Australia’s embarrassing fossil fool Prime Minister
Dear oh dear! It’s such an embarrassment!
Australia, (population 23 million, about the size of one city in Asia) has a Prime Minister who confidently lectures the whole world against taking any effective action on climate change. Tony Abbott’s on a whirlwind trip to Canada and USA to preach his gospel of promotion for fossil fuel industries
US President Barack Obama speaks out forcefully on the need to act, on carbon pricing as the most effective action, and has introduced significant action to cut greenhouse gases. China has started 6 regional emissions trading schemes.The World Bank’s survey found that 39 countries and more than 23 States and provinces have adopted emissions trading schemes or a carbon tax. No worries. Abbott pronounces that there is “no sign” that such schemes are being adopted.
The Australian tragedy of all this is that – Abbott is probably not lying. He is ignorant. He got into power via the money of the fossil fuel lobbies and the propaganda of the Murdoch media. Abbott gave a wonderfully informed and authoritative description of the theory of man-made climate change. He said it is “absolute crap” Yes, we have a fool for a PM, and it’s a national embarrassment.
Wait to see the blackly funny side of this. Tony Abbott is a firm supporter of the nuclear industry. When he has destroyed all action on climate change in Australia, and when he has stopped renewable energy development there – watch Abbott suddenly believe in climate change ‘action’. That’s when Tony Abbott will come all out in favour of nuclear power as the ‘solution to climate change’ –Christina Macpherson, 11 June 14
Below the radar – nuclear and climate news
Radioactive Waste Court case. The traditional Aboriginal owners of the Muckaty area in Northern Territory continue their 7 year battle against radioactive waste dumping on their land. Their legal case continues, with hearings in Tennant Creek, Melbourne, and now back to the Northern Territory. The Government’s latest argument is that the radioactive trash dump can go ahead, even without the consent of the Aboriginal owners.
Uranium – Energy Resources of Australia expects an even huger loss this year, but, despite that, AND its environmental failures, NT and Federal govts have approved a restart of Ranger uranium mine. Paladin Energy’s share price collapses.
Left wing Australians are enjoying the gaffes of our pugilistic Prime Minister Tony Abbott. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3IaKVmkXuk He is off on a world jaunt, almost certain to embarrass himself and Australia. However, it’s a pity that:
- The Labor opposition keeps buying into the personal pugilism, instead of coming up with policies that are for the public good, and clearly different from the Abbott government’s.
- The media , like schoolkids watching a playground fight, do not cover the policy issues, and what is really going on.
Abbott’s global tour:
- France. Apart from Abbott connecting up the war heroes with the carbon tax and Australia being “open for business’, it’s pretty clear that the D.Day ceremonies fit well into the building push for a glorious ANZAC Day centenary in 2015. As one whose relatives did fight in WW2, one dying as result, I fear that it will turn out to be some sort of militaristic party – feeding in to Australia’s close role in USA’s military encirclement of China.
- Canada. Abbott will meet P.M. Stephen Harper. On nuclear issues, they will be unanimous, if discreet. Ontario ‘s elections loom, but a non issue will be its planned nuclear power expansion. Both of Canada’s Liberal and Conservative parties are fans of the planned $25 billion expansion of nuclear power. Not only is the uranium industry (though financially failing) important to Canada, but Canada is the hub of the push for a new nuclear gimmicky export, thorium reactors. Propaganda for these has been successful in Australia, with backing from all sorts of influential people and organisations, especially in South Australia. So it is likely that thorium nuclear reactors, and even Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMRs) will be included in the government’s Energy White Paper – later this year. Abbott and Harper are also in happy agreement that there should be no real action on Climate Change, and they both support the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP)
- USA Yes, the media is paying some attention to this one, since President Obama came out strongly for action on Climate Change. How will Tony Abbott wriggle out of this one? It has importance for the G20 meeting in Brisbane in November. Abbott maintains that Climate Change will not be a G20 agenda item. That is probably why Abbott may cancel planned meetings with the heads of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund – to avoid discussing that subject.
