Antinuclear

Australian news, and some related international items

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull sells out on climate policy, in effort to save his job

Turnbull dumps emissions from NEG in final act of capitulation, REneweconomy Giles Parkinson & Sophie Vorrath, 

The Turnbull Coalition government has effectively dumped the emissions component from the proposed National Energy Guarantee, in what could be prime minister Malcolm Turnbull’s final act of capitulation to the far right forces within the government parties.

Turnbull dumped the emissions component of the NEG in a desperate act to ward off a potential challenge to his 3-year leadership of the Liberals, with home affairs minister Peter Dutton (as we predicted in last week’s podcast) said to be waiting in the wings, and with the numbers, according to Fairfax.

The removal of an emissions target makes a mockery of what the NEG was supposed to be about – a first ever combination of climate and energy policy, of emissions and reliability. It was supposed to be a policy that crossed party lines; instead, it could not even be agreed on by the Liberals.

It remains to be seen if Turnbull gets to keep his job. But it certainly sees the end of any credibility that Turnbull would take climate change seriously.

Instead, the Coalition says it will choose to focus on reliability – even though there is no “reliability issue” because AEMO doesn’t not expect the obligation to be triggered any time in the next 10 years on current measures,…….

The other key component of the Coalition’s policy is to adopt the ACCC proposal of having the government underwrite the financing of new “dispatchable” generation. …….

The need for this is not clear, and while the Coalition’s right wing thinks this will translate into new “base-load” coal, renewable energy developers like UK billionaire Sanjeev Gupta suggests it could help dramatically reduce the cost of solar and storage in the country, to half the price of current wholesale prices.

What’s the chance of the Coalition right wing allowing that to happen? They will be sure to want to choose the technology of their choice. It’s unlikely a Turnbull or a Dutton government would endorse a huge solar and storage project as a result of such a tender.

On top of this, the Coalition is looking to force some energy utilities to divest any assets that it may want to close, think AGL with Liddell. In effect, this is the government intervening to stop coal exiting the market, in effect seeking to stop the clean energy transition. It is appalling.

All in all, Australia’s climate and energy policy remains in a sorry state. Turnbull blames his bare one seat majority for his predicament, but at no time has he shown any leadership or an attachment to his principals, at least as we understood them before he came PM.

The lack of leadership is transparent, but Turnbull is not the only one to blame. That blame should be shared by the principal players in the Energy Security Board and the representatives of the big business lobbies who were behind the NEG.

From the start, they sought to pretend this was something it was not. In the end, that deceipt also became transparent, and the lack of goodwill, and the deliberate doctoring of the modelling that was used to justify it, is quite possibly one of the most shameful episodes in Australian climate and energy policy.

The contrast with the states – whose agreement is needed to sign off on what is left in the NEG – is marked. Victoria’s Labor government has announced an extraordinary scheme to fast-track some 2.6GW of rooftop solar through a combination of rebates and zero interest loans.

This is a gift for the federal Labor Party, and if that translates to votes at the next election that will be a relief for all concerned about climate and energy policy, and the need to embrace rather than fiercely resist, or even deny, the clean energy transition before us……https://reneweconomy.com.au/turnbull-dumps-emissions-from-neg-in-final-act-of-capitulation-30161/

August 20, 2018 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, politics | Leave a comment

Right-wing in Liberal Coalition causing Turnbull to again weaken climate action

Malcolm Turnbull plans more changes to energy policy amid pressure from within Coalition, ABC News, By Jade Macmillan , 20 Aug 18  Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has outlined further changes to his national energy policy amid increasing pressure from within his own party.

Key points:

  • Turnbull plans tough penalties for providers that fail to bring costs down
  • Dutton plays down speculation of leadership challenge
  • Labor outlines similar policy, promising to cut power prices by up to $165 for households

The Government has already capitulated on plans to embed the Paris emissions reduction targets in Commonwealth legislation.

In a video posted to Facebook, Mr Turnbull also revealed a plan to impose default energy prices on power companies, as well as tough penalties for providers that failed to bring costs down.

Both were recommended by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)……….

Internal division over the National Energy Guarantee has fuelled talk of a possible leadership challenge, with Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton seeking to play down speculation on Saturday. …….

