland 20,000 jobs in solar power proposal. News on fracking in Australia.
To May 6 Nuclear and Climate News Australia
Well, I know that the big story remains the North Korea – USA nuclear standoff. This is dominating the nuclear news, perhaps all of the news.
Still, other things nuclear are happening, and the most fascinating this week is the political drama being played out in South Africa. Briefly, The Zuma government has had to stall its plans for nuclear procurement, as the result of a court ruling. This is the latest event in the extraordinary history of corruption in South Africa’s nuclear plans. Democracy is on the line in South Africa, if the government presses on with the project.
AUSTRALIA
Prime Minister Turnbull met President Trump. They both vowed undying love for the USA-Australia military alliance, even if not for each other. Trump appeared not to know the name of our PM.
Donald Trump could get Australia involved in war. No insurance company would cover survivors of a nuclear strike – Northern Territory News.
Warning that North Korea could ship a nuclear device to Western Australia.
NUCLEAR.
South Australia. Hawker schoolkids given tax-payer funded nuclear promotional trip to Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) in Sydney. Kimba District Council conducting ballot on National Radioactive Low/Intermediate Level Waste Management Facility. Australia’s nuclear fool cycle –Adelaide University ‘symposium’ regurgitates pro-nuclear submissions made to the SA Royal Commission
The Global Uranium Industry and Cameco’s Troubled History – new report. Cameco’s uranium deposits in Western Australia – a brief report
RENEWABLE ENERGY AND CLIMATE IN AUSTRALIA.
Fiji wants Australian PM to lobby Trump to stay with Paris climate deal
- Australian Energy Market Operator chief, Audrey Zibelman on the urgent need for new energy business model. AEMO chief says its mandate remains reliability and “solar penetration will increase”. Electricity network transformation roadmap: final report. Households and small businesses will be at the centre of Australia’s dramatic energy transition. Not all that much back-up is actually needed for high renewable grids.
- Australia’s anti-wind farm zealots are getting crazier.
- Farmers want the Australian government to embrace solar energy.
- AGL Energy says there’ll be a shift from coal directly to large-scale wind and solar.
Port Augusta Mayor speaks at Parliament house rally for solar thermal power. Western Australian suburb Baldivis tops nation for solar rooftops. Hydro electricity versus coal-fired power – northern Queensland election issue? Tasmania’s energy efficiency loans scheme now open.
I can no longer keep up with all that is happening on renewables, can only refer you to this week’s collection of notes on news items. And that’s only the very latest ones.
THE ADANI COAL MINE PROJECT SAGA.
Federal Labor no longer supporting Adani coal mine. Federal Minister For Coal, Matt Canavan cause the Australian States “silly”. Canavan’s call to boycott Westpac Bank – a colossally stupid salvo in the new Truth Wars. Getting the government ‘out of bed with Adani’. Westpac in tune with Australians about climate. Government sadly out of touch. Federal Resources Minister, Senator Matt Canavan, is misrepresenting Wangan and Jagalingou people again. Political risk for Turnbull in pandering to Big Coal over Adani mine.
Once again – there is just too much news on this. I have to just give notes on Adani, even though it is the critical story in Australia right now. And again, these are only the very latest items.
To 28 April Nuclear and Climate news Australia
You wonder how long the world can teeter on the brink – Donald Trump says: Chance of ‘major, major conflict’ with North Korea. Unprepared President Trump risks blundering into nuclear war. But Why so little public protest on the current threats of nuclear war? Have we all got nuclear-war-fear fatigue? Or, in Australia, it is the football season.
Investigative journalism lives! – Time to pay attention to long term effects of low dose ionising radiation. The radioactive berry harvests of Chernobyl.
AUSTRALIA
Pine Gap and Northwest Cape– Australia’s very obvious nuclear targets. America’s deployment of 1250 marines to Darwin rattles North Korea. North Korea developing missiles in 3 years time, that could reach Australia, esp Pine Gap.
