The Hypocrisy of BHP king, Marius Kloppers, on carbon and environment
In October 2010, BHP CEO Marius Kloppers, came out virtuously with support for a carbon price in Australia. But today THE AUSTRALIAN reports that Mr Kloppers told British journalists that Australia’s carbon tax was “an econ0mic deadweight cost”.
Why does Kloppers contradict himself? Well, as a loyal highly paid servant of the corporation, he sees his job as to say anything that makes BHP look good. The truth is irrelevant. In 2010, Kloppers was promoting uranium, nuclear and the Olympic Dam mine expansion, (and he still is) – as solutions to climate change, as BHP’s coal interests are mainly overseas.
Also today, Peter Ker in The Age, reports on Kloppers’ enthusiasm for
“low carbon” energy. “Low carbon” is now the code word to replace “renewable energy” – when what you really mean is “nuclear energy” . Nuclear energy is neither low carbon, nor renewable. But “low carbon” suggests truly clean energy sources, renewable energy
As to Kloppers and BHP caring about climate change, or environmental safety, BHP has started deep water oil exploration drilling in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Kloppers is not answering questions on this one.
Truckin’ nonsense against Australia’s carbon tax
You do wonder who is behind all this nonsense, as convoys of trucks descend on Canberra, and brawny guys speak out “representing the people” against the Gillard government’s plan for Australia joining the rest of the world in addressing global warming.
As far as I can read it, the Gillard government’s compensation plan means that lower and middle income earners will actually come out financially ahead with the carbon tax. Also, strategies for job protection are included.
Meanwhile attempts to derail the carbon tax by a double dissolution of Parliament will result in years of uncertainty and economic loss for Australia.
When I see these truckies performing on television, I can’t help wondering if they are more brawn than brain – and what kind of well financed manipulations have gone on behind the scenes – to get them there. – Christina Macpherson
South Australian politicians salivate over expanding uranium mine, but uranium market collapsing
Olympic Dam copper and uranium mine – as a hugely expensive and huge hole in South Australia is going to be an
environmental messup in so many ways.
Those who care about the public good want to stop this behemoth. Theirs is an uphill fight.
Still, it is possible for BHP Billiton to mine the copper and gold – and return the uranium to the pit. They don’t have to sell uranium. And it’s not going to be worth selling.
The South Australian government – they’re not very bright – are all agog for this copper/uranium monster project. Little chance that they will genuinely review it – here’s their latest comment :
– “I can tell you, having been regularly updated by my colleague Kevin Foley, Olympic Dam is a goer, it will get a sign-off.” – South Australian Infrastructure Minister Patrick Conlon , as Premier Mike Rann and former treasurer Kevin Foley flew to Melbourne to begin the final round of negotiations with BHP over the Olympic Dam expansion.
At the same time – the news is all bad for the nuclear and uranium industries:
Uranium market sees thin activity and lower price, Industrial Fuels and Power, August 17th, 2011 The uranium spot price delivered no surprises this week as it slipped further by US$1.00 to US$50.50/lb. Three days earlier, TradeTech had noted a US$1.25 WoW fall to US$50.25/lb, attributing the drop to thin demand and supply “with a few sellers competing for even fewer sales opportunities.”
Buyers – this week utilities, traders and financial entities – are largely uninterested and reluctant to commit purchases. …http://www.ifandp.com/article/0013083.html
Australian gas projects will likely benefit as countries delay nuclear power expansion plans – Bloomberg 17 Aug 11 – CM
“Corporate Responsibility” an oxymoron, especially when it comes to uranium
I don’t understand why people expect corporations to give a hoot about the environment, or about anything else of real importance to the public. They do give a hoot insofar as they are forced to wriggle around any environmental laws, or other laws, that might impede their progress.
But a corporation is not a person. It has but one goal – profit for its shareholders. Indeed, it can be fairly blamed, if it does consider the environment, and so makes itself less competitive.
Marathon Resources is lobbying to overcome the ban on uranium mining in Arkaroola Wilderness. As a corporation, that’s its duty. In terms of the public good, it might seem stupid. But corporations are by nature stupid in having such tunnel vision. Why expect them to be intelligent about the public good? If they were, then their shareholders would be up in arms.
Marathon lobbies for compensation, now that the govt has knocked them back. Fair enough, why shouldn’t they?
And they lobby to again explore and mine uranium in Arkaroola World Heritage Wilderness.
The pity is that Australia’s politicians, both Labor and Liberal, are on the side of corporations, and not on the side of the public good. – Christina Macpherson
Let’s not demonise Climate Sceptics – let’s understand them
It’s a critical moment in Australia. The public, guided by the media, continue their apathy about the biggest environmental and economic event about to take place in Australia – the expansion of Olympic Dam uranium mine.