In another sign of the difficulties Mr Turnbull faces, he had barely begun his press conference when his predecessor Tony Abbott took to Twitter to reinforce his call to pull out of the Paris climate agreement. …….

Labor outlines similar plan

The Federal Opposition has outlined a separate but very similar energy policy, promising to cut power prices by up to $165 for households and $1,500 for small businesses………

Greens leader Richard Di Natale criticised the Government’s decision to set emissions reductions by regulation, rather than legislation, and said he did not trust Labor to introduce more ambitious targets if it wins the next election.

“I don’t trust Bill Shorten to do it and let’s remember, if Labor don’t win, we’re giving the tools to the climate deniers within the Coalition to slash these already-pathetic targets even further and effectively rip up the Paris climate agreement,” he told Insiders. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-19/labor-unveils-plan-to-cut-power-prices/10137298

August 20, 2018 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, energy, politics | Leave a comment

Nuclear has left its run too late: a response to Ian Hore-Lacy

 ETHOS, 14 August 2018  | Robert Farago “………… Nuclear as the solution?   There are a number of unresolved problems around nuclear power and questions of whether nuclear energy can grow quickly enough to solve our climate change problem. I will just list some of these problems with a sentence each:

  • Weapons proliferation – enriching Uranium for civilian nuclear energy programs can lead to fuel being diverted and further enriched for nuclear weapons programs.
  • Safety – although less deaths have been recorded from nuclear power than from coal mining, nuclear accidents such as Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima have shaken the confidence of citizens to have nuclear reactors near their homes and food sources.
  • Waste – although we have generated nuclear waste for 70+ years we still don’t have a solution. Nuclear waste needs to be stored safely for hundreds of thousands of years, longer than settled agricultural society has existed.
  • Decommissioning – cost estimates vary wildly and it’s particularly technically challenging and expensive after nuclear accidents.
  • Water use – like thermal coal generators, nuclear needs large quantities of water for cooling, making droughts and heatwaves a problem.
  • Capacity – if we moved to a large portion of our global electricity generation to nuclear power, will there be enough Uranium to fuel them?
  • Timeliness – can we move quickly enough to a majority nuclear electricity future and meet our global emission reductions?

Continue reading →

August 20, 2018 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics | Leave a comment

Exaggerated ‘benefits’ of a radioactive waste dump for rural South Australia

The economic benefits of a radioactive waste dump proposed for rural South Australia have been exaggerated, a new report warns https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/the-economic-benefits-of-a-radioactive-waste-dump-proposed-for-rural-south-australia-have-been-exaggerated-a-new-report-warns/news-story/34bfd2eba14e0b3a9975dc861315112a Peter Jean, Senior Federal Political Reporter, The Advertiser August 20, 2018 

THE rural community which hosts a national radioactive waste dump could face higher insurance costs and the economic benefits of the project have been exaggerated, a report prepared for environmental groups suggests.

A report to be released today by Conservation Council SA warns that the federal or state governments could have to meet the cost of insuring the local community for radioactive-related accidents which wouldn’t be covered by standard insurance.

The report was prepared by the left-wing Australia Institute think tank.

While 45 jobs have been promised at a national radioactive waste management facility, the report found the actual impact on the local employment market would be limited as workers were drawn away from other regional industries.

The Federal Government has short-listed two sites near Kimba and one near Hawker as possible locations for the waste facility.

Postal votes to help determine whether the two communities would accept the waste dump have been put on hold after legal action was launched in the Supreme Court by the Barngarla indigenous people.

The Barngarla Determination Aboriginal Corporation argues that native title holders who live outside the municipal borders of Kimba should be entitled to vote in the postal ballot.

The case is scheduled to be heard by the full court on Thursday.

The proposer facility would house low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste.

The Australia Institute report questioned the need to transfer intermediate-level waste from the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor campus in Sydney to the proposed SA facility.