NUCLEAR. Today submissions closed for the secretive Parliamentary Inquiry into Australia joining the international Generation IV Nuclear Energy Framework (GIF) . I sent one in. It will probably get lost in a pile of pro nuclear submissions from nuclear companies and their shills.
USA preparing charges for the arrest of Julian Assange.
Protest occupies Downer EDI office: Don’t get into bed with Adani Taxpayer loan for railway to Adani mine “not in the interests of NSW”: report
ENERGY. Dennis Mattews reviews Senate Committee report on Electricity Stability and Affordability. Obvious to all, except the Australian govt, that the nation needs a clear energy market policy. Australia’s rapidly increasing solar energy capacity. Turnbull’s dishonest spin about his Snowy Hydro energy plan. Turnbull government wants to subsidise fossil fuel transport.
- South Australia. Australia’s Minister for Environment and Energy, Josh Frydenberg, backs Port Augusta solar thermal plan. Australia’s solar rooftop hotspot – South Australia. Gas generators ordered on as South Australia’s wind production peaked.
- New South Wales. New South Wales wind farm to power 49,000 ACT homes
- Victoria. Victoria aims for two 20MW large scale batteries to be installed by January. Mini hydro electric scheme could revive historic hydro power in Warburton, Victoria.
To April 23 Australia in nuclear and climate news
It’s getting monotonous, as well as scary, – news reports on all the sabre rattling going on, mainly about North Korea, but also about Syria and Iran. The upshot of all this: – risk of ‘catastrophic’ nuclear accident increases. – communities fearful of nuclear war, especially in South Korea, and luxury bunkers in high demand by the filthy rich.
Spin for “new nukes” – Generation IV nuclear reactors – ramps up.
AUSTRALIA
Effusive (?nauseating) meeting as Trump’s Vice President visits Australia, seeks support for potential attack on North Korea. Australia all too ready to join America in fighting World War 3. North Korea warns of nuclear strike against Australia: Turnbull tight-lipped about joining any USA military action.
Marches For Science held in Australia yesterday, in cities including in Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, Perth, Brisbane and Townsville.
NUCLEAR. Stop Australia signing up to develop new nuclear reactors -submissions by 28 April. Australia quietly joins international forum to develop new Gen IV nuclear reactors.
A March on Anzac Day: 6 years of FRONTIER WARS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmVAxy59WVI
CLIMATE and RENEWABLE ENERGY We are about to choose Adani or Australia. Adani coal mine just does not make economic sense. John Hewson says $1bn loan to Adani the ‘last thing’ Coalition should be doing. There’s An Army Of Indian Twitter Accounts Pushing Suspiciously Identical Pro-Mining Tweets.
The great gas con: There are cheaper, cleaner alternatives.
Bid for rare earths mining and processing in Australia.
- South Australia. 19 big South Australian industrial users join to buy electricity in bulk: a path to more wind and solar projects? Opposition in South Australia to $500 million solar and wind farm.
- Queensland. Queensland govt calls for large scale renewables hub near near major coal port
- Tasmania. Switch from coal to gas – still polluting. Turnbull also touts hydro-power
- Victoria. Victoria’s 132MW Mt Gellibrand wind farm set to be developed. Victoria’s Ararat Wind Farm now supplying power to Victoria and ACT.
- Western Australia. Carnegie raises $18m for Northam solar farm and micro-grids . Western Australia’s State-owned regional power provider Horizon encourages off-peak electricity use.
- New South Wales. NSW becoming a quiet achiever in renewable energy. Gladys Berejiklian government taking on a green tinge on energy and climate change.
To 15 April- Australian nuclear and climate news
Once again – weapons, and with the Syria conflict, the threat of nuclear war are in the news this week. South Korea tries to reassure citizens that U.S. won’t strike North Korea pre-emptively. Meanwhile cautious and problematic negotiations at at U.N. nuclear weapons ban treaty meeting.
