Malaysia as dumping ground for radioactive wastes? Lynas’ Malaysian tax holiday
Hello, didn’t Lynas say wastes to be exported? Malaysiakini Dec 10, 2012 Kgen: What cheaper production cost? What about the cost of transporting the earth from Australia to Malaysia? Most of the processes are automated so labour cost does not factor significantly in the production cost.
Does the 12-year tax holiday, lax environmental standards and an authoritarian regime which can impose its will on the people have anything to do with the choice of location?http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/216281
Hello, didn’t Lynas say wastes to be exported? Malaysiakini Dec 10, 2012 Not Confused: So, the waste from the Lynas plant cannot be exported from Malaysia because it is hazardous, as defined under the international convention.
I had refrained from commenting on this issue as I felt that too many professionals, supposedly with some integrity, had reported and clearly stated that there was no risk to any Malaysians from the operation of the plant.
However, it is now confirmed that the waste from the plant will indeed be toxic so will have to be “disposed of” in Malaysia.
This seems like Malaysia is being used as a dumping ground simply because operating costs here are less and we have a corrupt government which is presumably being paid handsomely for licensing their operations. http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/216281
Australia under pressure from USA in Trans Pacific Partnership talks
Such a clause would allow companies who believed an Australian law had harmed their ability to invest in Australia to take their dispute to an extranational body with the power to overrule local laws.
Philip Morris International is trying to use such a clause in the Australia-Hong Kong investment treaty to declare invalid the plain cigarette packaging law that came into force on December 1.
Free trade talks to avoid legal hurdle http://www.theage.com.au/business/free-trade-talks-to-avoid-legal-hurdle-20121202-2aoyt.html#ixzz2E26mKulE December 3, 2012 Peter Martin NEGOTIATIONS over what’s set to be the world’s biggest free trade agreement resume in Auckland this week, with the Australian government insisting the contentious proposal for foreign companies to sue governments will stay off the table.
But non-government observers say aspects of the proposed powers are likely to be incorporated in the words of the agreement to be refined by officials.
The Trans-Pacific Partnership will encompass 11 states from all edges of the Pacific – Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam – with Japan considering joining at a later stage.
The Australian government has said it will not be party to the agreement if it includes a so-called investor-state disputes
settlement clause, something insisted on by the US and obtained in each one of its free trade agreements apart from the one with Australia. Continue reading
Kuala Lumpur: 10,000 march for 13 days, rally against Lynas rare earths processing plant.
The rally is a culmination of a 13-day march against the plant’s opening
Kuala Lumpur: 10,000 protest rare earth plant over health concerns Environmental activist group Himpunan Hijau organized the rally against the opening of rare earth company Lynas’ new plant. Global Post,Talia Ralph November 25, 2012 early 10,000 people took to the streets in Kuala Lumpur Sunday to protest the opening of Australia-based mining company Lynas’ new rare earth plant. Continue reading
The Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN) needed, as AUSMIN locks Australia into USA militarism
why is the Australian government co-operating in United States planning for the military containment of China? There is no threat to Australia
Stirling naval base south of Perth is set to become a major base for US operations in the region although details are not yet confirmed. Some reports suggest that US nuclear submarines may be based in Stirling.
The Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN) was set up recently with the expressed aim of organising against this gathering rush by the Australian government further into an unquestioning and subservient relationship with the US and its arms corporations.
AUSMIN confirms Australia’s subservience to US military, The Guardian, Denis Doherty, 20 Nov 12,
AUSMIN, the annual talks between the Australian and US foreign and defence ministers, have come and gone for another year and the agreement reached makes depressing reading for Australians who want to live in peace and prosperity.
