Tony Abbott would abolish the Climate Commission, sack Professor Tim Flannery
A Climate Commission report released on Wednesday examined links between Australia’s extreme weather and human-induced climate change. It found natural events were being influenced by climate change, because greenhouse gases are accumulating and trapping extra energy in the Earth’s atmosphere and oceans.”When the carbon tax goes, all of those bureaucracies will go and I suspect we might find that the particular position you refer to goes with them,” Mr Abbott told Macquarie Radio on Wednesday. Continue reading
Ben Zygier was betrayed
Ben Zygier didn’t betray his country. Ben Zygier was betrayed. Between his two home countries, he was placed in a situation he couldn’t deal with.
Israel allowed itself to cross three boundaries: a Mossad man was asked to retain Australian citizenship – leading to a dual-loyalty dilemma; the identity that he was instructed to use as a cover was his real Australian identity; and, worst of all, he was sent to operate in his homeland.
The prime minister must send a letter to the Zygier family – that have been broken by their son’s breakdown – saying, “Your son was not a traitor.”.
Ben Zygier was no traitor, he was betrayed, Haaretz, 22 Feb 13, By Sefi Rachlevsky He wanted to contribute to Israel and did not mean to betray both his homelands, or his father for that matter. Israel cast him into a situation from which he could only be liberated by death..
… The fundamentals of its [Israel’s]power have not changed since David Ben Gurion established them: might, the support of friendly powers, the mobilization of world Jewry that can also influence their home countries, and the memory of the Holocaust. But the Zygier affair highlights how in an existential moment, Israel isn’t “only” immoral, but tramples arrogantly over these fundamentals without observing any boundaries…..
Deep and stubborn silence by Australian and Israeli governments about Ben Zygier’s death
Ben Zygier: the silence surrounding Prisoner X The Conversation, Felix Patrikeeff 22 February 2013, When Melbourne man Ben Zygier, an alleged agent of Mossad, or perhaps a double agent, died in December 2010, his end was barely perceptible.
He had been held anonymously in solitary confinement at a high-security prison in Israel. A notice of his death appeared on the Internet, and then promptly disappeared. His name was not made known at the time.
It had to be secured by Australian investigative journalists. Continue reading
Mystery of Ben Zygier’s death: Australia calls on Israel to explain
“I need to know what the contact was between Australian agencies and those of Israel, and I need to see what the Israelis want to tell Australia,” Carr stated. “The key is to get all the information.”“…The Haaretz newspaper reported on Friday that Israel has agreed to pay millions in compensation to Zygier’s family.
A source told the newspaper that Israel agreed to pay millions of shekels several weeks ago, after an investigation concluded that Zygier’s death had been a suicide and before the affair was exposed by the Australian media….”
Australia wants Israel to provide details on death of ‘Prisoner X’ Feb 17, 2013 PressTV Australia has called on the Israeli regime to provide details about the death of an Australian-Israeli ‘Mossad agent’ who allegedly committed suicide in an Israeli prison in 2010.
Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr said on Sunday that the ministry was seeking answers in a “formal report” from the Tel Aviv regime over the circumstances surrounding the suspicious death of 34-year-old Ben Zygier known as ‘Prisoner X.’
On February 12, reporter Trevor Bormann revealed on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that the prisoner who had worked for Mossad for ten years was “found hanged in a cell with state-of-the-art surveillance systems” near Tel Aviv in December 2010. Carr told reporters in Sydney that the Australian government had “asked” the Israeli regime “for a contribution to that report.”
The Australian foreign minister said Canberra wanted Tel Aviv to “submit… an explanation of how this tragic death came about.”
“I need to know what the contact was between Australian agencies and those of Israel, and I need to see what the Israelis want to tell Australia,” Carr stated. “The key is to get all the information.”
Following the ABC revelation, the Tel Aviv regime was forced to admit that Zygier had been jailed under a false identity “for security reasons” despite nearly two years of Israel’s efforts to cover up the secret.
on February 14, a report by the New York Times said Zygier was among the 26 suspects in a murder plot in which Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, a Hamas official, was tracked and killed in his hotel room hours after his arrival in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, in January 2010.
