Look out, New South Wales, the uranium economic downward plunge beckons!
Look out – New South Wales residents! You thought coal seam gas exploration was a threat? And it probably is.
But now, your government, in its unwisdom, is going to allow uranium exploration.
The yellow area shows the area of uranium mineralisation in New South Wales.
Very handy, I suppose, to where some of Ziggy Switkowski’s 50 nuclear reactors will supposedly be positioned.
South Australia is going to go down the economic drain, for its drive for all things nuclear. Meanwhile, what with Paladin Uranium looking like going broke, and the nuclear industry winding down, – Does New South Wales want to join this plunge? – Christina Macpherson
GOVERNMENT TAKES STEP TOWARDS URANIUM MINING Lee Jeloscek, 7 News Sydney February 14, A map drawn up by the government and reported on by 7News shows a large swath of land from north western town of Bourke stretching down past Canberra to the Victorian border could be explored for the resource. http://au.news.yahoo.com/nsw/latest/a/-/newshome/12905605/government-takes-step-towards-uranium-mining/
The weeks’ Australian nuclear news in brief
Australia: Once again, the most serious, and the least covered in the media, is the issue of Martin Ferguson’s National Radioactive Waste Bill, under consideration by the Senate.
Mining companies bribing activities. Australian mining companies getting anxious about their operations in Africa and Asia; they might get caught bribing government officials, (as BHP Billiton, the Big Non Australian was caught with its “tea money” to Cambodia).
In country Australia, many are becoming aware of the financial loss to rural communities of governments preventing wind energy projects. Astroturfing pressure groups have prevailed over science, in the “debate” over wind power.
Continuing angst about Gina Rinehart and her push to influence content on the Australian media.
Continuing opposition to Australian company Lynas’ rare earths project in Malaysia – as it has no long term radioactive waste disposal plan. Temporary approval process by the Malaysian government has aroused much protest.
Decentralised solar energy proving to be a winner for Queensland.
Australian government launches a series of energy efficiency programs.
The week’s Australian nuclear news
By far the most important nuclear news for this week is the Bill before the senate tomorrow February 8, – the National Radioactive Waste Management Bill. This will impose a nuclear waste dump on Aboriginal land in the NT. It’s likely to be rubber-stamped by the Senate, as the Australian media dutifully shuts up about this – as usual. Only the Greens will fight this one.
Grattan Institute, largely funded by BHP, comes out with a pro nuclear report, and subtly downgrades renewable energy.
Australia to get compulsory airport security scanning. However, as far as I can tell, it is the apparently harmless “millimetre wave” technology, and NOT the X-ray type “backscatter” – therefore airline travellers will not be subjected to ionising radiation.
Australian company Lynas gets “temporary license” for its planned rare earths plant in Malaysia, despite having no plan for long term disposal of radioactive wastes. Growing opposition in Malysia, but Australian government supports Lynas. The plan is the world’s biggest rare earths refining project. It is being watched as the precursor for nuclear power in South East Asia.
Australia’s radioactive colonialism in Malaysia, (and a test case for Southeast Asia nuclear power)
Readers of this website might wonder why I give so much attention to Lynas’ project for a rare earths processing plant in Malaysia. After all, rare earths are supposed to be good, aren’t they? They’re needed for wind turbines, mobile phones, electric cars etc. And they don’t make that much radioactive waste.
But the thing is – Lynas’ plant will be the biggest rare earths refining plant in the world. And make a lot of radioactive wastes, and heaps of money for Australian investors. And we like BIG. We applaud BHP – the Big Non -Australian because it’s going to dig the biggest man made hole in the world.
If the Lynas plant is so OK, why not put it in Australia?
The answer – radioactive colonialism. Just as Australia has been a victim of Britain’s radioactive colonialism, in atomic bomb tests in the 1950s, and today, with our largely foreign owned uranium mines – well, we Australians like to do our bit of radioactive colonialism, and put the nasty stuff in Malaysia.
Not In Our Backyard for radioactive wastes, as long as we can park them in Malaysia.
The nuclear industry watches this with interest. If Lynas can overcome public opinion in Malaysia, well, perhaps the nuclear lobby can do the same in Southeast Asia.
Wrap up of the week’s news – February 1
Australia: The Australian media excelled itself in its distortion of news on Aboriginal protest in Canberra. There may be an investigation into the violence there – violence not from the Aborigines, but from the police. Focus on this incident obscured a deeper problem – the draft Constitutional changes which include entrenching the discrimination and land-grabbing that goes on in the interests of the uranium/nuclear industry. The Commission’s full report is available at: http://www.brc.gov
Anxious talks between BHP Billiton and South Australian government, as BHP wavers about the future of the new big Olympic Dam uranium mine, in view of the nuclear industries global stagnation.