Such apathy allows corporate leaders to charge on with pretty much uncontrolled environmental destruction. They are cheered on by a host of climate change sceptics and other opponents of environmental regulation
It is possible, as claimed by some psychologists, that many CEOs of giant corporations are actually sociopaths – having destructive and dangerous instincts. It is certainly clear that many corporate executives will place their career paths above the truth. The most glaring example of this mindset was the court testimony of a string of tobacco executives, who lied on oath, about tobacco and cancer.
So, we’re right to take the opinions of corporate executives, and nuclear power proponents with a very critical eye.
But today’s article, (below – An Insight into Climate Sceptic thinking) ) helps to explain the thinking behind USA’s Climate Sceptics – a view which has now percolated into the media, and the thinking in USA’s cultural colony – Australia.
I keep meeting very kind, good, people who have bought into the view that environmental regulation, and action on climate change are part of an attack on our liberty – an economically dangerous assault on the free market.
Of course, this thinking is very easily merged into “business as usual” and saves people from the worry of considering any changes.
In the full article, the writer points out that this way of thinking is not held by all U.S. Republicans today, and certainly not in the past, pointing out that “the current crop of Republicans are out of step with their congressional predecessors who concluded that health took precedence over profit.”
As in America, Australians who think about our children’s future, need to engage in discussion with other good people, especially those who still think that “business as usual” is fine.
I’m starting off by giving out some DVD’s ( – courtesy of David Bradbury) , of “Wake Up” ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3shJ8I66Yyk ) to a bunch of Liberal voters, friends of mine. – Christina Macpherson
Olympic Dam uranium mine- South Australia’s answer to the Hutt River Province
The Principality of Hutt River lies within the geographic territory of Western Australia, but is not part of the State of Western Australia. It seceded from the State of Western Australia in 1959, and became, legally, an independent Sovereign state in 1971.
Within a month or two, BHP Billiton is well positioned to achieve the same status for its Olympic Dam uranium mine in South Australia.
This will be helped along by BHP Billiton dictating policy to its servant, (just barely hangin’ on to his job) Premier Mike Rann.
BHP Billiton will “improve” on the 1982 Indenture Act which allows BHP to override the:
· Aboriginal Heritage Act 1988
· Development Act 1993
· Environmental Protection Act 1993
· Freedom of Information Act 1991
· Mining Act 1971
· Natural Resources Act 2004 (including the Water Resources Act 1997)
It is timely for Australians to rejoice in this new political entity? Time to make South African Marius Kloppers – Prince Marius? – Christina Macpherson
Australia’s monopoly media and the climate denialists’ campaign
The last few weeks have shown both the frenzy of the anti carbon tax campaign in Australia, and the fall in credibility of the Murdoch media worldwide. It remains to be seen whether or not Murdoch’s media supremacy will continue in Australia.
That’s a pretty important question, as the Murdochracy has joined forces with the polluting industries to give these industries such power in Australia – even to the extent of getting rid of a Prime Minister. Now their push is on to stop Australia acting on Climate Change, and to get rid of another Prime Minister.
In all this, where is the nuclear connection? Well, the nuclear lobby is being tactfully silent on its claim to be the cure for global warming, seeing that its polluting friends don’t believe in global warming. But the coal and nuclear industries are quite well connected.
Take Gina Rinehart for example. Australia’s wealthiest person, Gina is an implacable foe of Australia’s planned carbon tax, and a finacial supporter of climate denialists like Lord Monckton and Ian Plimer. She refers with admiration to her late father, Lang Hancock. There was a wealthy man who ruthlessly pursued profit, as for example in the asbestos industry. On refusing to put in for a collection for mesothelioma victim, Christine Vos, Lang Hancock remarked that “Someone has to pay the price of progress”
Hancock’s enthusisasm for mining in the Pilabara led him to invite Edward Teller (the ‘father of the atomic bomb’) over from the USA. , planning to use atomic bombs to facilitate mining. I’m not sure what stopped them, possibly government, – certainly not any reservations they had themselves. Teller is reported as saying that a dose of strontium is good for you.
Australia seems to confuse the ideas of wealthiness with intelligence, with an inordinate respect for rich people. . Gina Rinehart has bought into the notion that government action for the general good, ( as in the carbon tax), is an attack on “freedom” Hence her uncritical support for Lord Monckton, with his theory on the global climate change conspiracy. Monckton’s theory implies that many thousands of scientists, world-wide, have been taken in by a sinister plot of someone, (who?) wanting to rule the world.
