Australia’s top nuclear lobbyist gets top education job
Ohmygawd, now we have Australia’s top nuclear salesman in a top position in academia! Yes, forget the humanities, forget scientific inquiry, RMIT university’s new Chancellor is to be a paid nuclear front man, trained only in the narrow field of nuclear physics.
Yes, it’s none other than Ziggy Spinowsky. He got some top post in the Australian Opera, presumably to get prestige in that area, rather than just as a nuclear lobbyist. Now, nuclear lobbying is entering education.- Christina Macpherson
Lies about ethical investments, lies about Climate Change
Today’s news – articles about “ethical investments”. That turns out be an issue for “Secrets and Lies”. Some companies are described as ethical because they claim not to invest in uranium. But – read the fine print, where it sometimes goes on to say “where uranium is directly intended for nuclear weapons fuel”. Now that’s a nice copout, isn’t it?
Another issue for “Secrets and Lies” – the enormously successful push by fossil fuel companies to set up the incorrect story that scientific opinion is “equally” divided on Global Warming and Climate Change.
One silly part of this is that climate scientists are accused of having a secret agenda to promote “socialism”.
Strange – because the nuclear and fossil fuel lobbies also want governments to cover the costs of nuclear power setup, security, and waste disposal – apparently nuclear socialism is OK!
Nuclear Secrecy- Australia – theme for October
Australia has long been involved in the secrecy surrounding the nuclear industry, and still is today.
It started in the early 1940s, as Australia supplied uranium for the nuclear weapons of America and Britain. From 1952, the UK’s atomic weapons were tested in South Australia and Western Australia.
Australia’s Atomic Energy Commission was set up in 1953, with the purpose of developing nuclear power, and the later option of nuclear weapons. In the 1960s and ’70ssecret litary bases at North West Cape, Pine Gap and Nurrungar tied Australia to the US nuclear war-fighting machine.
It is generally accepted that the CIA engineered the dismissal of Australia’s Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, due to particular concern of the USA government to keep Australia in the dark over these bases, particularly Pine Gap. In America, Christopher Boyce was gaoled as a traitor, 1n 1977. He alleged that the CIA had engineered Whitlam’s downfall and had not honoured the 1966 agreement to share the military information gained at Pine Gap.
Renewable energy is happening, and nuclear isn’t
I know that this is supposed to be an anti-nuclear blog. But I get bored with all the stuff in the media about nuclear. For one thing, it’s just not happening – the “nuclear renaissance”.
For another thing, the Australian media is full of hype about uranium. Today – several articles on how wonderfully well Paladin Energy is doing in Africa- oh you gotta invest! Nary a word about how Paladin is pulling out of Niger because uranium workers are getting kidnapped by al-Qaida.
But for the main thing – Renewable Energy is happening! It’s happening both on a big scale – how business and the media love BIG!
It’s happening on a small scale – where communities, schools and households are getting truly clean energy, and making a profit out of it.
Not apparently a scenario for Australia. Are we some sort of cultural outpost – where the idea of energy has to be always BIG, corporate-owned, and coal or uranium fueled?
How to lie about nuclear power funding and still sound “ethical”
In this month of focus on lies and secrets, we might ponder what Westpac Bank actually does mean when it promises to favour “clean” energy projects.
In the USA, the word “clean” is routinely applied to nuclear power. In China, even the word “renewable” is applied to nuclear power. We regularly hear of “green” nuclear power, along with other amazing lies like “cheap”.
Most (not all) of Australia’s “ethical” investments fund any uranium mining that is not specified as intended for nuclear weapons – in other words, they fund any uranium mining – and still call themselves “ethical”
Exposing the the LIES of the NUCLEAR LOBBY – October theme
An important nuclear lie is that we’ll need nuclear power to fuel electric cars, and that renewable energy can’t do it.
In fact, electric car batteries can be charged in a variety of ways.
Charging stations can get renewable power from the main grid, or directly from an array of solar panels above the charging station.
As costs come down, and batteries and car designs have improved, good serviceable cars, able to go 100 Km without recharge, are coming at a reasonable price, particularly taking into account the long-term saving in fuel costs.
Today’s batteries last for decades, in fact, for the life of the car itself, thus eliminating the cost of replacing them.
Renewable energy is ideal for electric cars. Over 70% of car travel in Australia involves shorter trips around towns. The Renewable energy car can be ‘topped up’ overnight, in the garage. Its battery stores the renewable energy, for use in daytime – there’s no “baseload power problem” – ( the nuclear lobby would claim ‘baseload” as a problem for electric cars.)
Solutions for the transition period: –
1. hybrid cars having both petrol and electric power
2. people can have solar-powered cars for normal town and city driving, with the second petrol-fuelled car for very long trips.
Aliens spying on nuclear plants? Do you believe it?
Well, I don’t. But I wouldn’t rule out unidentified spying objects – could be the USA and UK spying on each other, for all I know. As for Australia – same thing, military spycraft reported in Northern Territory could look like alien spacecraft.
Aliens have deactivated British and US nuclear missiles, say US military pilots Telegraph By Andy Bloxham 28 Sept, Aliens have landed, infiltrated British nuclear missile sites and deactivated the weapons, according to US military pilots. Continue reading
The Australian government wants to overrule Northern Territory on nuclear waste dump
The Australian government debates the ACT’s Euthanasia bill. The debate seems to be all about euthanasia. But actually – not so. This debate is about the rights of the ACT”s democratic government to make its laws – or whether the Federal government can overrule them.
This looks like a precursor to the National Radioactive Waste Management Bill, where the same issue will arise, regarding the Northern Territory. Perhaps that’s why we can expect that the Australian Government will not weaken on its over-riding of the ACT’s Euthanasia law.