August 20, 2018 Posted by | Federal nuclear waste dump, South Australia | Leave a comment

Wangan and Jagalingou leaders call on Queensland Govt not to extinguish native title

18 August 2018  ‘In the wake of yesterday’s adverse Federal Court decision against their challenge to Adani’s ILUA,   Wangan and Jagalingou Traditional Owners say yesterday’s judgement merely
confirms the limitations of the native title system, and fails to address their right
as Indigenous people to free, prior and informed consent,
which is at the heart of their action.

‘Mr Adrian Burragubba, one of five applicants in the case, and W&J cultural leader says: 
‘“We are calling on the Queensland Government to rule out
extinguishing our native title in any part of our land.

‘“Once native title is gone, it is gone forever.
It would be a travesty for the Government to wipe out our title for Adani.
If Queensland can stop them dredging the Reef before Adani has money,
or pull the pin on $1 billion NAIF funding, they can surely protect our rights to our land.
They must not hand a private corporation land title at our expense,
based on discriminatory laws.

‘“The Queensland Government has a clear choice here, and yesterday’s ruling
in no way forces them to proceed to extinguish our native title.
Don’t be fooled, it is up to the Government what happens next.

‘“Adani can’t be trusted; how can they say they respect
‘the rights, history, future intentions and requests of the traditional owners’?

‘We are Traditional Owners, we are the people from that land,
and they have never respected our decisions, or our right to free prior informed consent,
or our aspirations to care for our ancestral country.
They split our people for their own ends and then try to claim they care.
They should walk away in shame for all the damage they have done”.

‘Ms Linda Bobongie, another applicant and chairperson of the Traditional Owners Council, says:

‘“While we respect the decisions of the courts, we aren’t satisfied by this judgement
and will work with our legal team to prepare an appeal to a higher court.

‘“We know the Queensland Government has no obligation to act on extinguishment for Adani.
They should wait until all our appeals are exhausted.”

‘“We held out hope for this legal avenue, but anticipated a conservative judgement
within the Native Title system, and were prepared for the decision.
Our Council has vowed to continue to defend our lands and waters from Adani’s destruction.

‘“We call on Adani to immediately withdraw from this damaging project on our land.
No administrative decisions that block our rights will stop us standing our ground
to defend and protect Wangan and Jagalingou Country
and our connection to it.

‘We do not consent to a mine that will destroy our culture and land, and
rob our people of a sustainable future, so a rich company
can get richer exploiting and burning the coal beneath ourfeet”.
wanganjagalingou.com.au/wj-leaders-call-on-qld-govt-not-to-extinguish-native-title/

August 19, 2018 Posted by | aboriginal issues, Queensland | Leave a comment

Hawker vote on nuclear dump siting delayed, after Bangarla people’s court win

Second nuclear vote delayed in SA https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/second-nuclear-vote-delayed-in-sa/news-story/7dd60e6cfa72bbe446a547ccbc7361bc Kathryn Bermingham, Australian Associated Press August 17, 2018

Another resident vote about a nuclear waste facility has been stalled in South Australia, after an indigenous group argued a similar poll was discriminatory.

A vote on whether the facility should be built near the rural town of Hawker has been delayed, after the Barngarla people were on Thursday granted a Supreme Court injunction to delay a vote on whether it should be built near Kimba.

Flinders Ranges Mayor Peter Slattery said the decision was made because the Kimba matter, due to be heard before the full court next week, may have consequences for the Hawker vote.

He said the decision to delay the Hawker vote was jointly made by the council and the federal government.

Two sites near Kimba, on the Eyre Peninsula, and one near Hawker, in the Flinders Ranges, have been short-listed as potential locations for a low-level radioactive waste storage facility.

The traditional owners of the Hawker site are the Adnyamathanha people, while the Barngarla are the traditional owners of the two Kimba sites.

Lawyer Dan O’Gorman, for the Barngala people, argued in the Supreme Court on Thursday that the poll presented issues of direct and indirect discrimination.

“These owners of land are treated differently and that’s because their rights are native title rights,” he said.

The court heard an example is that a person who owns a property at Kimba but lives away from the district would be entitled to vote, but a person who holds native title rights and lives away would not.

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said on Friday the two votes should be held at the same time.

“Until the Barngarla challenge has concluded, the Hawker vote must be delayed,” she said.