With the Murdoch media support for Gina Rinehart type thinking, Australia’s public is being led by the nose into anti-science thinking. It is very timely that voices like that of Independent Australia are now calling for a change in Australia’s media monopoly
Australia’s Climate Change Denialists in full frantic mode
I thought that the nuclear sptruikers were in full frantic mode – denying the seriousness of the Fukushima disaster, denying that ionising radiation causes cancer and so forth.
And yes, they were – geared up to turn the Fukushima diusaster into a plus for nuclear power. They even still push the idea that nuclear power is the solution to climate change.
BUT HEY – the climate change deniers are even more frantic, as they face the dread possibility of Australia taking even a small step towrds tackling global warming. (The funny thing is, some of these people are the same ones that push nuclear power as climate change solution) And some are the same people that fought to support tobacco, denying the facts on lung cancer.
Of course, they would rush to the doctor, if they had physical symptoms. Apparently medical science is OK. We can believe it. But not Climate Science – apparently these are thousands of scientists stupid enough to be tricked into a global conspiracy to take away our freedom, by a hoax about global warming.
Isn’t Gina Rinehart a little (well, not so little) trimmer. More about her later – the history there is really something. – Christina Macpherson
A Monty Python quality to Australia’s pro nuclear lobby
In the film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”, we see a sad little Knight, who wants to fight on, as one by one, his limbs are cut off by his enemy.
Australia’s nuclear lobby is getting to sound very like that knight. Faced with current developments, do they stop to think? Apparently not, as they continue to trot out their pronouncements on nuclear’s cost, efficiency, solution to climate change, – and of course, on the (dismal) future for renewable energy
But today the uranium industry is going down the drain. The USA is desperately devising new nuclear safety regulations – a process that might take not merely years, but decades. Nuclear power is ending in Germany, stalled in many other countries. Even France is now having serious second thoughts on nuclear.
Nuclear plants are threatened, not only by earthquakes, terrorism, human error, but also by climate change – extreme heat, sea level rise, – and now, even jellyfish!
As for Australia – the Gillard government’s new plan for carbon tax is a good start, well thought out, with appropriate compensation packages. It’s meeting with approval from many sections of the community. And enthusiasm for renewable energy investment is now growing in Australia, as well as overseas.
Monty Python’s knight kept on trying to fight, with not one limb left. Is Australia’s nuclear lobby equally proud, to the point of stupidity?
I guess it takes a great man, like Sir Marcus Oliphant, to turn around and say “We wuz wrong about nuclear power”” – Christina Macpherson
Australia’s carbon tax and renewables on the rise, bring a panic reaction from nuclear spin doctors
It’s been quite a week, for energy policy in Australia. Interviews with 14,000 Australians showed that 91% want renewable energy (http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/2776594.html). The Western Australian Labor “Party came out with a renewed, and stronger, anti-nuclear policy. Prime Minster Julia Gillard and the Greens negotiated a carbon tax agreement with a $multibillion fund for renewable energy .
With all this, All Australia’s old nuke spin doctors must be in a panic. They were out in force, and some new ones, too.
Their current story is that the Fukushima radiation is nothing to worry about, really – (like asbestos) it doesn’t kill anyone in the short term.
Further, they’re telling us that the Fukushima “event is EVIDENCE that the new nuclear reactors will be safe.
Even better, they somehow wangled Dr Adi Paterson, the CEO of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisationto be keynote speaker at Sydney’s Solar Energy Conference. As a loyal pro-nuker, Paterson used his chance to rubbish renewable energy, and promote nuclear. – Christiona Macpherson
Australia’s Martin Ferguson – determined to stall Renewable Energy
It is high time that Australia got rid of its so-called Minister for Energy, Martin Ferguson.
This is a man who cannot be trusted, yet who is in charge of Australia’s policy and progress on renewable energy.
Progress? Martin Ferguson would be more aptly called the Minster for Stopping Renewable Energy. For that is the aim of Ferguson in his role as lackey of the nuclear industry.
Ferguson is quoted this week,in Dow Jones News Wires, saying that: Nuclear power could feature more predominantly in Australia’s energy debate if renewable energy sources such as wind and solar don’t evolve enough to provide reliable electricity around the clock, – Christina Macpherson
Australia’s mining companies sink to the Lord Monckton level of low credibility
I was amazed to read that the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC) are having Lord Monckton as speaker at their conference next week. I was also amazed that Liberal Party leader Tony Abbott is to appear on the same platform. Also sadly the Independent, Rob Oakeshott – a man who seemed to have a bit of that rare quality , integrity. (Perhaps Oakeshott is simply naive?)