The assassins had reportedly used fake passports from Australia, Britain, Ireland, Germany and France, among other countries.
The report added that ‘Prisoner X’ had provided the officials in Dubai with “names and pictures and accurate details” in exchange for protection.
However, the Israeli regime kidnapped him from his hideout and jailed him over treason nearly a month after the operation over the speculation that he had been on the verge of exposing Tel Aviv’s secrets about the passports. http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/02/17/289354/israel-should-explain-prisoner-x-death/
Paladin and Rio Tinto uranium mining companies – the Ugly Australians in Malawi and Namibia, despite Bob Carr’s praise
What have interested Australian companies, or the Australian government, done to address these concerns?…….
what should we make of Australian Defence Force chief General David Hurley’s alarming indication that there might be a role for the ADF in protecting “Australian interests” in Africa?
Multinational miners: magnanimous or malevolent? Kellie Tranter – lawyer and Humna Rights Activist, FEBRUARY 1, 2013 BY KELLIE TRANTER “……..Malawi “…….Minister Carr praised the work of Australian mining company Paladin, referring to its strong corporate social responsibility. Paladin operates Malawi’s biggest uranium mine, the Kayelekera.
In June 2008, The Bench Marks Foundation released a report ‘Corporate Social Responsibility and the Mining Sector in Southern Africa’ which suggested that when Paladin struck its deal with the Malawi government to mine uranium, it was agreed that it would get a 100% capital write off, a reduction in corporate tax from 30% to 27.5% and a scrapping of the 10% resource rent tax. Paladin was also to be exempt from the standard 17.5% import VAT or duty and a royalty rate reduced from 5% to 1.5% in the first three years and 3% thereafter.
Now Malawi’s opposition party, the People’s Transformation Movement (PETRA), have given the Malawi Government a 14 day ultimatum to explain why the Kayelekera deal cannot be renegotiated. However, there are reports that the agreement with the previous government (of late President Mutharika, a former World Bank economist) includes a clause that the government will not take any action that will seriously change the financial aspects of the project for the period of 10 years. Residents are also concerned that the Malawi Government retains only a 15% equity in Paladin (Africa) Limited (PAL) a subsidiary of Paladin and has given “breathing space” on taxes for 10 years. Continue reading
Assange remains in legal limbo as Sweden not keen to press charges against hm
With Assange in Diplomatic Limbo, Sweden in No Rush to Press Rape Charges , 01 February 2013 By Alissa Bohling, Truthout | News Analysis With Julian Assange remaining in diplomatic limbo in London, Sweden refuses his offer for an interview, leading some to suspect they are not anxious to pursue allegations of rape that have been lodged against him……
In an October 2012 letter to US Attorney General Eric Holder, they asked the Department of Justice to give its word that Assange will not be extradited, subject to indefinite detention or prosecution under the Espionage Act for the activities of WikiLeaks, but with no response, he and his Swedish accusers remain in legal limbo, calling into question whether Assange’s civil liberties and the women’s right to take their accusations through the criminal justice process can both be upheld.
Government Tactic of Smearing Whistleblowers Continue reading
Australia’s overseas aid used to promote image of Paladin and Bannerman uranium mining companies
Paladin, which has been the subject of some controversy in Malawi over job cuts, was last year linked to a funding application through its employees’ charity – Friends and Employees of Paladin for African Children.
Paladin’s (African) Ltd general manager, international affairs, Greg Walker, who was invited late last year to be Australia’s honorary consul to Malawi, was involved in the process, according to 2012 correspondence from Australia’s ambassador to Zimbabwe, Matthew Neuhaus, to Mr Walker. The letter obtained under freedom of information confirmed Mr Walker’s successful application for the employees’ charity funding proposal.
The Aidwatch director Thulsi Narayanasamy said it was not the place of the Australian aid program to fund the corporate social responsibility programs of wealthy mining companies.
