Antinuclear

Australian news, and some related international items

Nick Xenophon Team has NO policy on nuclear wastes

How long can Senator Nick Xenophon sit on the fence regarding the plan for Australia to import the world’s nuclear waste?

Xenophon sitting on fence

Xenophon has said that he wants a referendum in South Australia, on this issue – BUT ONLY AFTER a dump site has been selected. 

Nuclear waste dumping was the main focus of questions at a recent Nick Xenophon forum.

The nuclear waste import plan is not just a matter for South Australia. It is  a critically important issue for all of Australia. With the federal election looming, it’s becoming apparent that the Nick Xenophon Team could well hold the balance of power, post election.

There’s no mention of nuclear issues in their national policy. Not good enough. Time Xenophon came clean  on whether or not he will fall in with the nuclear lobby’s plans.

June 10, 2016 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, election 2016 | Leave a comment

South Australia’s Labor and Liberal leaders for nuclear jaunt together to Finland

Tweedle-NuclearWeatherill, Marshall to make bipartisan trip to permanent nuke waste dump in Finland June 9, 2016 , Daniel Wills and Luke Griffiths,The Advertiser

PREMIER Jay Weatherill and Opposition Leader Steven Marshall will make a bipartisan trip to Finland in August and visit the world’s first long-term nuclear waste storage facility……

The bipartisan delegation to Finland will also include members of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission Consultation and Response Agency Advisory Board, which is overseeing statewide consultation on the proposal as the State Government considers whether to proceed.

It will visit the Onkalo nuclear waste facility in northern Finland, where the country plans to bury its own spent fuel in a labyrinth of tunnels 520m under the ground for permanent storage.  Onkalo is expected to accept fuel for 100 years before being sealed for eternity. The facility is currently under construction is expected to become operational within a decade.

Mr Weatherill said it was critical to see first-hand the kind of facility SA could build.

“The research and evidence shows SA can safely deepen its involvement in the nuclear fuel cycle,” he said. “I want to see first-hand what this might look like and see what lessons Finland can share with us, should this be something South Australians want to consider.”

“To make an informed decision later this year, it’s important that I understand the concept of deep geological disposal. This bipartisan visit to the Onkalo site will allow us to learn valuable lessons from the Finnish experience, which we will share with the SA community.”

Mr Marshall said it’s important there is a bipartisan investigation of the opportunity and co-operation during the community consultation process.

 Business SA chief executive Nigel McBride,…….was part of a Committee for Economic Development of Australia panel on Thursday that discussed the pros and cons of a nuclear waste facility.

Also on the panel was Greg Ward, chief of staff to the Nuclear Royal Commission…….http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/weatherill-marshall-to-make-bipartisan-trip-to-permanent-nuke-waste-dump-in-finland/news-story/8a1be359682fb154b4fdccd48cc36dca

June 10, 2016 Posted by | NUCLEAR ROYAL COMMISSION 2016, politics, South Australia, wastes | Leave a comment

Greens move to prevent vested interests profiting from Federal nuclear waste dump

greensSmFederal election 2016: Greens would put nuke dump on hold, THE AUSTRALIAN, JUNE 10, 2016  The Greens are pushing to stockpile radioactive waste in suburban Sydney, pending an independent inquiry that would expressly ­exclude evidence from anyone who might profit from a dedicated ­nuclear dump.

The party’s nuclear policy would cancel the process led by Resources Minister Josh Frydenberg that has identified farmland at Barndioota, 400km north of Adelaide, as a potential nuclear waste site, despite objections raised by some traditional owners.

Under the policy, exports of Australian nuclear medicine to overseas patients would be curbed and research would be funded to find alternatives to radiotherapy.

The proposed independent ­inquiry would be charged with recom­mending a long-term solution to storing nuclear waste — typically, used medical equipment and spent fuel rods from Sydney’s Lucas Heights reactor — without imposing a dump site on reluctant communities.

In the meantime, intermediate-level nuclear waste would contin­ue to be warehoused at the Lucas Heights reactor in Sydney’s south.