Renewable Energy. Mainly more bad news for Australia, as the International Renewable Energy Agency reports that Australia could reach 50% renewable energy by 2030, BUT, we’re actually going backwards instead.
Comedy time in Australia for climate news?
Tough times for Australia’s comic writers, as the news is out-doing them these days with a nudge and a wink, and Federal Liberal politicians in a post-budget turmoil.
I can even get a bit of black humour out of Prime Minister Tony Abbott pressing on with his campaign against climate change action and renewable energy, while at the same time, Eastern Australia is getting its warmest, driest May on record, with the forecast of more to come.
Tony Abbott, settling in to his anti-climate action policies is like that proverbial frog, sitting comfortably in ever heating water, not realising that he is going to be cooked. Not that this is Abbott’s immediate biggest worry – but I’m betting that later this year, it will be. It’s just a pity that farmers, bush-fire victims, flood victims, have to pay the price, as Australia becomes an international disgrace, due to our fool of a Prime Minister.
But – on to some good news, for a change. The unique and beautiful giant cuttlefish is back in its breeding grounds at the top of Spencer Gulf, South Australia. Its numbers had dwindled, and if BHP Billiton’s desalination plant had gone ahead, that would have been the finish for this iconic Australian animal- found in no other place. (The desal plant was part of BHP’s now-ditched, grandiose Olympic Dam uranium mine plan).
A certain irony – Rio Tinto famous for its uranium/nuclear industry is now finding that solar energy is its best option for its remote Weipa bauxite mine.
I spare you a repetition of all the climate and renewable energy programs to be destroyed by the Abbott government. But I think that they’re in trouble when conservative groups – rural citizens and the Australian Industry Group (AIG) speak out in favour of the Renewable Energy Target.
Climate, Nuclear News – what’s in the budget.
Climate Change “is the great moral challenge of our generation” – Kevin Rudd 2007.
After 7 years – what has happened to Australia’s enthusiasm for action on Climate Change? Sadly, Australians have elected a Climate Denialist government – a government that makes John Howard’s look like a radical greenie.. And, hardly noticed in the swathe of cuts to welfare, to youth affairs, homelessness programs, health, education, the Budget’s attack on renewable energy is barely noticed.
Except for the children of the rich, the future is very insecure. That’s the near term future. For ALL of Australia’s children , the future in the changing climate is insecure, indeed, fearful. Ignoring world trends for action, ignoring President Obama’s call for climate action, ignoring the renewable energy revolution already underway, Tony Abbott has acted faithfully in the service of the polluting industries.
The Budget:
- abolishes Australian Renewable Energy Agency. (the agency’s remaining unallocated funds of about A$1 billion could be returned to the general revenue pool).
- moved to eliminate the $10 billion Clean Energy Finance Corporation
- dumped The million solar roofs program ( a core pre-election promise) “In place of the million roofs program, which was at once stage budgeted for $1 billion, the government has announced a derisable $2.1 million for “community” solar projects on RSL and bowling clubs and the like in 7 marginal electorates. (Yes, they are that cynical)”.– Giles Parkinson.
- cut $21.7 million over four years through the amalgamation of the National Environmental Research Programme and the Australian Climate Change Science Programme to form a new National Environmental Science Programme.
- slashed $111.4 million over four years from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, the main scientific research body.
- axed Clean Technology Innovation Program
- frozen funding for the Cooperative Research Centres
- drops election promise to re-establish Low Carbon Australia – a body that sought to provide specialist financing for energy efficiency projects.
- will replace the Carbon Tax by Emissions Reduction Fund The ERF allows farmers and land managers to earn carbon credits by storing carbon or reducing greenhouse gas emissions on the land. These credits can be sold to people and businesses wishing to offset their emissions.
- cut $459.3 million (or around three-quarters) of funds from the Carbon Capture and Storage Flagships Program,
- cut $16.8 million over two years from the National Low Emissions Coal Initiative
- cut $10.0 million from the budget from the Bureau of Meteorology
Uranium industry has a poor short term future and a poor long term future – from World Nuclear Association analyst, Steve Kidd.
Tony Abbott hides behind his newly created star, Matthias Corman, in attacking renewable energy
Is it not pathetic that a Liberal government should be so determinedly aiming to stifle business?