“The traditional owners, including the Adnyamathanha people, deserve the right to vote and have their say on an issue that affects their traditional lands.”

August 18, 2018 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, Federal nuclear waste dump | Leave a comment

Malcolm Turnbull caves in to climate denialists – again

Malcolm Turnbull dumps plan to legislate Paris emissions targets, ABC News, By political editor Andrew Probyn and Melissa Clarke , 17 Aug 18 

Malcolm Turnbull has capitulated to rebels in the Coalition party room, dumping a plan to embed emissions reduction targets in Commonwealth legislation.

Key points:

  • Turnbull weakened stance on emissions targets to appease rebel MPs
  • The 2016 Paris Agreement set emissions targets of 26 to 28 per cent lower by 2030
  • Cabinet ministers to meet on Sunday to discuss new approach to energy policy

To appease critics and lessen the prospect of a backbench revolt, the Prime Minister will instead propose setting emissions targets by regulation, which does not need the assent of Parliament.

The reconfigured climate and energy policy will be more heavily geared towards driving down prices— in part to satisfy Coalition critics who say Mr Turnbull has been more focused on the Paris climate settings rather than household price pressures…….http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-17/turnbull-dumps-plan-to-legislate-paris-agreement-targets/10134284

August 18, 2018 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, politics | Leave a comment

Drought, wind and heat: Bushfire season is starting earlier and lasting longer 

ABC News, The Conversation By Owen Price 17 Aug 18 

The New South Wales Rural Fire Service declared the earliest total fire bans in its history this week. The entire state was declared to be in drought on the same day.

The combination of winter drought and hot, dry weather has made dangerous fires increasingly likely.

Already this week two fires on the south coast have escaped containment lines and destroyed houses.

The weather during these fires was 6 degrees Celsius warmer than the August average, dry and extremely windy.

The wind speed peaked at 104 kilometres an hour in Bega and 85kph in Nowra, two towns close to where fires broke out.

Under these conditions, bushfires will spread quickly, produce large numbers of embers and are hard to stop.

Our fire seasons now start earlier and last longer.

This means we’re increasingly likely to see repeats of historically large fires threatening residential areas……..

The Bureau of Meteorology’s latest seasonal forecast, issued on August 16, considers it likely that dry conditions will persist for the next three months.

The heightened risk of bushfire this season should be a wake-up call for residents in bushfire-prone areas.

Most people in really risky areas such as the Blue Mountains are well prepared, but many people who are a little more removed from the forests are not aware of the risk……..http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-17/drought-bushfire-seasons-starting-earlier-lasting-longer/10132570

August 18, 2018 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming | Leave a comment

Barngarla Aboriginal people win injunction to halt nuclear waste dump vote

South Australian Aboriginal group wins injunction to halt nuclear ballot http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-16/aboriginal-group-wins-injunction-to-halt-nuclear-ballot/10129292, By Claire Campbell  

A community vote on the proposed nuclear waste dump on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula has been delayed after an Aboriginal group won a court injunction.

Key points:

  • The Federal Government has shortlisted Kimba for Australia’s future nuclear waste dump
  • The Barngarla Aboriginal people have won an injunction to halt a community vote
  • The Supreme Court will hear the case next Thursday

The Barngarla people, the traditional owners of much of the Eyre Peninsula, applied for an injunction to halt the vote in South Australia’s Supreme Court, arguing it contravened the Racial Discrimination Act 1975.

Lawyers for the Aboriginal group argued the District Council of Kimba did not have the power to conduct the postal ballot, which was due to begin on Monday.

The Federal Government has shortlisted two sites near Kimba as possible locations for a low-level radioactive waste storage facility, along with four other sites around Australia

The lawyer representing the Barngarla Determination Aboriginal Corporation, Daniel O’Gorman SC, told the court his clients had no issue with the vote going ahead, they just wanted to be included in it.

“That’s all they want, they just want to be included, they don’t want to be treated any differently because their rights are Aboriginal rights,” he said.

The court heard the majority of the 211 native title holders lived outside the boundary of the Kimba District Council and that excluding them from the vote had the effect “of nullifying or impairing their rights”.

But Michael Burnett, representing the District Council of Kimba, told the court its power to conduct the postal vote came from the Local Government Act.