Firms use tax money for aid projects : http://www.smh.com.au/money/tax/firms-use-tax-money-for-aid-projects-20130129-2ditd.html#ixzz2Jbp0RzOT January 30, 2013 Rory Callinan
WEALTHY resource companies operating overseas are tapping into Australian taxpayer funds to set up aid projects potentially benefiting their corporate social responsibility credentials.
Aid and mining watchdogs have expressed concerns about the practice, arguing the corporations are wealthy enough to bankroll their own aid and that linking donations to controversial mine operations is a conflict of interest.
Nine mining companies all operating in Africa have been linked to the successful applications via the Foreign Affairs Department’s Direct Aid Program – a scheme that allows heads of missions to give up to $30,000 to local causes.
About $215,000 of taxpayers’ money went to the mining company-conceived projects last financial year, including a school for the deaf, providing trade skill training to local workers, establishing women’s groups and digging wells. Two applications involved uranium mining companies, Paladin Energy in Malawi and Bannerman Resources in Namibia. Continue reading
Australia in UN: opportunity to return to principle on nuclear disarmament, and negotiations with Iran
despite the window of opportunity that Australia has open to it as chair of a number of relevant committees on the UN Security Council, Carr’s recent statements are devoid of any talk of global disarmament, or of a just dialogue between Iran, Israel and the West. The Australian government instead seems intent on reforging the policy bonds of the “Coalition of the Willing” which proved so morally, politically and economically disastrous in 2003.
Julia Gillard must not continue to take Australia further down the path of moral decay in the area of non-proliferation and disarmament as I’ve elsewhere argued she has done. Now on the Security Council, Australia must use its role to push for what Prime Minster Gillard herself promised 
in the candidate brochure:
… a lead role in advancing disarmament and non-proliferation efforts and continuing our longstanding efforts to promote respect for international law.
The decay of Australia’s nuclear ethic, Aljazeera, NAJ Taylor, 26 Jan 13, Australia must use its new position in the UN Security Council to push for conciliation with Iran. Within three days of Australia taking the chair of the UN Security Council committees overseeing “Iran’s WMD proliferation activities”, Foreign Minister Bob Carr announced that Australia is to adopt severe economic sanctions against Iran that are “broadly aligned” with those already actioned by the US, Britain and European Union.
Thursday’s announcement is bitterly disappointing, for it draws to the fore a deep moral inconsistency in Australia’s recent nuclear dealings.
Simply put, Iran is alleged to have an active nuclear weapons programme, despite it having undertaken a number of international obligations – including the primary instrument of the nuclear regime, the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Continue reading
Chinese warning to Australia not to join in USA militarism
Colonel Liu said the US was building ”a
mini-NATO” to contain China, with the US and Japan at its core and
Australia within its orbit.
China colonel raises nuclear spectre, SMH, January 23, 2013 John
Garnaut, Beijing A CHINESE military officer has raised the spectre of
nuclear weapons and warned Australia not to side with the United
States and Japan as a territorial dispute in the East China Sea
continues to escalate.
Senior Colonel Liu Mingfu, of the National Defence University, blamed
America’s ”orchestration” and Japan’s ”militarism” for rising
tensions Continue reading
Australia’s Foreign Minister in denial on India’s non-proliferation record – Greens
Australian Greens spokesperson for nuclear policy Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam. 22 January 2013 Foreign Minister Bob Carr’s defence of India’s non-proliferation record defies belief as well as history the Australian Greens said today.
“It is ridiculous for Bob Carr to defend India’s non-proliferation record when India produced plutonium for weapons in 1974 from a Canadian-supplied reactor it pledged to use only for ‘peaceful purposes’.
“The Foreign Minister has forgotten that Australia played a leading in role in establishing the Nuclear Supplies Group in direct response to this duplicity.
