Renewable energy wrongly blamed for electricity price rises, while polluting industries are supported
The “Shielding the Big Polluters” report also demolishes the argument that support for renewable energy programs, such as feed-in tariffs and other clean energy subsidies, are responsible for electricity price rises. It’s an important point that has often been flagged by other bodies, but also often ignored by some in the media who choose to instead demonise renewables. ….it is time the scapegoating of renewable energy ends and more scrutiny is applied to government support for the nation’s big polluters.
Climate Institute : Stop Scapegoating Renewable Energy, Renewable Energy News, 17 June 11by Energy Matters, Australia’s Climate Institute is calling for an end to protection for big polluters under Australia’s Renewable Energy Target (RET), with a new report revealing households and businesses will foot a $7.1 billion bill to prop up the high-emissions sector over the life of the scheme. Continue reading
Australia’s racist Radioactive Waste Management Bill
Traditional owner Dianne Stokes represented the traditional elders of the Warlmanpa and Warumungu tribes at the rally.
“The Senate will be going ahead debating the legislation without proper consultation and without our consent,” she said.
Nuclear dump laws ‘radioactive racism’ Nine MSN 15 June 11 The Australian Greens say draft laws which will allow a nuclear waste dump to be created on a property in the Northern Territory are “radioactive racism”. Continue reading
Australian Senate to debate draconian nuclear waste bill today
Radioactive waste fight grows: Muckaty plan a bad deal, not a done deal, 14 June CANBERRA: The Australian Conservation Foundation has described as cynical and irresponsible the introduction to the Senate of recycled Howard-era legislation aimed at fast-tracking a nuclear waste dump in the Northern Territory. The National Radioactive Waste Management Bill, which seeks to override state, territory and local government concerns and exempt the federal government from meeting key environmental and Aboriginal heritage rules, is to be introduced to the Senate today.
“This heavy-handed legislation is a cut-and-paste of a deeply unpopular Howard-era law Continue reading
WA debate on nuclear energy
Debate: Is Nuclear Energy Essential in a Low Carbon Future? O2 Western Australia 9 June 11 Yesterday evening we went to the debate in The Grove library with Michael Angwin, CEO Australian Uranium Association vs Scott Ludlam, Australian Greens Senator for WA
It was very interesting and the room was full of people who listened to both parties and afterwards there were questions. The answers by Mr. Angwin were often longwinded without giving an answer to the question while Mr. Ludlum was pretty clear in his view and seem to know far more about it. He was very clear on the problems of nuclear energy; nuclear waste disposal, uranium mining and radiation to name a few.
Michael Angwin, CEO of the AUA, told an International Uranium Conference in Perth on Wednesday he was puzzled why the country was debating a carbon price without talking about energy choices.
WA Government blows one million on dangerous, dead-end uranium industryThe Barnett Government’s costly support for uranium mining in Western Australia will leave the state littered with long-term environmental disasters, the Greens warned today.
Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam said the ongoing problems plaguing Ranger mine in the Northern Territory and the decades-long multi-million dollar clean up of the defunct Rum Jungle mine illustrated the danger of uranium mining.
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Australian uranium industry and Martin Ferguson in denial over nuclear power
Senator Ludlam said the desperate attempts by Minister Ferguson to resuscitate the reputation of nuclear power since Fukushima, including his comments today, were “reckless and futile”.
“The energy minister wants to sell uranium to India – which has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Russia – which has a horrendous recent record on foreign policy and assisted Iran’s nuclear program, and the United Arab Emirates – a dictatorship. He is not someone who can be taken seriously on this issue,” said Senator Ludlam
Uranium industry still pushes nuclear as Fukushima revealed to be twice as bad as first claimed – WA Senator, June 9, 2011 — tony serve The nuclear industry and its chief supporter Martin Ferguson are in a state of denial as they continue to promote nuclear power in the shadow of the Fukushima disaster, the Australian Greens said today.
A day after the Japanese Government admitted the radiation leaked from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant was twice that originally claimed, the Australian Uranium Association called for a nuclear power sector in Australia. Continue reading
Martin Ferguson working hard to promote uranium industry
WA Labor urged to face ‘uranium reality’ 9 News, josh Jerga 9 June, The West Australian Labor Party will have to “front up to the reality of life” in deciding whether to continue opposing uranium mining, Federal Resource Minister Martin Ferguson says.