He said the council wanted to conduct the vote in a fair manner and decided the fairest manner was to comply with “the statutory procedure that applies in the case of elections”.

“It’s not a vote that has direct consequences … it’s part of a range of consultations that will be taken into account,” he said.

Mr Burnett said there were direct consultations taking place with native title holders about the proposed sites, a claim which Mr O’Gorman rejected.

“They’re getting two bites of the cherry and therein lies the exclusion, [the native title holders are] only getting one,” Mr O’Gorman said.

Mr Burnett questioned why the Barngarla Determination Aboriginal Corporation had waited until August to seek an injunction when they had known about the vote since May.

But Mr O’Gorman said the corporation had written to the District Council of Kimba on six occasions seeking to be included in the postal vote and council had only made its final decision on July 27.

The vote of around 800 residents who live in Kimba will be delayed until after a full court hearing next Thursday.

August 17, 2018 Posted by | aboriginal issues, AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, Federal nuclear waste dump, legal | Leave a comment

Several federally-owned land parcels, including Woomera could be assessed as nuclear dump site

Documents released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal the Industry Department last year identified several federally-owned land parcels which met the suitability criteria to be assessed as possible waste dump sites
————-
Supreme Court orders temporary halt on vote to build nuclear waste facility near Kimba
Peter Jean, The Advertiser August 16, 2018
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/supreme-court-orders-temporary-halt-on-vote-to-build-nuclear-waste-facility-near-imba/news-story/05df593fd70326c541f931b7f3225d04
A COMMUNITY vote on whether a radioactive waste storage centre should be built near Kimba has been stalled by a Supreme Court injunction.

The court action comes as The Advertiser can reveal the Turnbull Government looked at federally-owned land parcels as possible alternatives to the three South Australian sites short-listed for a national radioactive waste management facility.

Residents in the Kimba and Hawker districts had been due to begin voting next week in ballots to determine whether they would be willing to accept a low-level radioactive waste dump.

But the Barngarla indigenous people argued the Kimba ballot was discriminatory because native-title holders who lived outside the municipal boundaries would be denied voting rights. An injunction was granted ahead of a hearing before the full court next week.

Two sites near Kimba and one near Hawker have been short-listed for the waste centre. Meanwhile, documents released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal the Industry Department last year identified several land parcels which met the suitability criteria to be assessed as possible waste dump sites.

The documents also reveal the Defence Department was concerned that a site at the Woomera Defence Range could become the national radioactive waste management facility “by default’’.

Radioactive material from the CSIRO is held at the Woomera Defence Range.

Centre Alliance Senator Rex Patrick, pictured, said the Government should release full details of the Government sites which had been studied. “I find it highly disturbing that the Government has kept the Commonwealth-owned land options a secret,’’ Senator Patrick said. “It’s quite apparent that Defence didn’t want to touch the Nuclear Waste Facility with a barge pole — they’d rather it just went to Kimba or Hawker.’’
Speaking before the court injunction was granted, Industry Minister Matt Canavan said it was up to local communities to decide whether they were willing to accept a radioactive waste facility.

“We will not impose a facility on an unwilling community,’’ Senator Canavan said.

The centre proposed by the Federal Government would be used to store low and intermediate-level radioactive waste stored at sites around Australia. About 45 local jobs would be created in the district where the centre was located and the local community would receive a $31 million incentive package from the federal Government.

August 17, 2018 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, Federal nuclear waste dump | Leave a comment

Resources Minister Matt Canavan is deceptive in his statements about “Low Level “nuclear waste

Greg Bannon, Quorn 16/08/2108

Senator Canavan introduces the concept of nuclear energy into the debate on radioactive waste storage, (The Advertiser, 15/08/2018) but refers only to low level waste.

He does not mention the long-lived intermediate level waste. In April, he announced that this would also be stored at the facility. His Department admits there are no plans for its disposal at this stage, only moving it from current temporary storage, to park it temporarily near Hawker or Kimba for several decades.

People in both communities, including the Traditional Owners have said “No”.