Australia’s richest person (en route to becoming the world’s richest woman) Gina Rinehart starts a new uranium mining company. Western Australian Labor, under a new leader, weakens its anti uranium policy.
700 prominent Australians call for ban on nuclear weapons, under the auspices of ICAN. Only a very few of these dignitaries want Australia to keep on selling the fuel for nuclear weapons – uranium.
A quiet push to have Australian ports deepened, in preparation for USA nuclear submarines. And another quiet push to have Australia buy its own nuclear submarines from USA. And an even quieter meeting between Russia’s Foreign Minister and Australian officials on nuclear technology vo-operation between Australia and Russia.
Australia’s crappy response to peaceful Aboriginal protest
It makes me sick. Now the media is focused on some poor blighter in Canberra who let somebody know the whereabouts of Tony Abbott. Is that the biggest issue that they can come up with? Oh no – they’ve got another one – Julia’s shoe.
No wonder the media is moving hastily away from its first response – which was to blame Aboriginals for their (legitimate and peaceful) protest. After all, we all saw the TV footage – the only violence came , unprovoked, from the police. And then we get sanctimonious pronouncements from Warren Mundine and Tom Gooda – honorary whites if ever there were!
The real issue is the continued dispossession of Aboriginal land, in the interests of mining corporations, and especially the nuclear industry. The Northern Territory Intervention might indeed have done some good things. But forcing people off their homelands is a bad thing. The new draft Constitution has some good changes, respectful to Aboriginals, but also contains a cunningly worded permission for the land dispossession to continue.
Now very poor whiteys will be penalised, in the new Northern Territory Intervention too – that makes it look as if it’s not discriminating against Aboriginals.
Now why was the media so friendly to that “people’s protest” in Western Australia – some months back? Remember, when Gina Rinehart, (Australia’s richest woman) all in her pearls, came out in the streets along with wealthy socialites, to protest against the mining tax? Why was that protest not met with tough police, and media denunciation? – Christina Macpherson
Australia Day – the good and the not so good
The good. Well, there is a lot of good will between the Aboriginal First Australians, the slightly less new European ancestry Australians, and the newer New Australians from all over the place. And it’s all nicely mixed up with Chinese New Year, celebrated by Chinese Australians and by a lot of the rest of us.
It’s good that amongst the celebrities of all kinds, a couple of Australai Day Awards really do stand out. There’s James Durie, awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia. Since 1996 he has been an ambassador for Planet Ark and since 2008 he has been climate change presenter for the Australian Conservation Foundation.
And it’s extra good that Jeffrey Lee is awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia. Jeffrey Lee astonished our materialistic Australian culture by refusing to accept $millions for his traditional land in the Northern Territory in exchange for allowing uranium mining there. Instead, Lee donated his land to Kakadu National Park, and fought for it to be a World Heritage Area.
The not so good. Well – the Day recalls the original day in the process of dispossessing Aboriginal people of their country. It’s not surprising that many call this day Invasion Day, or Survival Day. So it would be a healing move to change the national day to a date that held a less tragic meaning .
Also not so good. The move to change the Australian Constitution – supposedly to remove discrimination against Aboriginals. A great idea, supported by just about everybody. But not so great, if it manages to sneak in those loopholes that will entrench the process of dispossessing Aboriginals of their land – especially in the interests of the uranium/nuclear industry.
The week’s nuclear news – Australia
Renewable energy The anti renewable energy movement has taken a decidedly political turn in three States. Victoria and New South Wales persist in strong anti wind energy policies, despite scientific reports about wind energy not being harmful to health. (An extraordinary double standard here, as Victoria’s government pushes ahead with permits for coal seam gas exploration). In South Australia, Family First rears its astroturfing head, as it vows a political fight against wind energy.
Wrap up of the week’s Australian nuclear news
Wrap up of weekly nuclear news, 18/1/12 Australia: Revelations that India was involved in the murky nuclear deals with A.Q. Khan provide a reason to think twice about giving India a privileged position on uranium sales. The 40th anniversary of the Aboriginal tent embassy is a reminder that Aboriginal rights are a matter for all Australians, not solely Aborigines.
A new government review recommends removing limits on media ownership – at a time when the Murdoch media is consistently preaching the gospel of climate denialism.
Climate change the cure for Australia’s noxious uranium industry?
The nuclear lobby bangs on about nuclear energy as the solution to global warming, climate change and all that. This is a 
specious claim – it’s one of the nuke lobby’s best lies.
