No radiation detected from North Korea’s nuclear test. Australia suspends NK embassy
North Korea nuclear test: No radiation detected, BBC News, 14 Feb 13, Tensions between the two Koreas are high in the wake of Tuesday’s nuclear test. South Korean experts say they have not detected any radioactive isotopes from North Korea’s nuclear test, hampering efforts to assess the device. Eight samples had been analysed but nothing found, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission said.
Finding certain isotopes – xenon gases in particular – would help experts determine whether a plutonium or uranium-based device was used.But a well-contained test could yield no radioactive isotopes, experts say.
South Korean planes and ships were sent out immediately after the test to collect samples, as was a Japanese plane.
“Two days since the North’s nuclear test, the commission has completed analysing eight samples, but no radioactive isotopes have been discovered as of 15:00 Thursday,” the commission said.
No changes had been recorded at 122 unmanned radiation monitoring systems across the country, it added…… The Australian government, meanwhile, has also decided to postpone a visit by North Korean diplomats exploring the possibility of reopening an embassy in the capital, Canberra, this weekend, because of the test.
“We postponed the arrival of North Korean diplomats in Australia as a gesture following this detonation,” Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr said.
He however added that there are still plans to re-establish the embassy, saying that “there’s value in having a North Korean diplomatic presence here”.
North Korea closed its embassy there in 2008 due to financial issues. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21455080
Western Australia’s elections 3 weeks away – vote nuclear-free!
3 weeks till the Western Australian elections!!! www.votenuclearfreewa.org
WA is at a crossroads. This election we are faced with an important decision, one with implications that will last much longer than any politician’s promise.
Right now WA has no uranium mines, but there are 45 uranium exploration projects, 5 mining applications and one project with some but not all of its required approvals – Toro Energy’s proposed Wiluna uranium mine.
This election you can make a difference. You can vote for a nuclear free future before we get stuck with an unwanted, uneconomic and unnecessary uranium mine.
Take action now and tell our politicians that WA’s future is renewable not radioactive.
Australian Conservation Foundation condemns North Korea’s nuclear weapons test
Dave Sweeney, 14 Feb 13, ACF strongly and unequivocally condemns the recent North Korean (Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea) nuclear weapons test.
Nuclear weapons do not increase security – they are indiscriminate weapons of mass destruction that erode regional confidence and security and have no place or justification.
The DPRK should immediately desist from all such actions and renounce the development, deployment and threatened use of nuclear weapons.
The recent nuclear test shows the blurred line between the civil and military applications of nuclear technology and is a further reminder of the need for caution and restraint in all things nuclear.
The test also has clear policy implications and particular relevance for Australia as we currently supply uranium to all five declared nuclear weapon states (USA, Britain, France, China and Russia) and are actively seeking to add nuclear armed India to this list.
Directly or indirectly fuelling nuclear risk and tension is not in the interests of Australia, our region or the world.
The DPRK’s action highlights the need for all states to move away from nuclear weapons – immediately and without reservation.
ACF will be directly communicating these concerns and this message to the DPRK authorities and increasing our efforts to work for a future free of all forms of nuclear threat.
Concentrated solar power for Australia- costs will be halved by 2020
New Solar Czar Predicts CSP Costs Halved By 2020 http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=3586 11 Feb 13 The new chief of the Australian Solar Thermal Research Initiative (ASTRI) says the cost of producing solar thermal power in Australia could be halved by 2020. Solar scientist and former chair of the International Energy Agency’s SolarPACES executive committee, Dr Manuel J. Blanco, was last week appointed Director of ASTRI – an $87 million initiative announced in December last year.
The Initiative’s aim is to bring the cost of solar thermal power down from 25 cents per kilowatt hour to around 10 cents over eight years, bringing it into line with other major sources of renewable energy such as photovoltaic (PV) solar and wind power; with an ultimate goal of achieving grid parity with fossil fuels.
The CSIRO-led project comes under the umbrella of The Australian Solar Institute and Australian Renewable Energy Agency, in collaboration with six national universities and the United States’ Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Sandia National Laboratories and Arizona State University. Continue reading
Renewable energy keeps getting cheaper- so expect no new coal mines
Cheaper renewable energy will give coal a run for its money Australian Minng, 8 February, 2013 Alex Heber The falling cost of renewable energy and the increased cost of financing high emission fuels means Australia is unlikely to build new baseload power stations, according to a new report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance states.
The BNEF research found that even without a carbon price, wind energy is already 14 per cent cheaper than a new baseload coal-fired power station and 18 per cent cheaper than a new gas one.
SMH reported that the gap widened even further when the carbon tax is added. Wind farms can now generate electricity at $80 per megawatt-hour, compared with $143 for a new coal power station and $116 for a new baseload gas power station.
BNEF said that in Western Australia large-scale photovoltaic (PV) power stations are already cheaper than new coal-fired generating capacity, coming in at $157 per MWh compared with $190. Continue reading
Event – Melbourne Reflections of a Fukushima Farmer- the reality of nuclear meltdowns
1:00 – 2.30 pm Saturday 9th of March MelbourneBHP getting out of coal industry in Australia?
BHP weighs up selling coal mine stake
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-02-07/bhp-weighs-up-selling-coal-mine-stake/4506032
By William Rollo
Feb 7, 2013 BHP Billiton has confirmed it is considering selling off
its stake in a large coal mine complex in central Queensland.
The Gregory Crinum Complex is owned by BHP Billiton and partner Mitsubishi.
While the open-cut Gregory mine closed late last year, operations at
the underground Crinum component have continued.
BHP Billiton says a decision will not be made for another six to nine months.