Nuclear power generation is another matter entirely. The Scarce Royal Commission into the nuclear fuel cycle rejected nuclear power generation two years ago. The Citizens Jury even rejected the Commission’s recommendation to investigate storing nuclear waste in South Australia. The Senator’s Department vehemently denied any connection between their waste facility and the Scarce Commission’s investigation. The Senator’s reference to nuclear energy seems strange timing.

August 17, 2018 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, Federal nuclear waste dump, politics | Leave a comment

Nuclear stooge Senator Matt Canavan deplores delay in decision on nuclear waste dump

Note the Advertiser makes the mistake of saying its only for low level waste. 

Federal Industry Minister Matt Canavan says Australia can’t have a serious debate about nuclear energy until a radioactive waste dump is built, Peter Jean, Senior Federal Political Reporter, The Advertiser,  

AUSTRALIA can’t have a mature debate about nuclear energy until a permanent home is built for low-level radioactive waste, federal Industry Minister Matt Canavan has declared.

Senator Canavan made the comments after lawyers for the Barngarla Determination Aboriginal Corporation launched legal action to try to prevent a community vote on radioactive waste going ahead in the Kimba district next week.

Kimba and Hawker district residents are scheduled to vote on whether they’d be willing to accept a low-level radioactive waste facility in their local areas.

A hearing on the Barngarla application to stop the Kimba vote will be heard in the Supreme Court today.

The Barngarla group argues that members who are native title holders in the Kimba District but don’t live there should be permitted to vote on the waste dump proposal.

Senator Canavan said the Barngarla people were entitled to take their concerns to court.

He said discussion about the establishment of a nuclear power industry in Australia wouldn’t get off the ground unless the nation found a way to manage low-level radioactive waste, including by-products of the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor in Sydney.

“If we can’t find a long-term repository for our low-level waste – which we produce from a reactor that produces nuclear medicines, not power – we have no hope of building a nuclear power station that would produce high-level waste,’’ Senator Canavan said.

“We are supporters of an open and mature debate around this issue but we recognise that any move to nuclear power in this country would take years and require bipartisan support, those are things that we don’t have now.’’

Two sites near Kimba and one near Hawker have been short-listed as possible locations for a radioactive waste storage facility. The community votes are being held before the Government proceeds with selecting a preferred site.

Kimba Mayor Dean Johnson said he was unable to comment on the Barngarla application because the matter was before the courts.

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/federal-industry-minister-matt-canavan-says-australia-cant-have-a-serious-debate-about-nuclear-energy-until-a-radioactive-waste-dump-is-built/news-story/61411b1b797cc924253ca54de329ad58

August 17, 2018 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, Federal nuclear waste dump, politics | Leave a comment

Inadequate report from Senate Committee on selection process for nuclear waste dump

Senate releases nuclear report https://www.eyretribune.com.au/story/5586338/senate-releases-nuclear-report/  Kathrine Catanzariti  14 Aug 18 

The final report on the senate inquiry into the selection process for a national radioactive waste management facility in South Australia was released on Tuesday but those who oppose the facility say it has failed to address their main concerns.

The recommendations included the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science (DIIS) working with local stakeholders to use part of the 60 hectare buffer zone to grow and test agricultural produce to reassure the community and agricultural markets the produce is safe for consumption.

The committee also recommended the minister intensify efforts to fully engage with the Indigenous stakeholders near Kimba and Hawker; that government undertake an independent valuation of the land to be acquired to ensure that the financial compensation is consistent with the original proposal to compensate the landholder at four times the land value; and that DIIS make submissions received during the consultation process publicly available where the authors gave permission.

However, while the No Radioactive Waste on Agricultural Land in Kimba or SA group is thankful for the time and effort put into the inquiry, member Kellie Hunt said it was “disappointed” with the recommendations.

“We are disappointed that the recommendations do not address any of our primary concerns,” she said. “In particular, our issues regarding the lack of definition of what constitutes broad community support, and the lack of genuine need to move the intermediate level waste from Lucas Heights to a second interim storage location.

“We continue to oppose the siting of this facility on agriculture land in the Kimba district.”

The Senate Economics References Committee wrote the report using submissions made by stakeholders in in the affected communities near the sites in Kimba and Hawker, as well as public hearings in Kimba, Hawker and Canberra.