But – how about climate change as the solution to the noxious uranium and nuclear industries? After all – it was a climate event that set off the Fukushima nuclear catastrophe. Perhaps not a result of man-made gloabl warming.
BUT – science is predicting more and more extreme weather – insurance companies are taking this seriously. There is indeed a pattern of increasing extreme weather events.
And lo – it is surely affecting uranium mining , and the transport of uranium in the Northern Territory – suggesting that this industry might not have any future there. – Christina Macpherson
Australian news, nuclear and uranium wrap up for the week
Mainstream press continues to tout uranium as having a great future- despite share prices showing otherwise – over the year Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) shares fell by 82.1%, Cameco by 50%, Uranium One by 45%, Paladin 70%. Analysts predict continued low prices for uranium, with a dubious future for nuclear power – even China having doubts now..
Concern arises over the derailed train in Northern Territory – potential for future nuclear transports, uranium , and the planned radioactive waste transports. With climate change bringing more extremes of weather, the dangers of flooding in NT become more important.
Martin Ferguson astounds us all again, as he has engineered a private spy company to watch environmental activists. The National Open Source Intelligence Centre – a nice little commercial venture for Jody and Amanda Lambden, of Croydon, Victoria. This private spy body, unlike ASIO etc, is not accountable to Parliament. – Christina Macpherson
Look out: Australia’s National Open Source Intelligence Centre is watching you
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I for one, will be piqued if I am not on Jody and Amanda Lambden’s list of secret “issue monitoring”. I know that the big corporations run a list of “hostile websites” – and I am a proud member of that list.
But I didn’t know that Martin Ferguson had couple of pals in my very own home town, watching us evil environmentalists. I’ve been at least 5 years on the job, and I expect to be included.
It’s only fair, Martin Ferguson. After all, we’re all watching you and your subservience to the nuclear lobby. – Christina Macpherson
The watchdog’s kennel in clandestine Croydon, The Age, Philip Dorling January 7, 2012 AN INCONSPICUOUS Melbourne apartment block is home to a monitoring service that keeps watch on environment groups at the request of the federal government. The National Open Source Intelligence Centre, a private intelligence company, works under contract for the Australian Federal Police and Federal Attorney-General’s Department to monitor activist websites, blogs, Facebook and Twitter to provide warning and analysis of protest activity.
Owned jointly by Croydon couple Jody and Amanda Lambden, NOSIC has been operating since 1999. It aims to provide law enforcement agencies and other private clients with internet monitoring and analysis directed at groups engaged in
”radical activism, criminal (terrorist) activity or unlawful behaviour”.
Services provided by NOSIC include ”issue monitoring”, ”tactical intelligence”, ”threat analysis” and ”trend analysis and
forecasting focus on emerging patterns and trends in activism”. NOSIC has been engaged on contract by the AFP and the
Attorney-General’s Department since at least 2003. From 2006 to 2008, it was paid $184,800…..
NOSIC’s website does not identify its director, Mr Lambden, and provides no phone number or business address.
However, corporate records list the company’s principal place of business as a residential apartment block on Hewish Road, Croydon….
Federal security sources told The Saturday Age that NOSIC provided a ”cost-effective service” that ”frees AFP analysts from spending time chasing publicly available information”. http://www.theage.com.au/national/the-watchdogs-kennel-in-clandestine-croydon-20120106-1poox.html#ixzz1ioI5bPri
Australia: nuclear wrap up of 2011
Christina Macpherson, 3 Jan 2012
- The National Radioactive Waste Bill has still not passed the Senate, despite Martin Ferguson pushing for this for over a year. The Aboriginal Traditional Owners, led by Dianne Stokes, have continued the fight to save their land from this waste dump. Their legal case continues, as these traditional owners challenge the Northern Land Council’s choice of one small group, the Ngapa people to “volunteer” their land for a nuclear waste dump.
- BHP Billiton has not yet decided on the creation of their monster uranium hole at Olympic Dam. Yes it IS a new mine, not just an expansion of the existing mine.
- Australia’s antinuclear activists have worked consistently, despite mainstream media generally ignoring their issues. Dr Helen Caldicott has lectured in USA, Asia, Europe. At home, Jim Green, Mia Pepper, Cat Beaton, – to just single out a few – continue to publicise issues.
- For Australia’s URANIUM/NUCLEAR LOBBY 2011 has been a mixed year:
- Already, before the Fukushima nuclear catastrophe, uranium prices were steadily sliding down. In 2011, uranium prices continued to plummet, with no rise in sight for the coming year.