The AUSMIN communiqué outlines plans for the future benefit for US corporations at the expense of the people of
the Indo Pacific region. US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and US Secretary of Defence Leon Panetta and their Australian counterparts Foreign Minister Bob Carr and Defence Minister Stephen Smith met for the AUSMIN talks on November 14 in Perth. Continue reading
India secretly diverted Canadian uranium to nuclear weapons
Harper in India: bad timing, bad mood Macleans, by Erica Alini , November 7, 2012″…….. there were three key deals on the table when Harper left for India on Saturday night:
1. A few administrative arrangements needed to be worked out in order for Canada to start shipping uranium and nuclear technologies to India after the two countries signed a Nuclear Cooperation Agreement in 2010. The crux of the matter here was that, after India surreptitiously diverted uranium produced at a Canadian plant to its first nuclear bomb in 1974, Ottawa wanted to be able to closely monitor the stuff this time around. India’s position, on the other hand, was that they report to the International Atomic Energy Agency, and that should be enough to keep us satisfied. Those differences have now been overcome, the Harper government announced on Tuesday . According to Reuters, we’ve beat Australia to this —they are still looking for assurances on nuclear safeguards—but it’s not clear yet whether Ottawa has had to make significant concessions to get the Indians on board…… http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/11/07/harper-in-india-this-is-the-trip-that-was/
USA- Australia co-operation on climate change action
Australia’s Minister for Climate Change, Greg Combet, told the Carbon Expo conference in Melbourne on Friday that he was ”very pleased” with Mr Obama’s victory, and said he held already spoken on the issue with his US counterpart since the elections.
The minister has also been discussing the prospects of linking Australia’s planned market for greenhouse gas emissions with California. The biggest US state will auction its first pollution permits this week with the emissions trading scheme (ETS) to start on January 1.
Obama keen to tackle climate, The Age, November 12, 2012, Peter Hannam THE Australian government has wasted little time to sound out the newly re-elected Barack Obama over his administration’s climate change policies and the potential to work more closely together.
An issue excluded from the US presidential debates, the argument over global warming was revived when superstorm Sandy slammed into north-eastern US states a week before polling day, leaving a damage bill some expect to exceed $US50 billion ($A48 billion).
Mr Obama signalled his intention to tackle climate change in his second term during his acceptance speech in Chicago, where he underlined the issue as among his top priorities.
”We want our children to live in an America that isn’t burdened by debt; that isn’t weakened by inequality; that isn’t threatened by the destructive power of a warming planet,” he said. Continue reading
Australia’s purchase of US nuclear submarines would anger China
Buying US submarines may anger China, Financial Review 10 Nov
An Australian Coalition government move to purchase or lease up to 10 US nuclear-propelled submarines would almost certainly attract China’s ire. ….subscription only
Court decision for Lynas rare earths plant, but the legal fight will continue
The federal opposition MP for Kuantan, Fuziah Salleh, who has led protests against Lynas for over two years, says the fight is far from over
The hearing of an application for a judicial review into the granting of the licence is expected in a few months.
Malaysian court approves Lynas rare earths plant
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-11-08/an-lynas-gets-go-ahead-for-rare-earths-mining-in-malaysia/4361554 Kate Arnott, 9 Nov 12, A court in Malaysia has paved the way for an Australian company to fire up its controversial rare earths plant in eastern Malaysia. Continue reading
Australia assisting Ghana in solar energy development
Leading Australian Professor on Environment visits Ghana Accra, Nov. 6, GNA – Professor Ray Wills, Australia Clean Energy Expert and one of the top 100 Global Sustainable Energy experts is in Ghana to participate in a three-day West Africa Clean Energy and Environment Conference (WACEE) in Accra. Continue reading
Australian uranium to India, a mirage more than a reality
the glacial pace of nuclear power plant construction and activation in India in the face of anti-nuclear campaigns;
Indian uranium deals a long way off GEOFF HISCOCK The Australian October 29, 2012 AUSTRALIA’S new willingness to sell uranium to India is more about snuggling up to Asia’s third largest economy than any actual nuclear
commerce. It is highly unlikely that Australian uranium will be powering Indian nuclear reactors in this decade. Continue reading
Pakistan says of Australian uranium – “Me Too!”
Pakistan says it should be allowed to buy Australian uranium November 17, 2011 BUSINESS RECORDER Pakistan says if Australia sells uranium to India, it too should be eligible for exports of the product. India’s arch rival is also a nuclear power and, like India, a non-signatory of Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Pakistan says it could use Australian
uranium to boost its civilian nuclear power programme.