The other big nuclear story is the dismal nuclear power industry prospects, after Westinghouse bankruptcy. Toshiba corporation might not survive its nuclear financial crisis.
For Australia, the big issue of the week was, and still is, the Queensland Adani coal mine expansion project – a foolish use of tax-payers’ money. Prime Minister Turnbull actively lobbying for Adani and the coal industry, not without attracting criticism. Adani coal mine could become a massive stranded asset, lawyers warn. Turnbull offers to sacrifice Aboriginal rights to Adani in an act of national betrayal. Adani faces strong Indigenous fight despite court outcome Labor resists pressure for $900 million Adani coal mine loan. Satellite images showed black water flowing to wetlands from Abbot Point Coal Terminal. Big Nobs at Westpac dinner interrupted for 90 minutes by anti Adani protestors. #StopAdani National Week of Action.
Pine Gap critically involved in USA – North Korea antagonism.
NUCLEAR. Australian government about to secretly sign up to participate in developing new “Generation IV” nuclear reactors. Kimba South Australia: Neighbours still opposed to nominated nuclear waste facility sites. ERA boss pushes nuclear power as energy source for Australia.
CLIMATE Australia’s “CATASTROPHIC collapse of life”in some areas, if we don’t change policies on climate change. Insurance companies want big increase in govt disaster mitigation spending. Unprecedented Harm to Great Barrier Reef From Back-to-Back Bleaching.
Farmers For Climate gives a voice for rural Australians. Senate Committee Report recommends market-based carbon trading scheme, but shows idealogical divisions between political parties. Young Nationals split from party policy, now to back emissions trading. Liberal COALition’s answer to global warming – more coal is needed!! Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) backing shonky climate denial book.
ENERGY.
- Port Augusta highlights the energy transformation now happening in Australia. Huge 300MW solar farm begins construction near Port Augusta.
- Record renewable energy production in South Australia: will Liberal opposition support govt legislation to regulate electricity market?
- Broken Hill’s giant leap – from mining hub to solar centre. Rooftop solar now Queensland’s biggest power station
- Huge surge in household solar panel installations. New rules flag big switch in energy markets to cheaper, smarter grid .
- Strong support for renewable energy, by Victorian government.
- Telecommunications company joins Click energy to challenge coal electricity utilities. EnergyLab: Program to accelerate creation of renewable energy start-ups launches in Sydney.
- Turnbull govt in for a shock, with new CEO of Australian Energy Market Operator, Audrey Zibelman.
- New poll shows very high public support for renewable energy. Australia’s Liberal Coalition supporters want quicker shift to renewable energy.
- People self-diagnosing “windfarm diseases” ?
Nuclear news this week: Australia
Weapons and war are in the news this week – well, even more than they usually are. US President Trump sent a missile strike attack on a Syrian military airfield, in the first direct American assault on the government of President Bashar al-Assad. The reverberations of this continue around the world, and USA warns that there could be further attacks. Trump did act without Congressional approval. There is debate about this – some say he violated the US Constitution and the War Powers Resolution. Others say that Trump had legal authority to attack Syria. My own opinion – it is a worrying precedent.
The United Nations held the global summit for a treaty on banning nuclear weapons . 1st round of nuclear weapons ban treaty talks ends, aims to draft treaty next month. North Korea remains a worry, as US President Trump and China’s President Xi begin an uneasy meeting. Meanwhile, Donald Trump expands the power of the President to declare war.
AUSTRALIA
Trump administration informed Turnbull in advance, of USA strike on Syria. Will Australia be drawn into a fresh conflict in the Middle East? Well, we hope not. Turnbull critical of Russia’s support of Syrian govt, but will not be drawn on Australia’s response.
Nuclear waste issues simmer on – South Australia is the focus. South Australian Liberal Party to launch advertising campaign against Nuclear Royal Commission plan to import nuclear wastes. Does Australia REALLY need a radioactive waste facility in outback South Australia? ANSTO admits that Federal waste plan is for reactor generated wastes, (not just “medical” ) and that no long-term disposal plan exists. Some enthusiasts for nuclear waste dump at Kimba, but many opponents.