- Uranium companies’ share prices plummeted. Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) shares fell by 82.1%, Cameco by 50%, Uranium One by 45%
- China, the great white hope of the struggling uranium industry, decided to slow down its nuclear programme
- The South Australian Government legislated to place BHP BIlliton above the laws The Roxby Downs Indenture Act exempts BHP from over 20 South Australian laws, laws which apply to all other mining companies. BHP is exempted from the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1988, the Environmental Protection Act 1993, the Freedom of Information Act 1991, the Natural Resources Act 2004 (including water management issues), the Development Act 1993 and the Mining Act 1971
- The Gillard government trampled on Australia’s reputation as a leader in Nuclear Non Proliferation by deciding to sell uranium to India, a non-signatory to the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty.
- The Gillard government agreed to enhance USA’s military presence and missile warning systems in Australia
- Perhaps worst of all, the Australian media, by and large, ignored all these issues. (but there were exceptions – the continued reporting from Japan, by ABC’s Mark Willacy, and the courageous video coverage by Channel 9 TV’s Liz Hayes – http://www.asianweek.com/2011/08/14/aussie-60-min-and-kaku-fukushima-and-chernobyl-radiation-in-all-of-us/
Nuclear lobby’s underground campaign against renewable energy in Australia
While Australia’s nuclear lobby has gone a bit quiet , it’s still hard at work. Its best spokesman, Australia’s 
Minister For Nuclear Energy, Martin Ferguson is dutifully campaigning on the nuclear lobby’s goal of stopping the progress of renewable energy. Unfortunately, Ferguson has let them down a bit, stuffing up Australia’s Draft Energy White Paper. I bet Ferguson is glad that people’s minds are on the Christmas season, and not on the inadequacies and inaccuracies of this draft.
In New South Wales, “astroturf” bodies are condemning wind power. the Waubra foundation and Landscape Gardeners are the best known of these. Behind them are pseudo environmental bodies, the Australian [against] Environment Foundation, and the rightwing Institute of Public Affairs.
Another reason why the nuclear lobby is lying low about its products is the gloomy state of the uranium market. Uranium company’s shares have dropped continuously over the year – Energy Resources of Australia’s by 82.1%, Cameco’s by 50%. Overall, uranium companies dropped by 54% over the past 12 months: it’s not just because of Fukushima.
For Australia, the bleakest news must be that China is doing a rethink and a slow-down on its nuclear power project. Disastrous for Australia’s uranium companies who are pinning their last hopes on China!
Japan has announced this “cold shutdown” at Fukushima nuclear plant. This is a creative use indeed of the term, designed to make everyone think that Fukushima is OK now. Not so – indeed this is on of the most glaring lies that the nuclear lobby has come up with.
With all the lies going on – about Fukushima being OK, about ionising radiation being good for you, about wind power being bad for you – this calls for a special focus on NUCLEAR LIES – which will be the theme of next month’s Antinuclear page.
Peace to all readers of this page – Christian Macpherson
Time to sack Martin Ferguson, Minister For Energy, but only Nuclear Energy
Eisenhower said, in 1961 ” we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex” Nothing has changed, except that it has got worse.
Australia continues to be USA’s deputy sheriff. And the USA’s government continues to be beholden to the arms industries. In today’s news items, we find that secret government nuclear plans have been developed, from the 1950s to the present . And, conveniently for the government, files relating to these plans have been lost, from the National Archives.
It would be just too simple, and too foolish, to think that the present Labor government has really ditched Howard government plans for Australia as the world’s nuclear waste dump. Though Labor remains publicly opposed to the nuclear fuel cycle coming here, there are plenty of Labor heavies who are salivating at the prospect.
Notably Martin Ferguson, who should surely be sacked. As Energy Minister Ferguson uses his power to sabotage renewable energy, promote uranium mining, and remove mandated emission standards from new coal plants.
The Climate Change conference at Durban> As far as I can tell, the agreement reached there makes sure that no agreement will be made for several years, and even then, no agreement will be acted upon until 2020 or later. This result is being spinned as some kind of winner for climate change action.
On the positive side, the previously politically conservative Australian Red Cross has come out with a vengeance, joining Red Crescent in a well-planned push for a Nuclear weapons Convention. It’s pretty clear that governments, in the grip of corporate power, can do little to bring about nuclear disarmament. But Non government Organisation are becoming organised and influential, world-wide, and their influence will matter. – Christina Macpherson
p.s. also – us whiteys better wake up – the discriminatory Northern Territory Intervention measures will now apply to us too
1 This month
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
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