Antinuclear

Australian news, and some related international items

Schoolkids take their climate message to the politicians. Abbott pooh poohs it.

The earth has survived many things’, Abbott tells children protesting against climate change inaction,   SMH, By Laura Chung and Jenny Noyes  May 4, 2019    Dark clouds threatened rain as schoolkids gathered outside the Sydney electorate offices of both Labor and Liberal politicians on Friday, but it didn’t dampen their message on climate change.Prime Minister Scott Morrison, former prime minister Tony Abbott and Labor infrastructure spokesman Anthony Albanese were among those targeted as part of the nationwide protest against climate change inaction by federal MPs.

The protest held extra potency in Manly, where Mr Abbott’s 25-year grip on the seat of Warringah is under threat from independent candidate Zali Steggall in a campaign centred on climate change.

Armed with homemade signs, about a hundred students, parents and grandparents marched on Mr Abbott’s Manly office, chanting the slogan favoured by Steggall supporters: “Time’s up Tony”……..

A group of students tracked Mr Abbott down in a local cafe after the protest and voiced their concerns to him.

He responded to the students’ questions, telling them “the earth has survived many things”.

He also told them he didn’t believe the “environmental catastrophe” predicted by scientists would come about.

“I’m not saying that there isn’t going to be some time in the future when, for whatever reason, things come to an end, but I don’t believe that modest increases of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations over the next few decades are bound to bring about the kind of environmental catastrophe that you seem to fear.”……

Another protester dressed up in costume as Scott Morrison and a blackened piece of ‘coal’.

Another protester dressed up in costume as Scott Morrison and a blackened piece of ‘coal’.

Labor wasn’t let off the hook either.

Students also took their climate message to infrastructure spokesman Anthony Albanese’s Marrickville electorate office too, with a focus on urging Labor to pull the plug on the Adani coal mine. A Bill Shorten costume also made an appearance. https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/the-earth-has-survived-many-things-abbott-tells-children-protesting-against-climate-change-inaction-20190503-p51jts.html

May 6, 2019 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, election 2019 | Leave a comment

Australia’s Liberal and Labor Parties on Climate Change – politics theme for May 2019

Federal Election: Whose climate change plan is better?

Shorten’s climate policy and why we don’t need to fear the Coalition’s ‘big scary numbers’   Guardian, Katharine Murphy, 2 May  2019   

Scott Morrison wants voters to think that Bill Shorten is risky and reckless …

What’s the cost of not acting?

what Labor is saying is correct. It’s factual for this reason. Labor has set out the framework of its climate policies: the emissions reduction target, which is 45% (compared to the government’s 26%), and the various policy mechanisms to deliver that result.

But there is a fair bit of fine print missing because Labor wants to consult with stakeholders on final design before attempting to legislate the policy.  …..

until we know the proportion of permits and a bunch of other things we don’t yet know – including what the Senate does to the policy if Labor wins – any number produced would be a guess. ….. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/may/02/shortens-climate-policy-and-why-we-dont-need-to-fear-the-coalitions-big-scary-numbers

Climate change costings that don’t count the cost of inaction are worthless, Guardian, Greg Jericho 5 May 19 We must demand better of our political parties – and there is no excuse for the media either,Just seven months ago the United Nations told the world that we have 12 years to limit the climate change catastrophe. It means that to keep global warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels we need to cut carbon pollution by 45% by 2030 and down to zero by 2050. Twelve years. Actually scratch that – now it is 11 years.

Now ask yourself how often that has been raised during this election campaign?

At the start of the 2019 federal election campaign Scott Morrison put out a video where he was all dewy-eyed about the future, saying “the next 10 years are important to everybody at every stage of life”.

And yet not once – NOT ONCE – did he mention that the UN has given us 11 years to do something about a global catastrophe.

No, instead it’s all standard of living and nothingness statements that would get shot down by any decent advertising firm in the first meeting……..

Tony Abbott and his ilk – your time is done….

We need at a minimum a 45% reduction by 2030 and to get to zero net emission by 2050. So parties need to explain what they are going to do to get there and argue why their way is best.

If a party is not even willing to come up with such a path then do not treat them with the respect that “balance” gives them. https://www.theguardian.com/business/grogonomics/2019/may/05/climate-change-costings-that-dont-count-the-cost-of-inaction-are-worthless

May 5, 2019 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, Christina themes, climate change - global warming, election 2019 | Leave a comment

Clive Palmer enthuses about nuclear power for South Australia: Labor and Liberal do not agree

May 4, 2019 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, election 2019 | Leave a comment

A new political force in Australia- YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WANT ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE

Young people won’t accept inaction on climate change, and they’ll be voting in droves, 

May 4, 2019 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, election 2019 | Leave a comment

Grey voters see red over 3 years of federal radioactive waste plan

 Maria Bonacci, 29 April 2019, Today marks three years since the federal government named Wallerberdina Station in the Flinders Ranges as its preferred site for a national radioactive waste facility.

Since then, Kimba on the Eyre Peninsula has also been targeted. Members of both communities have since worked consistently to prevent becoming home to Australia’s radioactive waste.

Adnyamathanha woman from the Flinders Ranges Vivianne McKenzie said “there are many people in the community who have opposed this nuclear waste dump since it was first announced. We need Canberra to listen to us, because we will never give up.”

As part of these efforts a community postcard initiative opposing the planned waste site is being delivered tomorrow to the Whyalla office of current federal member for Grey, Mr Rowan Ramsey.  He is being requested to take it to Federal Resources Minister Matt Canavan on behalf of the community. Copies will also be given to Shadow Minister Kim Carr, the Kimba District and Flinders Ranges Councils and the SA state government.