Victorian Liberal Party rejects nuclear power, also rejects climate denialism.
CLIMATE. Australia’s security, like America’s, is threatened in unexpected ways, by climate change. While coal mining contributes to climate change, climate change is wiping out coal mining revenue! Adani coal mine granted UNLIMITED ACCESS TO GROUNDWATER. Adani coal railway line plan in breach of Australian government policy. While the Australian government slumbers on, business takes lead on climate disasters.
RENEWABLE ENERGY Despite the blindness of Australian govt and vested interests, the switch from ‘base load’ to smart grid energy is underway. With big solar, Australia can meet renewable energy target of 33,000GWh by 2020. New Queensland homes can have Solar + Tesla battery storage. A cautionary tale about going off grid with solar energy.
The week that was in nuclear and climate news in Australia
The United Nations has just held the first of two global summits to negotiate “a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination”. This was sponsored by 57 nations, and with 125 nations represented, but the nuclear weapons-dependent nations did not participate.
Does this mean that the conference is meaningless? Perhaps. Yet, increasingly, public opinion supports nuclear disarmament, and those governments are being challenged, to explain their support for nuclear weapons.
As for the “peaceful” nuclear industry – it is having a financial meltdown. Westinghouse’s bankruptcy, and Toshiba’s record loss, shed doubt on new nuclear build in America and Britain.
Globally, the Paris climate agreement will continue, while Trump Trashes U.S. Climate Policy.
AUSTRALIA
NUCLEAR. Australia – America’s Deputy Sheriff again, as USA opposes nuclear-weapons-ban talks. Radioactive soil dumped at Mary Kathleen mine.
CLIMATE.
- Insurance catastrophe, with severe floods in Queensland and New South Wales, but of course, nobody is mentioning that nasty left-wing phrase “Climate Change”.
- Energy Minister Frydenberg says that Australia will not dump the Paris climate deal, even if America does. Australian government releases rather unsatisfactory climate review, amid resignations of key advisors.
- Resources Minister Matt Canavan wants $1b for Adani coal, and to cut environmental groups’ charity status. Anti-Adani activists vow ‘direct action’ against mine contractor Downer. Australian Liberals seeking Asian investment for new coal-fired power stations. Fossil fuel industry screwed Australians: mainstream media helped them.
- Need for forward planning for climate change – shown by Hazelwood coal closure.
- Second year of widespread bleaching underway on the Great Barrier Reef.
RENEWABLE ENERGY Australian Energy Market Operator new boss Audrey Zibelman will reform Australia’s energy vision. Success of Australia’s Clean Energy Program.
As costs tumble, Australia poised for large-scale solar boom. Canberra’s shining example of renewable energy development. $1billion battery and solar farm for South Australia’s Riverland. Giles Parkinson explains need for battery storage to be configured properly
Indigenous. Success of Indigenous rangers program: calls for it to be expanded
Environment. Western Australia: Uranium mining OR the rare and beautiful Night Parrot?
Canberra’s Beyond Uranium Campaign Launched.
AUSTRALIA: climate and nuclear news this week
CLIMATE. The worrying thing about climate change is not only that it’s happening so fast, but that it could now be seen as “normal”. The World Meteorological Organisation is telling us that the world climate is now in ‘uncharted territory’.
This month, my websites have focused on MEDIA. And that scene is worrying, too, as mainstream media has trivialised or ignored climate change. . However, that might now be changing.