Queensland’s rules on uranium mining will be “different” from those in other states
Uranium mining group to deliver recommendations ABC News, By Kate Stephens Feb 4, 2013 A State Government-appointed committee assessing the best practise approach for uranium mining in Queensland says it may develop recommendations that differ from other states. Members of the Uranium Mining Implementation Committee have spoken to local authorities, mining companies and stakeholders in the Mount Isa and Gulf regions about the restart of mining.
Committee chairman Peter Bell says they are due to report back to Government next month……http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-02-04/uranium-mining-group-to-deliver-recommendations/4498994
Climate change – floods impacting on Australia’s coal export industry
Miners could see $500m washed away BY:ANDREW FRASER The Australian February 01, TWO big miners yesterday revealed they could not meet contracts to sell coal in the wake of flood damage. (subscription only)
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-depth/queensland-floods/miners-could-see-500m-washed-away/story-fn7iwx3v-1226566318155
Queensland: Campbell Newman’s election campaign heavily funded by mining industry
Miners, developers pile in to fund Newman’s LNP campaign, Crikey,
ANDREW CROOK | FEB 01, 2013
Big political donors ditched Anna Bligh’s failing government and put
their money behind Campbell Newman’s bid for the Queensland
premiership, data from the AEC reveals.
Corporate donors — dominated by resources giants — piled huge amounts
of cash into the coffers of the Queensland Liberal-National Party in
the lead-up to last year’s state election, official Australian
Electoral Commission data released this morning reveals….(subscribers
only) http://www.crikey.com.au/2013/02/01/miners-developers-pile-in-to-fund-newmans-lnp-campaign/
Australian team to participate in USA’s Solar Decathlon (includes video)
Energy Matters Sponsors Australia’s First Solar Decathlon Team by Energy Matters, 1 Feb 13, (includes video) http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=3574 National solar provider Energy Matters is supporting students from the University of Wollongong in their participation in Solar Decathlon China 2013.
Team UOW Australia is the first Australian team selected to take part in a Solar Decathlon; a U.S. Department of Energy initiative that challenges collegiate teams to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient and attractive. Continue reading
January 26 – the day that dispossession of Aboriginal land began
January 26 is the day
Aboriginal dispossession began. It marks the beginning of a process of
genocide, of land-grabbing, unpaid wages, and the smashing of
traditional cultures to replace them with what we now know as
Australia.
Australia is a wealthy country because resource-rich Aboriginal land
was stolen; ….. Dispossession did not end — January 26 is not simply
an historical anniversary, it is a painful and sobering reminder of
the racism entrenched in mainstream Australian politics today…..
The struggle against racism in Australia, Green Left, January 29, 201
3 By Emma Murphy As often happens at this time of year, in the lead-up
to January 26, commentators and activists raised the suggestion that
Australia’s national day be moved to a different date.
Writing in the January 21 Sydney Morning Herald, Aboriginal MLA in the
ACT legislative assembly Chris Bourke said: “Which nation celebrates
its national day on the date it was invaded by a foreign power? … The
answer, of course, is Australia.” Continue reading
TAKE ACTION: Ranger 3 Deeps uranium mine.
Take action on plans for further uranium mining in the Kakadu region. Last week Energy Resources of Australia referred their plans for Ranger 3 Deeps to the Federal Government, which signals the formal start of the environmental assessment process. This initial period will decide at what level the mine will be assessed. We believe that this serious development must be assessed at a very high level, we want to ensure a full Environmental Impact Statement is required. You must make your submission by January 30 2013.Screenzone proud to have David Bradbury’s nuclear/uranium films
ON THE FRONTLINE: A ScreenZone interview with David Bradbury, 15 Jan 13 ScreenZone is proud to have renowned Australian documentary filmmaker David Bradbury join our catalogue, with a number of his award-winning and important films taking centre stage. Bradbury’s films have been shown on all the major Australian commercial and public broadcast networks as well as globally. He has won countless international film festival prizes and been the winner of five AFI awards and two Academy Award nominations (Frontline, which profiled war cameraman Neil Davis, and Chile: Hasta Cuando?, on the brutal military dictatorship of General Pinochet).
Currently sourcing funding for an ambitious and strategic three-part documentary showing the relationship between Australian minining, depleted uranium (DU) fallout and the Indian nuclear program, Bradbury continues to fight on the frontline, using the power of media and documentary film to show the world the truth, and empower individuals into collective action. You can help by donating via The Frontline Film Foundation: http://www.frontlinefilmfoundation.org/friend.htm a registered charity with tax deductible status that is committed to making environmentally aware and consciousness-raising films. And stay tuned for the crowdsourcing campaign in 2013 to further engage with the power of activist filmmaking via: https://www.facebook.com/FrontlineFilmFoundation http://screenzone.wordpress.com/2013/01/03/on-the-frontline-a-screenzone-interview-with-david-bradbury/
Despite the sorry state of uranium market, Campbell Newman backing uranium for Queensland
Uranium mining boost for north-west Queensland, says Campbell Newman,
PROEDGE Wire, January 17, 2013 by Jeff Altman
January 17, 2013 (Source: News.com.au) — Uranium mining would provide
a boost to jobs and investment in Queensland’s north west, Premier
Campbell Newman said.
Visiting the mining centre of Mt Isa, Premier Newman said the
recommencement of uranium mining would unlock opportunities.
The strategy to restart mining is currently being investigated by an
implementation panel chaired by Central Highlands councillor Paul
Bell.
Mr. Newman said Queensland’s known uranium deposits were worth about
$10 billion, of which more than $8 billion is in north-west
Queensland.
However, exports of uranium from Australia are currently less than $1
billion a year and the industry is in a state of confusion with China
forging ahead with nuclear energy but other nations questioning it….
http://proedgewire.com/green-energy-press/uranium-mining-boost-for-north-west-queensland-says-campbell-newman/
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 