The inquiry would hear from community groups and experts in engineering, social science, envir­onmental science, community consultation, radiation and medicine, the policy says.

However, witnesses deemed to have a “conflict of interest” — that is, those who might profit from the storage of nuclear waste — would be excluded from the process.

“The Greens policy delivers a way forward by redirecting existing funding of $30 million from the current process to a new deliberative public inquiry focused on transparency and evidence to come up with the best possible ­solutions,” South Australian Greens senator Robert Simms said.

The policy adds to the growing list of demands that Bill Shorten would face in exchange for the minor party’s support in the event of a hung parliament……..

The Greens’ proposed inquiry would run alongside a separate royal commission into British ­nuclear testing in South Australia and Western Australia in the 1950s and 1960s.  http://www.theaustralian.com.au/federal-election-2016/federal-election-2016-greens-would-put-nuke-dump-on-hold/news-story/42fabc8f9172fe65f1f282322fe60ade

June 10, 2016 Posted by | election 2016, politics, wastes | Leave a comment

Election 2016: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders unite

Launch of the #RedfernStatement 2016
https://changetherecord.org.au/blog/news/election-2016-national-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-leaders-unite
“The #RedfernStatement at a glance:
The Statement calls on the next Federal Government to:
– Restore the $534m cut from the Indigenous Affairs Portfolio by the 2014 Budget.
– Commit to better and ongoing engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through their representative national peaks.
– Recommit to Closing the Gap by:
i. setting targets to reduce rates of family violence, incarceration and out-of-home care and increase access to disability support services; and
ii. securing national funding agreements to drive the implementation of national strategies.
– Commit to working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders to establish a Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs in the future.
– Commit to address the unfinished business of reconciliation.”

June 10, 2016 Posted by | election 2016 | Leave a comment

Labor politicians ambivalent on nuclear waste importing?

alp-indecision 1Already, I have received a number of replies to my question to Labor politicians and candidates. Some replies have directly answered the question:

“Would you vote for changing Labor Nuclear Policy or would you vote to keep the present policy?”

Quite a few Labor politicians have opted to send a standard answer, THAT DOESN’T QUITE ANSWER THE QUESTION.  (I have wtitten back, politely asking them for more clarity on their personal position) This is their reply:

Thank you for your email regarding nuclear waste.
Labor is strongly opposed to the importation and storage of nuclear waste that is sourced from overseas in Australia.
However, Australian produces much of its own radioactive material – life-saving medical diagnoses and treatments, industry, agriculture, veterinary science, communications and home consumer products all generate and use radioactive material in some way.
Most nuclear waste generated in Australia is low-level nuclear material including contaminated paper, plastic, protective clothing, glassware and smoke detectors.
Australians also produce much smaller amounts of intermediate-level waste from reprocessing spent fuel used in scientific and industrial research as well as production of lifesaving nuclear medicines. Very small volumes also arise from other medical, veterinary and industrial practices including disused radiotherapy and industrial radiography sources.
In health, ANSTO produces more than 500,000 patient doses of life-saving nuclear medicines each year. These are used in diagnosing and treating a wide variety of medical problems including cancers, heart and lung diseases and bone damage. During their lifetime, one in two Australians will benefit from diagnoses or treatment using nuclear medicines. That’s more than 10 million people.
We should not expect these benefits without accepting the responsibility of managing and storing the waste radioactive material generated.
Australia’s current management and storage arrangements create unnecessary complexity, causing safety and security risks. 
A national facility will provide a long-term answer to the safe storage and management of the radioactive waste that Australians will continue to produce.
The site-selection process for this national facility is a necessarily long and in-depth process and must not be rushed. Environmental, meteorological, hydrological and heritage evaluations must be considered before final site selection.
Regional consultative committees need to provide extensive and continuing community consultation, honestly and openly, allowing communities to make decisions based on facts.
Labor is committed to finding a solution for storage of Australia’s nuclear waste. We will continue to oppose the importation of nuclear waste from other countries.