NUCLEAR. As climate change risks becoming “normalised”, so, too, does the Fukushima situation. As if the 6th anniversary is over – now we can all ‘move on’? Deadly nuclear radiation levels detected in Fukushima. 80% of families not going back to Fukushima after housing aid ends. Fukushima fishermen fight release of tainted water as tritium standoff continues. Yakuza gangsters thriving. And lots more…
AUSTRALIA
CLIMATE. Leaders of Australian Climate Change Authority quit over government’s inaction
This week, it’s all about Adani’s planned mega coal mine. The Stop Adani Alliance is being lainched by former Greens leader Bob Brown. Adani investors misled? Money shifted to tax haven as Australian govt subsidises loan. Immense coal mine “good for the environment” says fossil fuel lackey Resources Minister Matt Canavan. Australian cricketing great Ian Chappell wants Adani solar, but NOT Adani coal mine. 73% of Australians want investment in solar, not coal.
RENEWABLES and MEDIA. Australian media distorts facts on renewable energy: 1. ABC’s Chris Uhlmann. Media distortion 2. THE AUSTRALIAN. Media distortion 3. Fairfax.
“Small” rooftop solar is driving Australia’s solar energy boom: rooftop solar the unsung hero in recent South Australia blackouts. Victoria and South Australia embrace grid-scale storage for power reliability. First Nations Renewable Energy Alliance- a formidable lobby group takes off.
NUCLEAR. Radioactive Repeat: federal radioactive waste Groundhog Day increases uncertainty. Govt advances 2 sites at Kimba on the Eyre Peninsula for assessment as radioactive waste dumps.
Aboriginal issues. Senate Inquiry report tabled: Labor support for Native Title Bill profoundly disappointing.
The week that has been in nuclear and climate news- Australia
I scratch around for good news. There is plenty, on the renewable energy scene. And this: CO2 emissions from energy remain flat for third year running. Total number of global nuclear weapons has dropped.
Not so good news. Disaster looms over North Korea: how could this be stopped? US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, rejects negotiation with North Korea, and keeps journalists out. Tillerson considers a pre-emptive strike against North Korea.
AUSTRALIA
CLIMATE and RENEWABLE ENERGY The week has been a bewildering cascade of news, views, and squabbles about energy. Best news – THE AUSTRALIAN newspaper, longtime mouthpiece of the right-wing and fossil fuel lobbies – today pronounced Australia’s unstoppable transition to renewable energy. ! That came after: South Australia announcing a new energy plan, a huge kerfuffle about gas, heaps of news about solar battery storage, and, finally, a desperate Snow job by Malcolm Turnbull.
The Turnbull magic trick is his plan for Snowy River pumped hydro power. That could work, in the longer term, a decade or so. However it smells more like Turnbull scrambling to cover up government failure to address immediate energy problems, and also to distract attention from Elon Musk’s offer to fix South Australia’s energy by solar and storage, within 100 days.
Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) could require financial institutions to test climate risks’
Adani coal mine expansion plans. Queensland Premier backs this, despite strong opposition from Aboriginal landowners, and a delegation of other prominent Australians.
NUCLEAR.
- A pack of Liberals want nuclear power for Australia. PM Turnbull comes out in his true pro nuclear colours. However, South Australian Liberal Party condemns the plan to import nuclear wastes.
- Sydney Morning Herald on radioactive waste dumping – ignores Lucas’ Heights’ high level nuclear reactor waste.
- Labour’s win in Western Australia means more gloom for the uranium industry.
- UNDEMOCRATIC NUCLEAR WASTE LAW DISEMPOWERS COMMUNITIES AND TRADITIONAL OWNERS
Aboriginal issues. Senate Inquiry told Native Title amendments will disenfranchise Traditional Owners.
Fukushima nuclear disaster anniversary, and news this week
Japan and the sporting world are cheerfully preparing for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. It will bring in 32.3 trillion yen. And goody – they’re going to have trans gender toilets! Forget about Fukushima. That’s all fixed up. But, actually, – No! Fukushima remains a lurking global catastrophe. Despite the propaganda, Fukushima nuclear clean-up is not under control.
- Attempts to use robots to find and assess the melted fuel within the reactors have failed: the robots died of heat and radiation.