One of the messages collected on the postcards was “please investigate all safe options before proceeding with this current plan”. The Government is rushing and wrong and we want a different approach.

There are three sites currently under federal consideration: two near Kimba on the Eyre Peninsula and one near Hawker in the Flinders Ranges.  All three sites are actively contested and all are in Grey, the largest electorate in South Australia.

Dr Susi Andersson from Hawker said “three years of uncertainty is too long. The process of finding a site for a NRWMF is dividing and harming our community. Most people, for or against the facility, feel three years is too long. This is affecting the well-being of individuals and the community.

“The Cadence Economic Report commissioned and published by DIIS predicts an 8% increase in GRP (gross regional product) when the facility is expected to be operational in 2030.  SA tourism predict a State-wide rise in tourism activity by 2030 of 32%. Tourism and primary production are the basis of our economy and our future, not a radioactive waste facility. DIIS produces lots of slick propaganda promoting their proposal but when we ask questions or for clarification, it usually takes months to get an answer” Dr Andersson concluded.

Peter Woolford, a farmer from Kimba said “Our homes – our communities – our jobs are at risk from this unpopular and unnecessary plan. We will not sit quietly and allow a flawed plan to have a lasting negative impact on our way of life.”

The No Dump Alliance – a broad grouping of SA community, Aboriginal and agricultural representatives – is calling on the current and any future federal government to scrap the current site selection process, take the three sites in SA off the table and hold an independent inquiry into the full range of ways to manage Australia’s radioactive waste.

For media comment or to arrange interviews please call Mara Bonacci: 0422 229 970

April 29, 2019 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, election 2019, Federal nuclear waste dump | Leave a comment

Liberal Coalition gets a poor rating on climate policy

April 29, 2019 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, election 2019 | Leave a comment

2019: the climate election

 Friends of the Earth, APR 24, 2019,

April 29, 2019 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, election 2019 | Leave a comment

Federal Environment Minister, Melissa Price, fails the environment with secretive Yeelirrie uranium approval.

April 27, 2019 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, environment, politics, uranium | Leave a comment

Clandestine approval for controversial uranium mine is evidence Australia needs better environment laws

https://www.acf.org.au/clandestine_approval_for_controversial_uranium_mine, 26 APRIL 2019 

April 27, 2019 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, election 2019, uranium | Leave a comment

Morrison govt approved Yeelirrie uranium mine just the day before calling the election

April 27, 2019 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics, uranium | Leave a comment

Bill Shorten questions Environment Minister Melissa Price’s shonky Yeelirrie uranium deal

Labor questions ‘shonky’ WA uranium mine deal,  Federal Labor leader Bill Shorten wants to know why Environment Minister Melissa Price approved a controversial WA uranium mine, labelling it a “shonky deal”. SBS  26 Apr 19, Labor leader Bill Shorten says the government has to explain its “shonky” approval for a controversial uranium mine in Western Australia, which occurred the day before the federal election was called.

Canadian-owned Yeelirrie uranium mine, about 500km north of Kalgoorlie, was given the tick of approval by Environment Minister Melissa Price on 10 April, according to an Environment Department document.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison triggered the 18 May election on 11 April……

Labor’s environment spokesman Tony Burke says no detail is known about the approval and is accusing Ms Price of being in hiding.

“I want to find out what on earth has happened,” he told ABC radio……

Greens senator Jordon Steele-John is calling on Labor to tear up the “absolutely disgraceful” approval if it wins government. …..https://www.sbs.com.au/news/labor-questions-shonky-wa-uranium-mine-deal

April 27, 2019 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, politics | Leave a comment

The Adani coal mine is a test of Australia’s environmental intelligence – Bob Brown

April 25, 2019 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, election 2019 | Leave a comment

Adani coal mine expansion has become a decisive issue for Queensland’s marginal seats

April 25, 2019 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, politics | Leave a comment

Hanson denies humans behind climate change, blames ‘fearmongering’

April 25, 2019 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, election 2019 | Leave a comment

Why is Prime Minister Scott Morrison raising the suggestion of nuclear power, knowing it’s illegal in Australia?

Federal election 2019: Labor says it’s ‘extraordinary’ Morrison is ‘contemplating’ nuclear power – as it happened
Tony Burke says ‘nuclear power is against the law in Australia’.
Guardian,  Amy Remeikis  18 Apr 19

……. Anthony Albanese is being cheeky on Patricia Karvela’s Afternoon Briefing on the ABC, about Scott Morrison’s slip on nuclear power.

Morrison has tweeted that it is not the Coalition’s policy. But he didn’t actually say that when asked on Tasmanian radio today. He said it was “not, not” on the agenda, but would have to stand on its own two feet.

But like a three-eyed fish, Albo is looking to grab the headlines:

PK: He said it’s not their policy and you said he needs to explain where he will put the nuclear power plants. He doesn’t because it’s not their policy.

AA: Why did he raise it? Why did he put it on the agenda if they haven’t been giving consideration to it? That’s what he’s got to answer. Why it is that during an election campaign Scott Morrison, so desperate to try to look like he has an energy policy somewhere, has now put nuclear power on the agenda during this election campaign. Labor’s opposed to nuclear power.

We don’t think it’s necessary and we don’t think it economically stacks up. And issues like nuclear waste and where you would locate a power plant, issues that are all outstanding, it is up to Scott Morrison to say why he has put this on the agenda today…….https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2019/apr/18/federal-election-2019-coalition-labor-tax-climate-economy-shorten-morrison-politics-live

April 22, 2019 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, election 2019 | Leave a comment