“The Foreign Minister has also forgotten that K. Subrahmanyam, former head of the national security advisory board in 
India, said in 2005: ‘Given India’s uranium ore crunch and the need to build up our … nuclear deterrent arsenal as fast as possible, it is to India’s advantage to categorise as many power reactors as possible as civilian ones to be refuelled by imported uranium and conserve our native uranium fuel for weapons-grade plutonium production’. Clearly, Australian uranium would boost India’s nuclear weapons capacity.
“Rather than a fine non-proliferation record, India has a history of illicit nuclear procurement, has inadequate nuclear export controls, does not allow IAEA inspections of all of its nuclear plants, refuses to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, continues to expand its nuclear arsenal and missile capabilities, and actively contributes to the sub-continent being host to the most precarious nuclear stand-off in the world.
“India is also dangerous for peaceful anti-nuclear protesters, five of whom have been murdered since 2010 in the struggles against the nuclear industry in Koodankulam (Tamil Nadu), Jaitapur (Maharashtra) and Gorakhpur (Haryana).
“By pouring uranium into this country, Australia would fuel regional nuclear dangers and encourage an industry that India’s own Auditor General has strongly condemned, given there is no national policy on nuclear and radiation safety and that supervision of licensing, registration of nuclear radiating machines and sites, inspections, monitoring, policy development and safety standards, emergency response and verification of the disposal of nuclear waste are all sub-standard.
“Australia selling uranium to India is also a violation of the 1995 NPT Review and Extension Conference commitment to require full-scope safeguards as a condition of supply, and of our obligations under Article IV of the Treaty of Rarotonga which obliges signatories to not supply equipment or material to countries no under full scope safeguards. India is not under full scope safeguards.
“Given these facts on the ground, any uranium deal Australia does with India would be a reckless denial of safety, security and regulatory problems. The Foreign Minister is in denial if he thinks all is well in India, or that the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties will simply rubber stamp an agreement that overturns long-held Australian nuclear policy.”
Bob Carr- Australia furthering plans to sell uranium to India
India, Australia to hold civil nuclear talks in March http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/government-and-policy/india-australia-to-hold-civil-nuclear-talks-in-march/article4328430.ece?ref=wl_industry-and-economy NEW DELHI, JAN 21:
India and Australia have agreed to hold the first round of negotiations on the civil nuclear co-operation agreement here in March, the visiting Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr said on Monday.
“Australian and Indian officials will be working to conclude the agreement, which will enable the export of uranium from Australia to India,” the Minister said after holding talks with External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid.
Carr said the issue of further strengthening bilateral investment ties, including the Australian Minister of Trade’s visit here later this month to advance the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) was also discussed.
Sources said while issues regarding the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement did come up at the talks, it was decided that this would be taken up during the forthcoming visit of the Australian Trade Minister.
The Minister announced that as part of the Australia-India water technology partnership, the first phase of the $12-million initiative would commence with a pilot project of an Australian modelling tool for water management in the Brahmani and Baitarani river basins in eastern India.
Pointing out that trade negotiators had been engaged in broadening their understanding towards a mutually beneficial CECA, Khurshid said, “Our investments in Australia have grown significantly in recent years, particularly in the resources sector. We have welcomed the Australian side to invest in the opportunities in India. Our Defence Minister will be visiting Australia soon for further discussions on co-operation in defence and security.”
How Australia hypocritically bought UAE’s vote to get a seat on UN Security Council
Two news items here and, two below these, show the depth of hypocrisy of the Austrakian government and its unelected Foreign Minister, Bob Carr. We might well ask why Carr was parachuted into that position. He now presides over hypocrisies such as this one – the way in which United Arab Emirates was bribed into voting for Australia for the seat on the UN Security Council.
First Australia promises to lift its foreign aid, then agrees to sell uranium to UAE. Having secured the seat on the UN Security Council, Australia proceeds to cut back the foreign aid. But we’re still going to sell uranium to UAE – that’s OK. And, maybe later, when the Australian public can be won over, why, Mr Carr might be happy to arrange the take back of UAE’s nuclear wastes? – Christina Macpherson
Cynical politics drive cuts to overseas aid By TIM COSTELLO and JACK de GROOT Dec. 20, 2012, THE federal government has dropped a bombshell on poor communities in developing countries, just in time for Christmas.