In Australia, people on the Left have always criticised the Liberal Party for being so “pro business”, at the expense of other section sof the society.
Now, we’ve got a Liberal Coalition government that is hell-bent to stamp out business – or at least any business that has something to do with 20th Century renewable energy technology. The fact that solar and wind energy, (and energy efficiency) are making great strides now, and getting cheaper, and Oh My God, showing that small distrib uted energy sources can be effective and cheap – that fact seems to have spooked Tony Abbott, as well as spooking rather dim-witted energy utility executives. (I mean, they could have got on board with the coming energy revolution instead of fighting it)
Never mind. Abbott ploughs ahead. And look! He’s got a new creation! Coming from nowhere there’s the steely-eyed unblinking Matthias Corman. Corman does not flinch as he adroitly promotes Abbott’s despicable and ridiculous policies on renewable enegy. Here’s a monster in the making, for even Tony Abbott. As Abbott hides, perchance his creation might later be a menace, like Frankenstein’s monster was.
Looking back: the week in climate and nuclear news in Australia
Media delight. The Australian media had a beaut time with William and Kate, and little Prince George (yes he WAS cute with the Bilby). And after that they had an even beauter time with the ANZAC festivities, (yes, I AM sad for all those young lives destroyed).
Late on Anzac eve, hidden between all this fun, Australia’s Minister Against the Environment, Greg Hunt, put out the trash – revealed the government’s policy white paper on climate change, with Direct Action, and the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF). Clive Palmer and other right-wingers oppose it. As Paula Matthewson, corporate adviser said , if the legislation looks like not passing, Tony Abbott will be thinking – “Please don’t throw me in the briar patch” (e.g No action whatsoever on climate change)
Also ignored midst the fun, the panel to Review the Renewable Energy Target was announced. As I reel from the discovery that Abbott’s top adviser, Maurice Newman is both a Climate Denialist, and a believer in Intelligent Design (Creation Science) I was pretty much numbed by learning of who’s been appointed to this panel – ACIL Allen, Brian Fisher, Shirley In’t Veld all straight from fossil fuel lobbying. The panel is headed by Dick Warburton, climate sceptic and nuclear advocate. That rampant left wing radical, Bernie Fraser, former governor of the Reserve Bank is very disappointed in the government’s attack on renewable energy.
Nuclear power. Don’t let’s forget, beneath the hype about Royals and ANZAC Day, and even the pre-Budget discussions, the pro nuclear lobbying goes on. A pity when Westinghouse, which wanted to export 81,000 Small Modular Nuclear Reactors, pulled right out of this plan. But that doesn’t deter Australian enthusiasts, including our new Governor General Peter Cosgrovel.
Uranium mining. Toro Energy ‘s quarterly report shows the continued fall in uranium prices. Tio Tinto might be bailing out the cash-trapped ERA with its closed Ranger mine, but as yet I do not have a definite source to confirm this deal. (USA mines are stockpiling uranium due to the abysmal prices. )
Climate Change. Aboriginal ‘climate ambassadors’ are assessing impacts of climate change on the natural environment and traditional communities. They are coming up with important findings about plants and animals in local areas across Australia
The latest in Australian nuclear news
Climate change. It is a worry that Australia’ s scientifically illiterate Prime Minister Tony Abbott has, for his chief business adviser, one of the country’s leading climate change denialists. Maurice Newman makes even Tony look well-informed. Sadly, Tony has surrounded himself with yes-men. Notably, Greg Hunt , Minister Against the Environment has really sold out. Hunt did his PhD on climate change, but is now the strongest advocate for coal mining.
Maverick politician Clive Palmer calls Tony Abbott’s Direct Action policy – a “token gesture” and a waste of money, and he won’t vote for it.
Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMRs) Just as Westinghouse, Babcock & Wilcox, and top investor Warren Buffett pull the plug on this uneconomic project, nuclear lobbyists seem to be succeeding in getting the Australian government to move in this direction. The government would need to overturn existing law against nuclear power, and make a massive order for a heap of these little gimmicks, that nobody else will buy.
