Review: Nuke weapons, BHPB govt influence, Copenhagen
Review of past week
Australia: Embarassment for Rudd (disarmament hero) with new defense call to revive Australian nuclear weapons plan, and with Gareth Evans including ‘peaceful’ nuke power, just as Rudd launches the report of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament. BHP Billiton adviser Hamish Douglass is appointed to the Foreign Investment Review Board. Tony Abbott dancing around the Coalition’s enthusiasm for nuclear power. Australian company Paladin now mining uranium in earthquake prone area in Malawi.
International: Uranium price continues to fall, but don’t worry, in Copenhagen the industry is pushing for nuclear as the solution to climate change. Meanwhile huge world-wide poll shows growing popularity of renewable energy, majority of people prefer it.Parliament of World’s Religions opposing nuclear. Problems and delays in India’s nuke program, while Young Indian movement gathers opposition to nuclear.
Uranium industry cosy with Australian government
It’s nice, how the world’s biggest uranium miner positions itself with the Australian government. For example BHP Billiton is a big funder of the Government’s new ‘independent’ think-tank – the Grattan Institute.
And now – we have a big BHP Billiton advisor on the Foreign Investment Review Board.
Review: Climate denial politics, AREVA, Iran
Christina Macpherson 1 Dec 09 Australia – Pro-nuke and climate denialists seize control of Liberal Party! BHP Billiton shareholders show up the company’s flaws. Small developments in renewable energy, but Australia is way behind. Four Mile uranium mine stuck in legal battle.
International: Unsafety of AREVA’s nuclear reactor designs revealed. Iran boasting about proposed nuclear plants. USA taking pathetic climate policy to Copenhagen (just like Australia) . Nuclear lobby revving up its propaganda – pre-Copenhagen. – the week that has been.
Review – anti-uranium Alice Springs, nuclear lobbying
Review – Australia:Alice Springs doctors protesting against uranium mining. While Australia burns Labor and Liberal squabble over a pretty much irrelevant ETS scheme.. Aborigines get back Maralinga, but land still radioactive. Regional solar and wind projects go ahead, despite Australian government prioritising “clean” coal
International : Nuclear lobby pushing hard for nuclear inclusion at Copenhagen. UK, USA and China govts formally aiming to offer nuclear power to countries as (?somehow) an opposite to nuclear weapons. AREVA’s Finland and French new reactor designs found to be unsafe. From worldwide, people organising to converge on Copenhagen on December 12. – the past week
“Clean” nuclear power now a bribe for weapons non proliferation?
Could it be that the nuclear powers are in so deep that they just don’t know how to get out? Despite the cost, despite the mounting unsolved waste problem, despite the countries seeking nuclear weapons, the Big Powers forge on with the myths of “clean” “cheap”, “climate friendly” nuclear power. From the statement of Gordon Brown, and the US China joint statement (both quoted below) it looks as if the myths will continue to be perpetrated, and that even the failed idea of the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership might get a re-run.
‘We can lead construction of a new global order’ Public service.co.uk November 17, 2009 The UK can shape the world of the future by leading in global co-operation, the Prime Minister said in his annual speech on foreign policy at the Lord Mayor’s banquet. Gordon Brown – “………..Britain must continue to lead the renewal of a grand global bargain between nuclear weapon and non-nuclear weapon states. A fair and balanced deal in which non nuclear weapons states must accept clear responsibilities to end proliferation by renouncing nuclear weapons in return for the right to access civil nuclear power;…..
‘We can lead construction of a new global order’ – Public Service
U.S.-China Joint Statement CBS News Political Hotsheet by Brian Montopoli November 17, 2009 Following President Obama’s meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao, the White House released a joint statement on the relationship between the two countries,
………The two sides welcomed the establishment of The U.S.-China Energy Cooperation Program (ECP), a partnership between government and industry to enhance energy security and combat climate change. The ECP will leverage private sector resources and expertise to accelerate the deployment of clean energy technology.