Don’t Tony and Rob know what sort of a person Lord Monckton is?
Monckton is the chief proponent of a very far-fetched conspiracy theory, and he has been thoroughly discredited in this, in his home country, England.
Monckton’s theory is uncannily like the extremist theories of Australia’s Eric Butler and the League of Rights, – and, yes, it has echoes of Nazi theory, too. Just as Hitler adopted the idea of the “Jewish Conspiracy” – that the Jews were plotting world domination, so Monckton also sees a shadowy group plotting world domination.
In Monckton’s belief, this evil group has managed to manipulate all the (?stupid) scientists into proposing man-made Climate Change. According to Monckton, there is no truth in man-made Climate Change, but the scientists push it, so that governments will adopt regulations and carbon taxes – and these will lead to World Government, and a global slave state for all of us.
Australia’s mining companies have apparently been quite duped into taking Monckton seriously. Surely they are not so calculatedly greedy as to use this crackpot in order to fight the government’s carbon tax. As for Abbott – well, clearly Abbott will do whatever it takes to promote Abbott. But this time, I think he’s made a wrong choice, don’t you? – Christina Macpherson
This week: uranium gloom, Nebraska, and Australia’s Lynas embarrassment
This week – something of a change in the nuclear ‘climate of opinion’ . Channel 9’s “60 Minutes” surprised, with a pretty damning report on Fukushima. SBS TV covered the gloomy outlook for the nuclear industry.
BHP Billiton pulls out of Yeelirrie uranium mining – a decision that reflects the growing gloom in the uranium industry.
Today, the USA waits, quietly, as workers struggle to shore up the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Plant in Nebraska – it’s now an island, surrounded by the rising Missouri River. Not a good look for the nuclear industry.
For Australia, a really bad look, is the continuing drama in Malaysia. Australian company Lynas looks to make a (financial) killing, – while Malaysians fear it could result in a slower killing – of groundwater, land, and people , with the long-lasting radioactive wastes. 
Lynas rare earth’s facility plan doesn’t get much coverage in the Australian media.
Ziggy Switkowski is a Director of Lynas. – That’s not surprising – he’s never worried at all about radioactive wastes – Christina Macpherson
Australia’s top hypocrite? Uranium prince Mike Rann
Today, South Australia’s Premier Mike Rann, is reported in The Advertiser – “a well-placed party source said the Premier was “just trying to limp through until next March when he can sign off on the Olympic Dam expansion as his grand legacy, and then he’ll quit”. http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/from-media-mike-to-mr-invisible-the-premiers-new-style/story-e6frea83-1226077387415
In 1982, Mike Rann, evidently always driven by personal ambition, , wrote “Play it Safe”, a pamphlet released by the ALP to explain its opposition to uranium mining.
But that was before he saw the light – the light of where he could get influential backing to become important. Soon, Rann was pushing for ALP policy change on uranium mining – calling uranium “the fuel of the future”. But Rann did make one concession to anti-uranium feeling amongst wealthy consituents, opposing uranium mining in the Fleurieu Peninsula .
Otherwise – it’s been “All The Way ” with the Nuclear Lobby – for our top hypocrite, Mike Rann. – Christina Macpherson
Time that Australia dumped its Nuclear Energy Minister, Martin Ferguson
Today’s Age -( print edition, but not online?) tells us “Australians turning away from nuclear power, but minister still going fission” – by Ellen Coulter – bottom of page 13 of course – but still it’s in there. The main drift:
A Lowy Institute report will show that now only 35% of Australian s are willing to consider nuclear power. A clear slide in public support for nuclear.
Meanwhile, Martin Ferguson predicts that the Fukushima disaster will produce the outcome of better safety standards.
(sounds almost glad – like – Fukushima is going to cause safer nukes, hooray!) Even Rio Tinto uranium expert Andy Lloyd said that Fukushima had affected uranium prices, and warned thatnuranium is a “volatile” commodity.
Martin Ferguson is supposed to be Australia’s Minister for Energy – not just nuclear energy. He is also not Australia’s Foreign Minister. Yet at every turn, ferguson sabotages Australia’s chance to develop Renewable Energy. And, he pronounces on Australia’s relationship with india – indeed Ferguson purports to know more about selling uranium to India than does our real Foreign Minister, Kevin Rudd.
Even in Ferguson’s advocacy of the nuclear industry – he is leading WesternnAustralians up the garden path – promising a great booming prosperity with uranium mining – at a time when it is becoming obvious that the uranium mining industry is in a state of collapse – Christina Macpherson
1 This month
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
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