A spokesperson from the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science said the department thanked the committee for the report and that it “looks forward to reviewing it.”

“We have the opportunity to take account of the findings ahead of the community ballot that is scheduled to begin on August 20.”
The full report is available on the senate inquiry website at aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Economics/Wastemanagementfacility

August 17, 2018 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, Federal nuclear waste dump, politics | Leave a comment

Why is the Australian government so secretive about Commonwealth land available for nuclear wastes?

Senator Rex Patrick No Nuclear Waste Dump Anywhere in South Australia

LOOK AT CROWN SITES FOR RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT FACILITY

Yesterday I received copies of minutes from the National Radioactive Waste Management Facility (NRWMF) Steering Committee under Freedom of Information laws.

What is clear from these minutes is that the Government has secretly considered a number of Commonwealth owned land parcels as potential NRWMF sites. Why has this fact not been made public? Why don’t we know what sites were considered? Why has the analysis and any decisions associated with potential Commonwealth sites not been made public?

It staggers me, in a process that the Minister claims to be open and transparent, that this important aspect of site selection process has not been made public, nor open to scrutiny.

I have written to Minister Canavan asking him to provide me with details of sites considered and the associated analysis. If he won’t I will seek a Senate Order for Production of Documents to get access to them.

Copies of the minutes are available here.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/g1nmw3nmgljp…/NRWMF%20Minutes.pdf…    https://www.facebook.com/groups/1314655315214929/?multi_permalinks=2498364660177316%2C2498213100192472&notif_id=1534461842151654&notif_t=group_activity

August 17, 2018 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, Federal nuclear waste dump, secrets and lies | Leave a comment

A HYDROGEN INDUSTRY ON THE NATIONAL AGENDA

Hydrogen could be Australia’s next multibillion dollar export opportunity, according to a panel of energy, technology and policy leaders who presented their findings to the COAG Energy Council last week., 17 Aug 18 
Dr Alan Finkel, Chair of the Hydrogen Strategy Group and Australia’s Chief Scientist, said that hydrogen’s time has come.

“Hydrogen produces only water vapour and heat when burned. When produced from water using renewable electricity, or from coal or methane combined with carbon capture and storage, it’s a close to zero-emissions fuel. With appropriate safeguards, it’s just as safe as natural gas, and just as convenient for consumers.

“In Australia, we have all the necessary resources to make hydrogen at scale: wind, sun, coal, methane, carbon sequestration sites and expertise.

“It’s simply never been commercially viable. Now, the economics are changing.”

Dr Finkel explained that the key developments were the falling costs for renewable energy and Japan’s commitment to be a long-term, large-scale customer for hydrogen produced through low-emissions methods.

“Japan currently imports 94% of its energy in the form of fossil fuels. To reduce its emissions, government and industry have put ambitious hydrogen uptake targets at the heart of a comprehensive energy transition plan,” Dr Finkel said.

“We’re not alone in this race. Norway, Brunei and Saudi Arabia are all boosting their credentials as future hydrogen suppliers. This is the time for Australia to stake its claim as supplier of choice not just to Japan, but to other nations like South Korea, hungry for a twenty-first century fuel.”

With the right policy settings, Australian hydrogen exports could contribute $1.7 billion and provide 2,800 jobs by 2030, according to a recent report from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). Many of the opportunities will be concentrated in regional communities, where proof-of-concept hydrogen trials are already underway.

Hydrogen could also be introduced in the near-term into Australia’s existing gas network for heating and cooking, and as a low-emissions alternative to diesel for long-distance heavy transport.

The COAG Energy Council agreed that Dr Finkel, in close consultation with officials, will bring back a proposal for the development of a national hydrogen strategy to its December 2018 meeting.

Dr Finkel thanked the members of the Hydrogen Strategy Group and taskforce for their work in developing the briefing paper.

Hydrogen for Australia’s Future is available at: https://www.chiefscientist.gov.au/2018/08/briefing-paper-hydrogen-for-australias-future/.

Media inquiries: 0410 029 407 or communications@chiefscientist.gov.au

August 17, 2018 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, energy | Leave a comment

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