 

June 9, 2016 Posted by | election 2016 | Leave a comment

Rushing the South Australian nuclear waste discussion will be a failure

scrutiny-Royal-Commission CHAINRoyal commission engagement expert says nuclear opportunities will disappear if decision is rushed  http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/business/royal-commission-engagement-expert-says-nuclear-opportunities-will-disappear-if-decision-is-rushed/news-story/f1bc0cf254e6b9d934669704a1b7196c June 8, 2016 Luke Griffiths The Advertiser THE person responsible for the Nuclear Royal Commission’s regional engagement says that if community consultation is rushed to meet political deadlines, the whole process will fall over.

Jon Bok, a former stakeholder engagement adviser to Santos, visited more than 50 SA communities over the course of 12 months. He told attendees at an Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy uranium conference in Adelaide yesterday that if the State Government is to develop a high-level nuclear waste repository, the “fundamental threshold issue of safety has to be addressed”.

“For many people, it’s going to take a long time to get from where they are now to have a sufficient level of trust and confidence in government and industry that this can actually be done safely and taken forward,” he said.

Resistance remained strong in many areas, which Mr Bok said can be attributed in part to legacy issues that include the British government’s nuclear tests in Maralinga and issues at Radium Hill uranium mine in the state’s far east.

Royal Commission head Kevin Scarce delivered his final report to Premier Jay Weatherill in early May. His key finding was that a high-level waste storage facility would generate economic benefits in excess of $250 billion and that its development should be pursued by the State Government.

Mr Weatherill has since established a consultation and response agency, overseen by an advisory board, and a citizens’ jury to facilitate further community feedback.

He told Parliament on May 17 that, guided by the outcomes of this engagement, he will provide the Government’s response to the Commission’s report by the end of the year.

While unwilling to criticise the Government, Mr Bok said a timeline must not be set on the education of “dubious and curious” residents.

“There’s simply not going to be enough information in the public domain to make a yes or no decision in the next 12-18 months,” he said.

“The Government wants to be in a position to know where to take this by the end of the year, which is a very short time frame. But all of the international evidence suggests that rushing this process will lead to failure — it cannot be rushed. Continue reading →

June 8, 2016 Posted by | NUCLEAR ROYAL COMMISSION 2016, politics, South Australia | Leave a comment

Warning on threat posed by nuclear waste plan to South Australia’s clean agriculture image

South Australia nuclear toiletAgriculture and Water Resources Assistant Minister Anne Ruston warns SA nuke plan mustn’t come at expense of clean, green image, The Advertiser, June 7, 2016 FEDERAL Agriculture and Water Resources Assistant Minister Anne Ruston has warned concerns about the country’s international reputation for exporting clean and green food must be addressed before proposals for nuclear waste storage in the state could be approved.

Senator Ruston today appeared for the Liberals at an Adelaide City Council debate of candidates for the federal seat of Adelaide, after her party’s David Colovic declined to appear……..

Senator Ruston said the Coalition was open to considering the prospect of nuclear waste in SA, but stressed it should not come at the cost of the state’s reputation for premium produce. “I am the assistant minister for agriculture and water resources. I believe that SA, but also the whole of Australia, has a competitive advantage in the international marketplace because we’re clean, we’re green and we’re safe,” she told the audience…….

Xenophon, NickNick Xenophon Team candidate Joe Hill said the state should vote before approval was given.

“Certainly glad that we’re having a discussion around this and remain open-minded.

“We do support a referendum because of the magnitude and significance of this,” he said.

Speaking on FIVEaa radio this morning, Labor Leader Bill Shorten said: “Consultations around that have got a long way to go, so I’m going to concentrate on winning the election and prioritising jobs rather than get into that debate at this point.”……http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/agriculture-and-water-resources-assistant-minister-anne-ruston-warns-sa-nuke-plan-mustnt-come-at-expense-of-clean-green-image/news-story/baf27ae82b2098a613609d8131fe3e4f?sv=501bdd53a265db7876b5905830257d73

June 8, 2016 Posted by | politics, South Australia | Leave a comment

First a propaganda push for nuclear waste importing, then one for nuclear submarines

Federal election 2016: nuclear-powered subs needs discussion, PETER JENNINGS, THE AUSTRALIAN, JUNE 7 “……..Readers will ­appreciate the irony of Australia selecting the French-designed Shortfin Barracuda — a nuclear submarine that will be adapted to conventional propulsion……….