WA Labor’s policy to ban uranium mining in the state is expected to come up for debate at its state conference later this month.
Last month, Mr Ferguson told a uranium conference in Sydney the WA Labor Party’s position was “ridiculous and not sustainable” and urged it to reconsider the policy.
On Thursday, however, the resource minister was more measured in his words, telling an International Uranium Conference in Perth the WA Labor Party had a hard decision to make….
…according to figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, companies spent $84 million on uranium exploration in WA during 2010.WA Mines Minister Norman Moore said it was an 87 per cent increase on the previous year, in which companies spent $45 million during 2010…
To Julia Gillard in Northern Territory – don’t dump nuclear waste here!
A message for the PM – Don’t dump on the NT, Environment Centre NT, 9 June 11, Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s visit to the Northern Territory has sparked action over the Government’s plan to build Australia’s first national radioactive waste dump at Muckaty in the NT.
The Prime Minister will visit Charles Darwin University today as she attends the opening of a new science building with Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon.
“It’s fantastic that our Prime Minister Julia Gillard has come to the NT, it means we can tell her directly to her face- we don’t want a dump here and will fight this plan every step of the way.” said Cat Beaton, Nuclear free NT Campaigner from the Environment Centre NT.
The National Radioactive Waste Management Act will be debated in Senate sittings starting next week (June 14). The Bill, which names Muckaty as the only site under active consideration has been met with steady opposition from the NT Government, Traditional Owners, Unions, Church groups, Local Government Associations and medical and health associations.
“This dump is an insult to all Territorians. We are not the dumping ground for Canberra’s growing radioactive waste problems. Rather than recycling Liberal legislation, Ms Gillard needs to go back to Canberra and back to the drawing board on this issue.”
Surge in renewable energy predicted for Australia
Renewable energy set to surge, Adam Morton The Age 6 June 11 AUSTRALIA is expected to generate six times more renewable energy and up to three times more gas-fired power in 2050 under a carbon price than it does today, according to Treasury modelling for the multi-party climate policy committee.
Releasing a snapshot of the long-awaited modelling before a speech on climate policy at the National Press Club tomorrow, Treasurer Wayne Swan said it showed a carbon price would drive innovation and encourage investment in cleaner power. But the figures also suggest greenhouse-gas-intensive coal will remain a significant part of Australia’s power supply for decades……The snapshot said gas-fired power – which in baseload form has about two-thirds fewer emissions than coal – would generate 1½ to three times more output in 40 years than today.
Australian Conservation Foundation executive director Don Henry said the shift to a cleaner economy was expected to involve more gas-fired power but should only be developed if it included technology to capture and store emissions.He said the proportion of power from burning coal must be dramatically reduced unless carbon capture proved viable.
”It is a little hard to judge, based on what has been released, but we’d be looking for much stronger growth in renewables than appears to be indicated by Treasury figures,” Mr Henry said…….Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/national/renewable-energy-set-to-surge-20110605-1fnh7.html#ixzz1ORrH3G4s
About cancer risk from mobile phones
I usually steer clear of this issue, as this site focuses on ionising radiation- a proven cause of cancer. Still, the issue of electromagnetic radiation – from mobile phones,and WiFi could well turn out to be a public health scandal like the asbestos,and nuclear ones. –Christina Macpherson
AUDIO Mobile phone radiation – Lyn McLean – ABC Queensland – Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)- 01 June 2011 , by Peter GoochJust when you thought it was safe to hold that mobile phone up to your ear again, a new report from the World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer has said that radiation from mobile phones could possibly be carcinogenic to humans…possibly leading to the increased risk of glioma, a malignant type of brain cancer.The main conclusions of this report will be published in The Lancet Oncology in its July 1 issue, and already one of Australia’s leading brain surgeons has said the report should serve as a wake-up call to users and the telecommunications industry…..
Mobile phone radiation – Lyn McLean – ABC Queensland – Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
87% of Australians want carbon tax money to go renewable energy development
the aspect of renewable energy that should be occupying the minds of Gillard and her Climate Change Minister, Greg Combet is that it is popular…..Newspoll found that a massive 87 per cent of Australians want revenue raised by the price on pollution to be invested in renewable energy innovation.