Uranium mining. Now here is an Australian mystery. Uranium prices continually topple yet all the business pages tout up what a good investment is uranium. It really does look more like some kind of religious faith, rather than any sound economic analysis.
- Four Mile uranium mine The Australian pronounces The Sun Will Rise On Uranium, but then proceeds to describe all the problems facing South Australia’s Four Mile uranium project – warning that this new mine will be “no earnings bonanza”. Four Mile uranium mine is supposed to start production soon, despite a coming court case. It is largely owned by USA’s General Atomics, nuclear weapons maker, and big lobbyist of Australian State and Federal politicians.
- Ranger mine. No resolution about who will pay to rehabilitate the radioactive mess created in Kakadu National Park. ERA desperately trying to restore investor confidence in Ranger.
- Paladin uranium company continues in its downward spiral, with declining production and falling revenue
Finally, despite all the glowing predictions for uranium investment, the energy analysts do tell it as it really is. Greg Peel of FN Arena is ” becoming increasingly bearish on the outlook for uranium prices, and just to add to global oversupply. Australia’s Four Mile mine in South Australia… is expected to commence production”
Joint Strike Fighter jets $12 billion purchase. Not only the Greens, but even a Liberal MP is against this.
Australian nuclear news this week
Australia’s comedy shows are getting poor audiences this week. Everyone’s focussed on New South Wales and federal politics. My thanks to tweeters “Barry walks the plonk” Che Shiraz Shiraz – whatever will be , will be”
Sorry – I digressed badly there.
Uranium Now we’re going to sell uranium to Saudi Arabia. Such a stable, democratic, Middle Eastern power – no worries about a Middle East nuclear arms race ?
Uranium mining at Ranger: Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) trying to pull a real swiftie. They say they won’t rehabilitate this polluting mine in Kakadu National Park, unless they get approval to start a new underground mine. Meanwhile the parent company Rio Tinto is not prepared to pay for the Ranger clean-up – saying it’s the responsibility of the loss-making ERA. All bad news for the Mirrar people – they’re ing exploited again , as always, by the nuclear industry.
Australia’s participation in Hiroshima meeting on nuclear disarmament. We refuse to join the non nuclear nations movement towarsds banning nuclear weaposn. We mustn’t be “emotional” about nuclear bombing,, said our Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, in Hiroshima.
Politics . (No this is not about a bottle of wine. Stop it!) The Australian Labor Party in its Not wisdom, is pushing to have mining, uranium mining too, in the radioactively polluted Woomera nuclear weapons test area.
The Liberal government’s response to the IPCC report on climate change? The Anti Environment Minister, Greg Hunt, announced yesterday that Australia would promote coal and nuclear industries. Not renewable, not energy efficiency. Is it any wonder people are turning to the Greens? Looks as if Liberal and Labor are now joined at the hip.
New South Wales. A nifty new solar project that should revolutionise remote area energy systems.
Victoria. I bet Greg Hunt wishes that those pesky Morwell people would just shut up, and look after their coal -caused asthma, emphysema, etc. They have started a campaign to keep the Renewable Energy Target. And they want the government to put money that’s pledged for new brown coal projects into cleaning up Morwell after the Hazelwood coal fire. Who do they think they are? (“Ohmigawd“, – thinks the Napthine govt – “they’re voters!“)
Australia’s disgraces – uranium mining in Kakadu, – now uranium sales to Middle East!
The Murdoch press, and all the business pages are jubilant : – Australian uranium to be sold to the United Arab EmiratesAustralian Mining , 16 April 14 – “Australia’s uranium sector will receive a much needed boost with the United Arab Emirates signing a deal that will see it purchase yellow cake produced here. Trade Minister Andrew Robb met with UAE foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah in Abu Dhabi to sign …”
Has Australia no pride? No understanding of the consequences of its pathetic drive to resurrect the flagging uranium industry. Will Australia go to any country to try and make a few bucks ? We will sell uranium to India,- non signatory to the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty, to Russia, notorious for its poor monitoring of where uranium and its wastes go.