- Over 1000 tanks around the nuclear station hold 900,000 tons of radioactive water, with the quantity soon expected to reach 1m tons.
- The costly “ice wall” around the No 1 reactor has not really worked, to prevent radioactive water getting into the groundwater.
- Fukushima laden with piles of radioactive soil that can’t be moved into storage
- 32,000 workers at Fukushima No. 1 got high radiation dose, Tepco data show.
Fukushima nuclear disaster evacuees pressured to return to contaminated homes. About 40 percent of 42 local leaders along the coasts of Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures doubt their areas will recover by the time of the 2020 Tokyo Games due to the ongoing Fukushima nuclear crisis. Link between the Fukushima nuclear meltdown and thyroid cancer in children?. Roaming, radioactive boars slow the return of Japan’s nuclear refugees. Financial crunch time looms for Fukushima’s ‘voluntary evacuees’.
AUSTRALIA
CLIMATE and RENEWABLE ENERGY (I’ve left out heaps here) State of the Environment report says climate change impact on Australia may be irreversible. Australia’s record-breaking summer heat linked directly to climate change. Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (Apra) could require financial institutions to test climate risks. Australia’s peak farming group asks govt to consider emissions trading scheme.
In 2017, Australia has already 43% increase in solar rooftop installations. Already cheaper than grid: – Solar and Storage.
NUCLEAR South Australian Liberal Party condemns the plan to import nuclear wastes.
To 5 March – Nuclear and Climate News Australia
The most significant article of the week comes from 3 very distinguished writers, in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, in explaining how the USA’s military upgrade means a vast expansion of the killing power of the most numerous warhead in the US nuclear arsenal, with the ability to launch a”first strike”. Consequently, the Russians are gravely concerned, and are developing new sea-based weapons.
President Trump’s rather sweet and antiseptic speech to Congress, avoided his previous bellicose promises, but did mention a big increase in defense spending, though not how he would pay for that.
AUSTRALIA
Historic discussions in South Australia towards a Treaty with Aboriginal Nations. Call to Block Native Title Amendment (Indigenous Land Use Agreements) Bill 2017.
CLIMATE an ENERGY . Issues surrounding coal mining dominated the news:
- A Federal Court case about Adani’s plan for Carmichael megamine has just reserved its decision.
- Ian Dunlop, formerly an international oil, gas and coal industry executive and Australian Coal Association chair, calls for an emergency taskforce for clean, renewable energy, and says “the game is up” for coal”.
- Coal power now “univestable”, but Australian government is keen to subsidise it. Turnbull govt appoints coal and uranium boss, Vanessa Guthrie, to the ABC board. Also appoints Sid Marris, a former analyst with the Minerals Council of Australia.
- Industry request for Clean Energy Finance Corporation funds for new coal-mining!
- Conflict of interest: Queensland govt appoints Adani director to oversee coal port!
- Medical profession warns on Adani coal mine as a public health catastrophe.
More Bleaching on Great Barrier Reef. New South Wales is set to experience many more hot summers, with extreme heat days.
Economist Prof John Quiggan puts convincing case for public-owned Australian power grid.
Murdoch media wages war on renewable energy.
Solar farms to benefit farmers in Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo areas. Victorian government more than doubles solar-feed-in tariff. Clean Energy Finance Corporation to repeat its solar success in battery storage. National Australia Bank now investing in renewable energy in Europe, US and UK. Plan for solar panels accessible to flat dwellers.
NUCLEAR. A renewed push for South Australia to import nuclear waste, with a letter to politicians from 43 citizens, turns out to emanate from Australia’s most talented nuclear propagandist, Ben Heard. With his nuclear front “group”, Bright New World, Heard is pretty much a one man nuclear band, on the international, as well as the national, pro nuclear scene, and is seeking charity status. Next week he is off to help the South African nuclear lobby, in their very troubled cause.
Radioactive cows buried in Werribee, Victoria.