The two sides agreed to work together to advance global efforts to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy. They welcomed the recently-concluded Third Executive Committee Meeting of the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership, and the commitment of the partnership to explore ways to enhance the international framework for civil nuclear energy cooperation. They agreed to consult with one another in order to explore such approaches — including assurance of fuel supply and cradle-to-grave nuclear fuel management so that countries can access peaceful nuclear power while minimizing the risks of proliferation.
In Full: U.S.-China Joint Statement – Political Hotsheet – CBS News
Review: Maralinga land, USA and UK nuclear ‘push’
Australia: Four Mile uranium mine mired in a legal mess. Rudd anxious to sell uranium to India? Aborigines get back contaminated Maralinga land. Regional push for renewables, while New South Wales starts solar gross feed-in tariff, and smart grid could include small, decentralised, energy sources. Australian book provides detailed evidence that could form the basis for atomic veterans’ legal action.
International: USA politicians pushing hard for nuclear to be part of Copenhagen global warming ‘solution’. Meanwhile new nuclear proving wildly expensive. UK govt pushes ahead to reduce incentives for renewables, and prevent local power to stop nuclear.plants. Calls for UN to properly investigate depleted uranium’s effects in Iraq. Calls for tracking patients’ radiation screening. – the week that has been
Review: fossil fuel puppets, ANSTO’s poll, France’s nuclear doubts
Review. Australia: Fossil fuel lobbyists using their muscle on Rudd govt to further weaken the already pathetic Emissiosn Trading Scheme. Meanwhile Rudd govt ignores Australia’s chance for solar energy leadership. ANSTO’s latest opinion poll results show overwhelming opposition to nuclear power. A Labor politician claims that South Australians wants a nuke waste dump, just to add to their existing radioactive contamination.
International: world-wide push by well-paid puppets of fossil fuel industries, in order to ruin December’s Copenhagen talks. Continued agonising in USA over mounting nuclear waste. Japan embarks on dangerous trip towards fast breeder nuclear reactors. France’s nuclear export industry has dubious future as safety concerns rise. – the week that has been.
The strange mentality of some nuclear commentators
In a week of dubious comments from fossil-fuel and nuclear industry puppets, it’s been hard to choose the weirdest comment.
But I like the one from Northern Territory Labor MP Damien Hale. Apparently, Hale’s view is that if a state is already contaminated with radioactive pollution, then it’s just fine to go ahead there and add more pollution. Is South Australia stuffed already, as far as radioactive contamination goes – so it can be open slather for nuclear waste in S.A.?
The Labor Member for Solomon, Damien Hale, .. says there is political support for the dump to be built in South Australia.”Now we all know there’s areas of Australia that are already contaminated through radioactivity,”Territory MP wants nuke waste dumped in SA – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Review: BHP under scrutiny, ANSTO rigs poll
Australia. Lucas Heights nuclear waste has to be returned to Australia; Rudd govt pretty sure to dump it on aboriginal land. China buying up big into Australian uranium mining. S.A. govt very little restriction likely for Marathon’s uranium mining in Arkaroola, and no obligation for Four Mile to clean up after u-mining ends. . Melbourne and Perth protest rallies mark BHP’s AGM. ANSTO caught out crookedly rigging opinion poll.
International. Iran avoids international agreement to prevent it developing nuclear weapons.
US Hanford nuclear workers to be compensated for their cancers. Alternative annual report launched for BHP Billiton’s AGM. Iraq now seeking to have nuclear power. French nuclear plant has critical buildup of plutonium. – the week that has been
Why Ziggy Spinowski doesn’t mention radioactive wastes
Have you noticed how nuclear spruikers, such as Ziggy Spinowski, never talk about the “back end” of the uranium and nuclear industries? It’s all about the “front end” – the wonderful “cheap, “clean” “best practice” mining and reactors. But what does everybody do with their wastes, (apart from shutting up about them)?
Well, that’s a mystery. Mountains of radioactive uranium tailings – Polluted towns and areas – Dead reactors – too “hot” to move for decades, perhaps centuries?