Now we’re supposed to rejoice that Australia might sell to United Arab Emirates – never mind if that triggers off a Middle East nuclear arms race.
At the same time, the Australian government and Australian generally seem oblivious to the mess that uranium mining has made in Kakadu. I mean – it’s only home to traditional Aborigines, an ecological paradise (or it was) a top Australian tourism attraction. Having messeed it up environmentally, and messed up financially too, ERA plans to start a new uranium minng venture there – even though they’re too broke to clean up the mess.
The Small Modular Nuclear Reactor project is looking sick
While the BHP-funded Grattan Institute and a number of other “authoritative” bodies tout Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMRs) – powered by Thorium, for Australia, the bottom is falling out of the SMR project. The big firms involved are pulling out. Westinghouse already has. Babcock and Wilcox will be next.
Lobbyists like the USA’s nuclear front group, the Breakthrough Institute, have worked successfully on Australia’s pro nukers to flog off these (so far non-existent) SMRs to Australia. Note that they leave out the word “nuclear”, knowing that this word gives their project a bad smell.
However, – forget the associated bad smells of terrorism targets, proliferation dangers, waste problems that go with these nasty little nuclear reactors.
The biggy is economics. They just don’t stack up economically. (It’s such bad taste to mention this – but reneweable energy does stack up economically. And when you’re talking about small decentralised power sources – well – solar and wind are obviously the go.)
Australia’s Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop joins the ranks of the Nuclear Honorary Males
Well, well, here am I always advocating that women should play a major role in matters nuclear. But look out for the Nuclear Honorary Males.
Yes, women are occasionally let in to the pro nuclear system. As long as they are selected by the middle-aged white male corporatocracy.
For example:
- Dixie Lee Ray, former chairwoman of the Atomic Energy Commission
- Margaret Thatcher – pushed for nuclear power (yes, to address climate change) but mainly in order to crush the coal miners’ union. Fan of nuclear weapons
- Anne Lauvergeon, former CEO of nuclear octopus AREVA
and we, in Australia, have Julie Bishop. In Hiroshima she dismissed the call of the non nuclear nations to work for a ban on nuclear weapons
This week in Australian nuclear news
Western Australian election. It’ s interesting that despite a joint Liberal-Labor attempt, aided by the MSM (Main Stream Media) to make the Greens and Scott Ludlam invisible, it didn’t work out that way. On first preferences, a big swing to the Greens, and swings away from both Liberal and Labor. Also a big swing to Clive Palmer’s Palmer United Party, (PUP) . The successful PUP candidate, Zhenya ‘Dio’ Wang had previously spoken in favour of keeping the Renewable Energy Target – ”the right scheme for maintaining and improving Australia’s environment”. However, Clive Palmer soon pulled Wang into line, though Clive did lose his cool in trying to explain the PUP’s true coal-promoting policy.
Climate change. Unfortunately, after preferences are sorted, the new Senate on July 1 will be amenable to Tony Abbott – the Government will be able to get its legislation through – undoing as much as possible all the legislation that meant taking action on climate change. Abbott’s business adviser, Maurice Newman, and the head of the panel to review the Renewable Energy Target, Dick Warburton are dyed in the wool opponents of renewable energy. Dick Warburton is a fervent believer in nuclear power for Australia.
Still more or less under the radar, are moves to get the full nuclear cycle in Australia. This is pretty secretive stuff. More about this later.
Nuclear submarines? The Liberal Party always keen for this – nuclear submarines for South Australia And, by chance? Tony Abbott, in Japan, has just been negotiating $40 billion expenditure on submarines and on joint research with Japan on submarine-related technology. Also joint military exercises with Japan (China wan’t like this)
Why the Western Australian Senate election is critical to this nation’s survival
This website is dedicated to nuclear issues.
So – what am I doing, worrying about a side-issue like the Senate election tomorrow? And about climate change? After all, that’s not an immediate worry – it’s a gradual thing…..
Well – apologies to dedicated anti nuclear readers, but:
Climate Change IS an urgent matter.
The fossil funded Liberal Coalition government is out to use every delaying tactic, to see that no real action is taken, about global warming, and to, if they can, kill off the renewable energy industry, energy efficiency, and rail transport development.