That’s why its reluctance to embrace renewable energy as an outcome of carbon pricing is so puzzling. Putting a price on pollution will not be enough to drive new development in renewables but it does provide the ongoing source of income that could.
Gillard needs some renewable sizzle for her steak, (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), By Andrew Bray 26 May 2011 If Gillard wants to sell her carbon tax to the people, she needs to start spruiking the positives such as exciting new renewable energy plants…… Continue reading
Australia’s bewildering anti science view on Climate Change
Climate politics betray lack of belief in science, Sydney Morning Herald, 25 May Australia’s debate is strangely at odds with global reality. CURIOUSER and curiouser, an observer might remark of what passes locally for climate policy debate. The past week’s events add to the impression of another world where ”we’re all mad”, as the Cat tells Alice in Wonderland. Globally, with the stark exception of the US, few seriously doubt that climate change demands an urgent response. Australia is still having that debate. While party leaders claim to accept the science, senior colleagues scoff and mutter about leftist greens….
…..Back in Australia, the focus is short term. Facts and evidence count for less than fear and self interest. Policy consistency doesn’t matter. Labour, which was resoundingly elected in 2007 when it vowed to tackle climate change, seems more anxious to appease the sceptics even as the evidence of warming mounts. As Alice said: ”It would be so nice if something made sense for a change.”…Climate politics betray lack of belief in science
Canberra rally against draconion nuclear waste dump legislation
June 14 Canberra rally | Beyond Nuclear Initiative, 23 May 11 In the June sittings of Parliament the Senate is set to debate the National Radioactive Waste Management Bill (NRWMB). This draconian piece of legislation would be used to impose a radioactive waste dump on contested Aboriginal Land at Muckaty, north of Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory. Continue reading
South Australia headed for higher greenhouse footprint with Olympic Dam expansion
BHP Billiton’s failure to reconsider their planned mega-expansion of Olympic Dam will be a disaster for the environment and local jobs, the Australian Greens said today. from Tony serve Blogs (Unfortunately I lost the link, and the rest of this article – with its greater detail)
Against a backdrop of a likely full-scale meltdown at TEPCO’s Fukushima plant in Japan, of which BHP Billiton is a likely uranium supplier, BHP Billiton has today released its supplementary Environmental Impact Statement on the expansion of the Roxby Downs copper/uranium mine.
“As it stands, BHP Billiton has designed a world’s-worst-practice uranium mine, when the alternative would see a lower greenhouse footprint and skilled jobs retained in South Australia,” Australian Greens spokesperson for nuclear issues Senator Scott Ludlam said…..
BHP Billiton’s Olympic Dam expansion – flawed process, without public involvement
Concerns over Olympic Dam expansion ABC Radio PM 13 May “……….EDDIE HUGHES: The basic question, what is the best location for a desalination plant in this part of the world? has not been asked in a public way, in a way that involves the public.
That was an in-house job done by BHP Billiton. So the EIS process is really a flawed process and it raises some deeper issues about the planning regime and the development act in this state.
NICOLA GAGE: The Greens MP, Mark Parnell, claims BHP has ignored public concerns, and wants the Government to reject the location of the desalination plant.
MARK PARNELL: They’ve pretty much come back with the same plans they had from two years ago and that’s very disappointing.
But the key thing to remember is this is BHP’s vision for how they want the project to go. It doesn’t mean that the Government and the general community have to accept that as their final plan.
No medical need for nuclear industry, nuke waste dump, in Australia
“The government has continually misled the public by stating that a nuclear industry is necessary to provide treatment to people with cancer”…..alternatives such as cyclotrons were not nuclear-based….”But for some reason the government has a nuclear agenda.”
No need for nuclear medicine: doctor, Sydney Morning Herald, Larine Statham, May 12, 2011, The federal government has misled the public about Australia’s need for nuclear medicine, a Northern Territory emergency physician says. Continue reading
1 This month
PETITION – To: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Australian Labor Government
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
19 May – Webinar- Webinar: No Nuclear Weapons in Australia
Start: 2026-05-19 18:00:00 UTC Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney (GMT+10:00)
End: 2026-05-19 19:30:00 UTC Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney (GMT+10:00)
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 