Mostly – radioactive wastes just sit there – in cooling ponds, in containers. But then where to? Dumped in some “Third World” country? Or in the ocean- but always in or near the land of some indigenous peoples, who won’t have the financial, legal, media or whatever sort of resources you need to stand up to nuclear corporations.
Review: a good week for skulduggery and secrecy
Review: Australia; it was a good week for skulduggery and secrecy, even not counting ANSTO’s opinion poll debacle
Defence Dept keeping quiet about planned “termporary” nuke waste dump at Woomera. Martin Ferguson’s secret deal with some NT aborigines over NT nuke waste dumping. BHP Billiton’s Olympic Dam disrupted for months, keeping quiet over probable job losses. Greens asking awkward questions about radioactive spill at Lucas Heights. ERA keeping quiet about radioactive leaking at Ranger uranium mine.
Internationally: Obama being ambiguous about nuclear, as nuke lobbying continues over U.S.A’s Climate Bill. Chilean veterans suing govt over radiation harm. Iran being flighty over nuke deal offered to them. AREVA’s “flagship” nuclear reactors limp on expensively. IAEA trying to solve Chernobyl’s still radioactive cooling pond. Sellafield cleanup costing billions with no end in sight. – review of the week that was
Review: Uranium and nuclear skulduggery
Australia: – Corrupt dealings over Marathon’s uranium exploration. Telstra closes down nuclear veterans’ website – under govt pressure? The case against the govt’s plans for radioactive waste dumping in NT – is taken internationally. mainstream media wrongly portrays Peter Beatties as pro-nuclear. A High Court ruling further limits aborigines’ land rights
International: Nuclear lobby aims to take over US Climate Bill. Revelations of France and Germany’s unsafe radioacttive waste dumping in Siberia. AREVA’s half-built nuclear reactors in Finland and France are plagued with problems, lawsuits, and ever-escalating costs. French govt not likley to compensate Polynesian nuclear bomb test victims. – the week that has been
Review: opinion polls, BHP, Greens, and nuke-hype
Review of the week that has been. In Australia, 2 opinion polls – one showing that women are 4 times more opposed to nuclear power than are men. One showing that 49% of Australians think that the govt should consider nuclear power, and 43% are conmpletely opposed to it. (Hardly a ringing endorsement of nuclear power!).
BHPB rushing ahead with uranium mine in WA, with the help of an outdated, and too narrow assessment process. BHP B keeping quiet about a prolonged shutdown of Olynpic Dam uranium mining (at 20% capacity) following an accident.
Greens come up wilh a forward-looking plan for the government’s Emiisions Trading Scheme.
Gareth Evans aiming to get “peaceful” nuke power into the Non-Prolifertaion Treaty. Meanwhile, overseas, US senators John Kerry and Lindsay Graham try to get nuclear into US Climate Bill. France’s nuke salesman, Sarkozy, spruiking everywhere (Bulgaria this week, Australia when?)
Pro nuke hype hotting up inAustralia
Fairfax newspapers come out today with headlines about Australians wanting nuclear power. In fact, Australian were asked if they thought the Federal Government should “consider” nuclear power. Not quite the same thing as wanting it. Continue reading
Review – Gareth Evans – weak sop, and so on
Well, well, Gareth Evans, ? champion of nuclear disarmament has now come out in favour of Australia taking in everybody else’s dirty washing – i.e. nuclear wastes. I always though he was a weak sop, anyway.
Australia’s Paladin uranium company hopes nobody is noticing that it mucks up Malawi’s drinking water, and that it attacks the Malawi Catholic Commission for Peace and Justice – (bet it wouldn’t dare have a go at Australia’s)
BHP is lying low – hoping we’ll all forget about the predicted dust storms, as we have apparently forgotten about Maralinga. Russia plans to join forces with Cameco, in Australia uranium mining.
The nuclear industry is quietly worrying about the falling uranium price, and dimming prospects for commercial nuclear power – hence the increased nuclear hype. Marshall islanders fear sea level rise, to add to their radiation-induced problems.
Some really interesting ideas coming on in how energy efficiency, and smart grids, combining with renewables have great potential for Australia’s energy future. That’s some of the week that has been………….
1 This month
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
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