Australia counters New Zealand nuclear disarmament statement – with a weaker one!
Australia’s ‘weasel’ statement on nukes Crikey OCT 25, 2013 Australia’s statement to the UN on nuclear weapons is much less hardline than New Zealand’s, but it is the best policy? Freelance writer David Donaldson looks at the impacts of a watered-down approach.
Is Australia trying to undermine nuclear disarmament? Activists believe Australia made an attempt to split the pro-ban vote at the United Nations First Committee in New York on Monday.
With New Zealand presenting a long-anticipated 125-nation group statement condemning the humanitarian effects of nuclear weapons to the UN, Australia took the unusual step of creating a last-minute rival announcement…..(registered readers only) http://www.crikey.com.au/2013/10/25/australias-weasel-statement-on-nukes/
Seymour’s community solar future? – November 16th
Solar future for Seymour?http://yes2renewables.org/2013/10/29/energy-futures-forum-for-seymour/ October 29, 2013 by martanieczyporuk On November 16, BEAM-Mitchell Environment Group and Yes 2 Renewables will present a Energy Futures Forum in Seymour. The event is already sparking interest. The following article appeared in The Seymour Telegraph. BEAM President Richard Telford points to the potential community-owned solar in the Mitchell Shire region. View original article. Imagine 1000 solar panels on a large rooftop in Mitchell Shire, community owned and run.
BEAM Mitchell Environment Group will be hosting an Energy Futures Forum in Seymour on November 16 where a grand idea like this will be featured. Continue reading
Call for community action against Australia’s corporate lackey government
From where we are now, the core of any successful campaign of resistance must be – can only be – civil disobedience.
The next two years will tell the story. We act now or the battle is lost.
Climate change countdown Part Two: Time to stand up and be counted Independent Australia, 21 Oct 13 By electing an Abbott-led Government, Australians have just collectively delivered an ironical two-fingered salute to our future environmental prospects, writes Doug Evans.
What have we just done?
Australian voters have just collectively delivered an ironical two-fingered salute to our future environmental prospects.
With a shrug and a yawn, at this critical turning point which may mark the end of our environmental viability as a species, they have just elected a conservative Government that denies the scientific evidence of global warming and regards global warming as a socialist plot. This is a government determined to promote the best interests of the environment’s worst corporate enemies. As if this was not enough, they have elected and delivered the Senate balance of power into the hands of Clive Palmer, whose business interests and personal wealth are inextricably linked to the destruction of our climate future. With time as short as it is, this was the worst possible outcome for the environment. The ludicrous climate change ‘policies’ of this disgraceful government are assessed here……
Stand up and be counted Continue reading
Aboriginal activist refuses nomination for Australia Day Award
Aboriginal activist refuses Australia Day award, October 27, 2013 Amy Corderoy Health Editor, Sydney Morning Herald Prominent Aboriginal lawyer and activist Michael Mansell says he cannot morally accept an Australia Day award nomination because the day is inextricably linked to the invasion of Australia by white settlers.
Mr Mansell is a finalist in the Senior Australian of the Year award for his dedication to “social, political and legal reform to improve the lives of Tasmanian Indigenous People”.
But he said he could not in good conscience accept it or the Tasmanian nomination because it is a key part of the Australia Day celebrations, which is a race-based day that “marks the coming to Australia of whites”.
“Australia has not once apologised, and meant it, for the invasion of Aboriginal lands,” he said. “There has been no acknowledgement of the massacres that remain hidden under a ‘pioneers’ version of Australian history. There is no effort to genuinely undo the wrongs that still affect Aboriginal people today.” Continue reading
NSW government moves to limit Aboriginal land rights claims
NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell wants more control over crown land ANDREW CLENNELL STATE POLITICAL EDITOR THE DAILY TELEGRAPH OCTOBER 24, 2013 THE state government wants to change the laws around crown lands to gain more control over them because it fears Aboriginal land rights claims will be made around 7000 land reserves if it does not do so after a Supreme Court finding…….
Shadow treasurer Michael Daley said there were “serious questions that the government needs to answer on this issue”.
“The central theme of the O’Farrell government to date has been that its biggest beneficiaries have been mates and lobbyists. Their proposed changes to crown lands go way too far, so this is all just way too convenient for my liking.”…. http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/nsw-premier-barry-ofarrell-wants-more-control-over-crown-land/story-fni0cx12-1226745729146
Is the taxpayer footing the bill for Abbott’s media cronies dinner?
Guess who’s coming to dinner? Abbott’s round table SMH, October 26, 2013 Peter Munro When entertaining at home Tony Abbott prefers like-minded company, if the guest list to his Saturday soiree is any guide. The Prime Minister’s first gathering of the Australian media is an invite-only affair of conservative columnists and broadcasters. Invited to dinner and drinks at Kirribilli House is a roll-call of Mr Abbott’s strongest supporters, among them Andrew Bolt, Piers Akerman, Janet Albrechtson, Miranda Devine, Dennis Shanahan, Paul Kelly, Chris Kenny and Tom Switzer.