UAE to back Australia’s bid for UN Security Council seat, The National, Awad Mustafa Aug 3, 2012 ABU DHABI , The UAE will back Australia’s bid for a seat on the United Nations Security Council this autumn, the Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed has confirmed.
Bob Carr arranges uranium sales to UAE, but not ready YET to take back their nuclear wastes
Australia to supply UAE nuclear fuel but will not take radioactive waste, The National April Yee Aug 1, 2012 ABU DHABI // Australia has opened the door to supplying the UAE with nuclear fuel but has ruled out taking back the radioactive waste it generates…… we’re happy to make a big commitment to providing them with energy security,” the Australian foreign minister Bob Carr said yesterday.
Australia has the world’s biggest uranium reserves, nearly a quarter of the global supply, and is expected to be one of the main suppliers for the UAE’s nuclear power plant.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Abdullah, signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with Mr Carr last night allowing for such nuclear trade as Abu Dhabi prepares to award a major contract for 15 years’ worth of uranium. But fuel leasing, in which the supplier takes back the spent fuel, is off the cards for now in Australia, which also bans nuclear plants at home.”Public opinion in Australia would be resolutely opposed to taking back nuclear waste,” said Mr Carr. “That’s a very big step, and there wouldn’t be public support for it.”
When Abu Dhabi outlined its plans to build the Arab world’s first nuclear power plant in 2008, it had hoped that some supplier nations would be willing to take back the waste. Continue reading
Australia’s uranium fuel deal with United Arab Emirates (UAE)
ABU DHABI // UAE-Australian relations have been moving from strength to strength helped by the recent nuclear-fuel deal, according to the Australian parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs, The Nation, Richard Marles. 16 Jan 13
Mr Marles said that the UAE nuclear cooperation agreement signed in July last year had given a “considerable boost to the Uranium industry in Australia……The Australian secretary added that the UAE was Australia’s base of operations for all its Middle East military operations. “The UAE is our most important partner in the region. Our defence operations in the Middle East are all coordinated out of Dubai, including operations in Iraq, Afghanistan as well as our counter piracy work,” he said.: http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/uae-australia-nuclear-fuel-deal-boosts-ties#ixzz2ICw1zAOe
In Malawi Australian uranium company Paladin accused of poor corporate responsibility
Paladin, Malawi given 14 days to renegotiate uranium deal, by Charles Kufa, Nyasa Times, 14 Jan 13, Malawi’s opposition Peoples Transformation Party (Petra) has added its voice to the concerns raised by African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD) that the government of Malawi had made a bad choice of project given the absence of transparency and accountability in the deal.
PETRA president Kamuzo Chibambo tol d reporters in Blantyre on Monday that his party has given Paladin and President Joyce Banda’s administration 14 days to explain why the uranium mining deal can’t be renegotiated for the benefit of Malawians……
He demanded that the government should renegotiate for at least a 40% stake and selling rights in the next 14 days…..
He also asked the government to tell measures it has put in place to avoid pollution seeping into Lake Malawi…..
A representative of the CSOs Moses Mkandawire said “We would like paladin to declare all what it has sold. The government also should declare all what it has received from the uranium project since it started.
He said that they had also performed poorly in the area of corporate responsibility.
As CSOs he said, another deal should be made possible for the benefit of Malawians who are the real owners of the resources. http://www.nyasatimes.com/malawi/2013/01/14/paladin-malawi-govt-given-14-day-ultimatum-to-renegotiate-uranium-deal/
1 This month.
20 September –National Day of Action in Melbourne on the International Day of Peace
Help Aunty Sue Protect Her Land and Sacred Sites From Destructive Rocket Testing.
.
Australians deserve the truth
about
AUKUS – https://aukuspublicinquiry.com/
PETITION – To: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Australian Labor Government
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
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