Media spin about “new nuclear” and importing nuclear waste
While it’s true that Australia’s mainstream media pretty much ignores nuclear issues at present, the exception is the Adelaide Advertiser, which seems to have a hotline to the nuclear lobby. I should mention also the Whyalla News.
It’s a different story with social media. Australia’s nuclear lobby is active on Facebook and Twitter, and fortunately, Australia’s nuclear critics are, too.
Currently, that very talented pro nuke publicist Ben Heard is leading the pack.
- Heard has put in a submission to the Chief Scientist Alan Finkel’s Energy Review, in which he advocates new nuclear reactors , especially small ones:
energy-announces-appointment-of-internationally-recognized-authority-on-sustainability-to-international-advisory-board/members are in that organisation:
Nuclear news a bit flat in Australia. Any better in South Africa?
I know that this site is dedicated to matters nuclear – but right now, very short on nuclear news for Australia. Well, that’s because nothing much is happening, not on the surface anyway. No doubt the federal government is working on softening up the South Australian public, and indeed, the public in other states, on the idea of transporting Lucas Heights’ nuclear reactor’s highly toxic radioactive poo f or 1000s of miles to Barndioota, SA. They keep up the pretense that it’s just “medical wastes”
Anyway, nuclear in Australia has all gone a bit quiet since the debacle of the shonky South Australia Nuclear Fuel Chain Royal Commission.
However, Australia’s nuclear lobby crusades on. Crusader Ben Heard is off to South Africa, to give their failing nuclear lobby a boost that they so desperately need. He’s prettied up the logo of his pro nuclear front group, with a leafy background -( probably not enough to convince the punters that nuclear is green.)
Recent days in nuclear and climate news
Blissfully away from news, and from all matters digital, – I returned to find that the climate and environment politics are worse than ever in USA and Australia.
Meanwhile, on the nuclear scene, things would be farcical, if they were not so dangerous. Donald Trump wants to expand US nuclear arsenal, make it ‘top of the pack’. Australia’s own Dr Helen Caldicott set out all too clearly the grim situation at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex.
The farcical part is in the nuclear lobby’s pretense that theirs is a viable industry. As the giant Toshiba corporation nears bankruptcy, and nuclear power stations go down like dominoes in USA, it’s really only China where the industry still might save itself. And that’s dubious, too.
And -sorry- this newsletter is too long today!
NUCLEAR Australia stands out- in self-imposed exile from global summit on treaty to ban nuclear weapons. Pine Gap protestors to be prosecuted: may be gaoled for 7 years.
South Australia No place for nuclear enthusiasts in South Australia’s Liberal Party. Department of Industry, Innovation and Science avoids hard questions on nuclear waste. Will the nuclear waste of Sydney’s dead HIFAR nuclear reactor be sent to South Australia?
CLIMATE
- Victoria’s ground-breaking climate change bill passed into law on 24 February.
- Australian Prudential Regulation Authority dropped a climate bombshell – ignored by Government!
- Australia’s Minister For Coal Josh Frydenberg blackens the name of wind and solar power. Josh Frydenberg aims to have coal mining subsidised by Clean Energy Finance Corporation. Coal-dependent states had power bills rising more than in renewables-powered South Australia. Money intended for research was diverted to coal advertising. Mining lobby tries to stifle environmental activism. Australian Conservation Foundation summarises the background of Adani’s Carmichael coal mine and rail project.
- Seed- Australia’s first Indigenous youth climate network.
RENEWABLE ENERGY. There’s heaps of news on this: World-first digital energy marketplace for rooftop solar launched by Australian consortium. South Australia’s Spencer Gulf ideal for pumped hydro energy storage. Global battery storage industry to fight Australia home bans. Shorten speaks out f or Labor’s 50% renewable energy target. Poll shows that majority of Australians support Labor’s renewable energy goal.
1 This month
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
To see nuclear-related stories in greater depth and intensity
Antinuclear 