Daily Telegraph editor Paul Whittaker, whose newspaper backed Mr Abbott to the hilt, will be attending. News Corp editor Col Allan is believed to have flown back from New York in time for the intimate gathering of friends. The Australian editor-in-chief Chris Mitchell was invited but told Fairfax Media he was unable to attend.
Former prime minister Julia Gillard was mocked for her ”mummy bloggers”. Here then, perhaps, was a conspiracy of conservative columnists. That the majority of Mr Abbott’s guests come from News Limited would surely please Rupert Murdoch, who is back in Australia. Mr Abbott this week divided Australia’s media landscape into two broad camps: ”There tends to be an ABC view of the world, and it’s not a view of the world that I find myself in total sympathy with. But, others would say that there’s a News Limited view of the world.”
Fairfax Media columnists Paul Sheehan and Gerard Henderson were also invited to the knees-up, which was orchestrated by Mr Abbott’s chief of staff Peta Credlin.
Guests were asked to keep details of the evening strictly confidential. ”We do not release details of the Prime Minister’s private functions,” a spokeswoman said. She declined to respond when asked whether the taxpayer would foot the bill. http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/guess-whos-coming-to-dinner-abbotts-round-table-20131025-2w76k.html#ixzz2j56pdspR
The Age calls Tony Abbott and Greg Hunt ‘reckless’ about climate change
Age Editorial: Abbott and Hunt reckless on climate
The question is not whether to believe there is a problem, but what to do about it.
http://www.theage.com.au/comment/the-age-editorial/abbott-and-hunt-reckless-on-climate-20131025-2w78a.html
John Coulter on who will be held responsible for bushfires and global warming
John Coulter: Bushfires and global warming: where the responsibility will lie
For more than thirty years scientists have been warning that one of the prominent features of climate change, apart from warming, will be increasing severity and frequency of extreme weather events.
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=15611
Solar households to be charged higher electricity costs? PETITION LAUNCHED!
Petition Against Potential Australian ‘Sun Tax’ Launched http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=3997 25 Oct 13 Following news of a potential threat to Australian solar households in the form of higher electricity network charges; a petition has been launched to oppose any such move. Rumblings began earlier this week when a mainstream media outlet published what appeared to be an amped up translation of the AEMC’s latest report on strategic priorities for energy market development.
Regardless, even the potential of a so-called “sun tax” is sending ripples through the one-million plus strong ranks of solar households in this country.
“Yet again we see ordinary Australians who have invested hard earned money in going solar being scapegoated,” Lindsay Soutar, National Director of Solar Citizens says. “It is now widely understood that the main cost driver of energy price rises is over-investment in network poles and wires – not solar.”
Solar Citizens, a community campaign advocating for the rights of solar owners and supporters, launched the petition just a few hours ago. It has already gathered more than 2,500 signatures; with 1,253 of those occurring in just over the first hour.
Solar Citizens questions if the AEMC could be “bowing to big power companies who don’t want to see Australians take back power into their own hands.” “These power companies are crying blue murder over the rise of solar, while barely making a peep about other major drivers of prices increase – in particular the substantial take up of air conditioning,” says Ms. Soutar.
Ms. Soutar states any moves to tax the sun would be met with strong community resistance. While many would agree electricity pricing reform is an urgent issue for Australia, national solar provider Energy Matters believes solar is part of the solution and has offered a series of suggestions with regard to what it considers would constitute real and fair electricity pricing reform.
Free renewable energy information night – Orange NSW October 30
Renewable energy growth explodes http://www.centralwesterndaily.com.au/story/1865178/renewable-energy-growth-explodes/?cs=102By Simon Wright Oct. 26, 2013
THE Central NSW Renewable Energy Co-op is holding a one hour information session next Wednesday at 7.30pm at the environmental learning facility at Orange Showgrounds.
They will discuss the economic, social and environmental benefits of renewable energy. Everyone is invited to attend, there is no cost and refreshments will be served. Continue reading
Hastings branch of Climate Change pushes government to keep carbon pricing
Climate Change Hastings urges Abbott government to keep carbon tax http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-24/climate-change-hastings-urges-abbott-government-to-keep-carbon-/5043312 24 Oct 2013, The Hastings branch of Climate Change Australia is strongly urging the Abbott government not to repeal the carbon tax. President Harry Creamer said there is no good reason to drop the tax.
He said the tax has had little impact on the economy but a big impact on Australian emissions, lowering them by almost 8 percent.Mr Creamer said a price signal on carbon is the only way to achieve an emissions reduction target of more than 5 percent.
“It is now clear that we need a higher target and the direct action plan cannot achieve anything higher,” he said.’We can make five percent at little or not cost. “What we need to do is to raise our ambition and that’s what the current legislation does across the whole of the economy by sending a price signal on carbon.”