If the y did weaken, well it might set a precedent that would inconvenience the nuclear/uranium lobby
Be wary on Silex nuclear company’s solar credentials
I see Silex in the news, below, as a contender for building Victoria’s solar plant. I don’t know if they are connected to TRUenergy. Silex makes the controversial, rather dangerous laser technology for uranium enrichment.
Australian uranium enrichment group Silex Systems’ subsidiary, SilexSolar, spotted the bargain and managed to purchase the plant from BP Solar in 2009
RBS Morgans analyst Scott Power says solar accounts for less than 10 per cent of the firm’s Silex valuation. – Christina Macpherson 22 Sept 10
Coal and nuclear lobbies at odds now?
For decades the fossil fuel lobby has been using their very effective tactic of “sowing doubt” about global warming and climate change. It has worked well for them – to “Divide and Conquer” public opinion.
Now – it could be their undoing. Their plan was surely to keep coal going until a smooth transition to nuclear.
Well – it hasn’t worked. While the fossil fuel lobby tries to discredit global warming, their previous ally, the nuclear lobby, now says that human-caused climate change is real!
“Divide and Conquer” now seems to be working against these lobbies, as their own doubts rebound against them.
Meanwhile – reality is coming home to the nuclear/uranium lobby – as the nuclear industry stalls in USA, UK, Germany, France, India, .. The more experience a country has had with nuclear technology, the more opposition arises to it.
The plot thickens in promotion of Olympic Dam Uranium Mine
Last month the Australian government set up a Mines Tax policy team. It is led by Don Argus, former chairman of uranium miner BHP Billiton. Other members are former uranium company Rio Tinto executive David Klingner, Erica Smyth, chairman of uranium explorer Toro Energy.
So, Australia’s mining tax policy is guided by uranium mining representatives.
And now, in a bold statement in facvour of a carbon tax, BHP Billiton’s Chief Executice officer Marius Kloppers sets the scene for BHP to increase its influence over Australia’s government.
It all sounds so good. But note that, in supporting action on Climate change, Kloppers promotes “alternative” energies to take over from coal.
I’ll bet that “alternative” will turn out to be one of those words like “renewable” and “clean” that are applied to nuclear power. And all in such good timing, as BHP Billiton is desperate to get its Olympic Dam uranium mine expansion happening.
Just a step to the Right – Australia’s new govt on environment
It’s a bit of a worry. No Education Ministry for Australia -( it’s as if education is just about training kids for jobs – not about an informed, creative minded society in all age groups). As for Environment, – tucked away in a new portfolio (Sustainable Population, Communities, Environment and Water) under Tony Burke. He could be good – we don’t yet know.
Meanwhile, higher in the Ministerial food chain, are Martin Ferguson, Minister for Resources and Energy and Greg Combet, Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency. Combet was a coal engineer, degrees in mining engineering and economics.
Lurking in the wings, Bill Shorten, Assistant Treasurer, Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation, a leader of the putsch that elevated Julia Gillard, and an ardent pro-nuclear advocate. – Christina Macpherson
Australia waits for political action on energy future
Like many Australians, I am fed up with this ridiculous election. As I write, we all wait for the three Independents to decide on which political party will form government today.
At least, the Independents have surprised us in areas such as support for renewable energy, and climate change action.
With the success of the Greens in the election, some hope for action appears –
perhaps not until July 2011, when the nine Greens will take their places in the Senate.
One wonders how much harm the nuclear/fossil fuel lobby can achieve through their servant parties, before July 2011
Australia’s future economy – non nuclear, non uranium – theme for September
It’s time for Australia to see through the nuclear hype, and move towards 21st Century industries that have a real future.
Australia’s ‘resources boom’ cannot last indefinitely, and already threatens this country with an imbalance of industries. Australia needs to foster its more permanent industries – they will still be there when the mining quarries are emptied.
Mineral exports are at present a large contributor to the Australian economy, but there is no reliance on uranium, which is only a modest contributor.
Australia pioneered renewable energy technologies, and could lead again in these industries.
Meanwhile uranium mining and nuclear waste are negatives for Australia’s tourism industry, Australia’s agriculture, and our precious fresh water and groundwater.
It’s time to promote Australia as a clever, forward-looking society, and to see through the lobbying of desperate corporations and their propaganda for the ailing, aging, out-dated nuclear industry.
Energy efficiency and renewable technologies can combine beautifully with Australia’s needs to conserve water, promote agriculture, and to adapt to climate change, which is already happening in Australia.
For example – drought areas offer the potential for solar farms. Australia’s hot weather makes decentralised solar power a very economic option for homes, farms, schools, small and large businesses
Uranium and nuclear economics – theme for September
Uranium is not even a good financial investment for Australians.
The nuclear energy business is teetering, world-wide, as nuclear reactors reach their closing date faster than new ones are built, and as nuclear building and nuclear waste costs escalate.
In Australia, uranium mining companies scramble on the gamble of China and other Asian and Middle Eastern countries “going nuclear”.
Meanwhile old nuclear weapons fuel combines with the worldwide glut of uranium, to make Australia’s uranium future look gloomy.
Strangely, uranium explorers crawl all over the country, in some sort of act of religious faith in an industry that is clearly failing. USA, UK, France, India all see their nuclear power industry stalling.
The great hope seems to be China – with a touching faith that the Chinese won’t wake up to the financial and environmental disaster that is nuclear power.
In the last quarter, despite the general ‘resource boom’, earnings for Australia’s uranium dropped 24%
1 This month
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
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