And its High Commissioner to Australia Abdul Malik Abdullah told ABC Radio correspondent Michael Edwards in an interview that it would be discrimination to sell to India and not to Pakistan.
“We are not against uranium sales to India but that if they do go ahead they should also be available to Pakistan,” Abdullah was quoted as saying by ABC Radio on Tuesday. “In the past when United States, India nuclear deal had taken place, we feel that Pakistan was discriminated against. And we hope that this time, given our very strong and cordial relationship with Australia, Pakistan would not be discriminated against.”
Pakistan’s atomic programme began in earnest after India conducted its first nuclear test in 1974. It tested its first bomb in 1998. It’s also expanding its civilian nuclear power programme. ….. http://www.brecorder.com/business-a-economy/189/1251905/
Senator Ludlam to question India’s Ambassador on the arrest of David Bradbury
Australian filmmaker detained in India while investigating nuclear industry Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam. 26 October 2012. Australian documentary maker David Bradbury was detained by police late yesterday in Tamil Nadu while investigating the Indian nuclear industry.
Greens nuclear policy spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam said the arrest was only the latest in a series of moves to suppress criticism of India’s notorious nuclear sector.
“Mr Bradbury was approaching Idinthakarai, a village that has been subjected to severe police repression in response to anti-nuclear protests, when he was detained and taken to Radhapuram Police Station. He has since been released. I will be raising the matter with the Indian Ambassador today.
Continue reading
Police stop Australian film-maker from entering Kudankulam anti nuclear protest area
Australian filmmaker prevented from entering Kudankulam 25 Oct 12http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_australian-filmmaker-prevented-
from-entering-kudankulam_1756187 , Oct 25, 2012, Three persons from Australia were today prevented from entering Idinthakarai, the epicentre of protests by People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy leading the stir against Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tirunelveli district, police said.
Filmmaker David Bradbury along with his wife and son arrived in India on tourist visas and were about to enter Idinthankarai from Kanyakumari district this morning when police stopped them near Radhapuram police station, they said.
“After interrogations, the three were made to go back, since prohibitory orders were in place,” an officer said.
The PMANE has been leading protests against the plant for over a year citing safety concerns.
Commissioning of the first unit of the Indo-Russian project was originally scheduled for December last year, but has been delayed due to the protest.
India: police deny they detained Australian David Bardbury
Australian filmmaker detained, let off http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tamil-nadu/australian-filmmaker-detained-let-off/article4031884.ece , 26 Oct 12, David Bradbury, a documentary filmmaker from Australia, was said to have been detained by the police at Kamanaeri village, near Thomas Mandapam, on his way to Idinthakarai village on Thursday evening Police, however, denied any such incident.
A local resident said a foreign national was intercepted by the police at Kamanaeri while he was on his way to Idinthakarai, the hub of the anti-nuclear protest. He was later taken to the Radhapuram police station and let off after some time. However, he was not allowed to proceed to Idinthakarai.
The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Valliyoor, K. N. Stanley Jones, denied that any foreigner was detained at the Radhapuram police station.
M. Pushparayan, a leader of the People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE), which spearheads the protest, said he had no knowledge of a filmmaker by that name planning to come to Idinthakarai.
Time for Australia to sign up to the new Kyoto Protocol
Sign on now, UN climate chief says October 25, 2012 THE United Nations climate chief has called on Australia to sign up to a new round of the greenhouse-gas-limiting Kyoto Protocol, saying it already has significant clean-energy
policies in place.
EU likely to exceed Kyoto carbon-cut target
”From a national perspective it wouldn’t change that much what Australia is already doing,” the head of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Christiana Figueres, said in Sydney. ”It would send a very clear message internationally that what Australia is doing at a national level is actually contributing to global interests.”
The comments by Ms Figueres come as the government weighs joining the federal opposition in backing a second round of the 1997 climate treaty. The current period of the Kyoto Protocol, under which most developed nations pledged to limit their greenhouse gas emissions, lapses at the end of the year. Continue reading
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.
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PETITION – To: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Australian Labor Government
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
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