Mr Creamer said Australia will lose international credibility if it scraps the tax without showing how it will continue to cut emissions. He said the tax has lowered Australia’s emissions and reduced coal-fired electricity generation. Mr Creamer said the current bushfires cannot be directly attributed to climate change but they’re a timely reminder. “The current bushfires serve to remind us of the link between mega fires and climate change,’ he said.
“Human induced climate change is making these extreme weather events including bushfires worse. “Quite simply now is not the time to be repealing effective legislation that is working to reduce Australia’s greenhouse emissions.”
Submissions on repeal of carbon pricing due by October 29
Repeal of the carbon tax: exposure draft legislation and consultation paper Department of the Environment 23 October, 2013 23 October 2013 | The Australian Government will introduce the carbon tax repeal legislation as its first item of business for the new Parliament. The Government invites submissions on the exposure drafts of the carbon tax repeal bills. The Government encourages submissions by 29 October 2013.
Submission guidelines
1. Please read the consultation paper and exposure drafts……… http://apo.org.au/research/repeal-carbon-tax-exposure-draft-legislation-and-consultation-paper
Renewable energy cheap, in comparison with fossil fuel subsidies
Renewable energy would pay off Stuff,co,nz, ERIC PYLE, 22 Oct 13 “……Even as one of the most heavily industrialised countries in the world, Germany is currently on track to get to 35 per cent renewable sources of electricity by 2030 and 80 per cent by 2050, with CO emissions falling to 30 per cent and 80 per cent below 1990 levels.
A similar story can be told about Australia, where falling electricity generation emissions have more than offset growth in carbon pollution from the transport sector for the past four years.
Research from the Australian Energy Market Operator found Australia could shift towards 100 per cent renewable energy for a similar cost to using fossil fuels.
In addition, analysis by the University of NSW compared the likely costs of pursuing 100 per cent renewable power by 2030 with a range of coal and gas options and found a shift to commercially available clean energy would be cost-effective and relatively low-risk……
The International Monetary Fund is calling for a move away from all fossil fuel subsidies, which it says totalled nearly US$2 trillion (NZ$2.36t) in 2011, or 2.5 per cent of the world’s gross domestic product. This estimate includes direct subsidies and indirect subsidies, such as the environmental costs of using fossil fuels……
The cost of renewable energy policies pale in comparison to the subsidies paid to the fossil fuel industry. In the US it is estimated that the fossil fuel industry has received US$447 billion versus the renewable subsidy of US$6b over the past hundred or so years.
The International Energy Agency estimates that fossil fuel subsidies equate to US$110/tonne of CO pollution.
Globally, fossil fuel subsidies are, at the very lowest estimate, six times those for renewable energy……http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/9309059/Renewable-energy-would-pay-off
Wednesday 23rd October Rally Against Origin Energy’s ‘Strangling Of Renewable Energy
Rally Against Origin Energy’s ‘Strangling Of Renewable Energy‘ http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=3990 The release of a report claiming to demonstrate how Origin Energy is blocking renewable energy will coincide with a rally outside Origin Energy’s Annual General Meeting on Wednesday.
Rally organisers 100% Renewable say while it expects Origin will be touting its long term strategy for investing in fossil fuels at the AGM, what it won’t mention is its actions against something it perceives to be a threat to its profits – renewable energy. Continue reading
Greens warning about climate-denying Abbott government
Greens fire warning and accuse Abbott Government of ‘taking us backwards’MATT SMITH MERCURY OCTOBER 21, 2013 THE Tasmanian Greens are calling on greater climate change action in light of recent bushfires in New South Wales.
Climate Change Minister Cassy O’Connor yesterday called for greater pressure on the Federal Government about climate change.
“At a political level nationally, Australians have elected a climate-denying government that has axed the Climate Commission and that is going to wipe the carbon tax that was effective in bringing down our emissions,” Ms O’Connor said yesterday.
“They are taking us backwards on climate change at a time when the world needs leadership and committing to bringing down emissions……http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/greens-fire-warning-and-accuse-abbott-government-of-taking-us-backwards/story-fnj4f7k1-1226743482245
1 This month
Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes – A good documentary on Chernobyl on SBS available On Demand for the next 3 weeks– https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/tv-program/chernobyl-the-lost-tapes/235274195556
20 May – Webinar – The dangerous world of AUKUS, US, military occupation and suppression of dissent
National Webinar, 20th May, 2026, 6.30pm AEST. Confronting laws restricting/suppressing protest speech and action
Speakers: Former Sen. Rex Patrick, Lawyer Nick Hanna ,Arthur Rorris ,Jorgen Doyle, Sen David Shoebbridge,
Facilitator Kelley Tranter.
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
To see nuclear-related stories in greater depth and intensity
Antinuclear 