Mavericks like Clive Palmer will join their onslaught. Other minor parties – who knows – but likely to be Liberal stooges.
Labor Party? It’s getting harder and harder to distinguish them from the Liberals.
WHAT’s LEFT? The chance that somebody in the Senate can put the brakes on Australia’s regressive government. That somebody is SCOTT LUDLAM , along with other Greens.
Tomorrow’s election may make all then difference – and how all the government and media stooges fear this! (which makes it all that amazing that THE AUSTRALIAN newspaper came out today barracking for climate change action and renewable energy! http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/latest/wa-has-a-lot-to-lose/story-e6frg90f-1226873306480 )
NUCLEAR ISSUES – held over until tomorrow – but be assured – Australia’s pack of pro-nuke shills are on the move!)
Climate and Nuclear – but what’s the panic?
AUSTRALIA
I’ve been humming Reg Livermore’s song all this morning ” I’m in the Dance Band on the Titanic” Now why is that? Oh, It’s ever since I learned of Prime Minister Tony Abbott’ response to the IPCC’s report on Climate Change – Tony’s got no worries. ““Australia is a land of drought and flooding rains, always has been and always will be”.
Is that not dandy? And here were we stressing unnecessarily about yesterday’s The report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Those panic merchants say that climate change is already upon us, and will get worse. Especially here in Australia! Rubbish! (Excuse me while I yell to someone – ”for god’s sake someone turn on the air-conditioning, it’s boiling hot here”)
Anyway – not to worry, because it’s the poor and disadvantaged in Australia, who will be hit most. (Not US – will we?)
And, another thought. There’s that enthusiastic push in Australia for the nuclear industry , including the claim that nuclear power will solve the climate change problem. (That in itself is a bit of a problem for them, with a government that doesn’t believe in climate change).
But no doubt Tony Abbott will change his mind about climate change, as soon as BHP and Rio tell him to.
Nuclear industry for Australia? Sure, sez I, why just stuff up our country partially with coal and gas, when we can stuff it up completely with nuclear.
However, nuclear will have zilch impact on climate change, for many reasons. but here’s a couple:
- The time lapse until the 11,000 necessary nuclear plants are operating, will be many decades – by which time global warming will have run away with no hope of mitigation.
- The entire nuclear fuel cycle – uranium mining to reactor and waste burial – gives out heaps of carbon emissions. (The nuclear lobby just doesn’t count the dirty bits at the beginning and at the end.
INTERNATIONAL
Oh dear – in my patriotic delight that we in Australia are exempt from worrying about Climate and Nuclear, – I have left little space for those countries that are NOT Australia.
Well – the IPCC says that they are all going to cop Climate Change, too. (See youtube video) And odd people like Barack Obama, David Cameron, Xi Jinping, and all the European leaders believe it. Well, we in Oz never did trust foreigners, did we?
USA are going to spend over 1 $trillion making and minding their nuclear weapons until 2015
UK is paying private companies 7 billion pounds to clean up old nuclear reactors.
Japan has a shocker of a nuclear energy plan so full of dangers that it is a (bad) April Fools Day joke.
INTERNATIONAL
Oh dear – in my patriotic delight that we in Australia are exempt from worrying about Climate and Nuclear, – I have left little space for those countries that are NOT Australia.
Well – the IPCC says that they are all going to cop Climate Change, too. (See youtube video) And odd people like Barack Obama, David Cameron, Xi Jinping, and all the European leaders believe it. Well, we in Oz never did trust foreigners, did we?
USA are going to spend over 1 $trillion making and minding their nuclear weapons until 2015
UK is paying private companies 7 billion pounds to clean up old nuclear reactors.
Japan has a shocker of a nuclear energy plan so full of dangers that it is a (bad) April Fools Day joke.
Sorry – I gotta go and get some ice. Summer in Australia is supposed to end in February? Oh well….
Don’t knock Earth Hour: it awakens people to Climate Change action
Why on Earth are supposed environmentalists knocking Anna Rose and Earth Hour?1 This month.
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PETITION – To: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Australian Labor Government
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
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