[2016 white paper] –

“During the long life of the new submarines, the rapid rate of technological change and ongoing evolution of Australia’s strategic circumstances will continue. As part of the rolling acquisition program, a review based on strategic circumstances at the time, and ­developments in submarine technology, will be conducted in the late 2020s to consider whether the configuration of the submarines remains suitable or whether consideration of other specifications should commence.”

This could be hinting that ­nuclear propulsion may be considered a decade or more from now. However, no Australian government in the 2030s or later will be in a position to adopt nuclear propulsion unless earlier decisions have been taken to prepare the ground for such a major development…….

After the 2016 election, the government should start to scope out what steps might sensibly be taken to create a realistic option for ­nuclear propulsion at the end of the 2020s. A key part of this strategy should be to have an open discussion with the Australian people explaining the basis for the submarine design decision. Government should consider the following steps:

1. Commission an expert panel to evaluate the necessary steps to position for a nuclear propulsion ­option. The panel should produce a public discussion paper setting out the challenges, risks, opportunities, financial cost and industry requirements necessary to support this technology. Continue reading →

June 8, 2016 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics, South Australia, weapons and war | Leave a comment

New South Wales people: put your Labor politicians on the nuclear spot!

ALP IndecisionSAMPLE EMAIL

 It is best to send emails or letters in your own  words. However, here’s USA election 2016an example anyway.

My website will follow with interest – the politicians who bothered to answer, and whether or not they will stick to Labor’s policy.
Your own address, and date
 Sender’s address
The Hon Mr or Ms……..
Member for
Dear …….
 As the Federal Election approaches, I need to know what is you position on the nuclear issue.
The 2015 National Policy Platform states:
  1. Labor will:
  • Vigorously and totally oppose the ocean dumping of radioactive waste; 
  • Prohibit the establishment of nuclear power plants and all other stages of the nuclear fuel cycle in Australia; 
  • Fully meet all Australia’s obligations as a party to the NPT; and 
  • Remain strongly opposed to the importation and storage of nuclear waste that is sourced from overseas in Australia.
The South Australian Labor government t is promoting a move to import nuclear wastes.  In view of this, the National Labor Party will surely be re-examining the national policy.
Before deciding on my vote, I need to be sure of Labor policy on this issue.
 Please tell me:
Will you vote to keep the present Labor policy as above, or will you vote to change it?
Yours faithfully
Your name
NEW SOUTH WALES LABOR FEDERAL MPs, SENATORS and CANDIDATES

MPs
Hon Anthony Albanese MP   for grayndler  A.Albanese.MP@aph.gov.au (02) 6277 4664
Hon Sharon Bird MP for Cunningham  Sharon.Bird.MP@aph.gov.au  (02) 6277 4244
Hon Chris Bowen MP for McMahon, Chris.Bowen.MP@aph.gov.au  (02) 9604 0710
Hon Tony Burke MP  for Watson Tony.Burke.MP@aph.gov.au  (02) 9750 9088
Hon Jason Clare MP for Blaxland  – no email  (02) 9790 2466
Hon Ms Sharon Claydon MP – no email (02) 4926 1555
Hon  Mr Pat Conroy MP  Pat.Conroy. MP@aph.gov.au   02) 4954 261
Hon Justine Elliot MP – for Richmond  Justine.Elliot.MP@aph.gov.au  (07) 5523 4371
Hon Joel Fitzgibbon MP – for Hunter   Joel.fitzgibbon.MP@aph.gov.au  (02) 4991 1022
Hon Mr Chris Hayes MP – for Fowler  Chris.Hayes.MP@aph.gov.au   (02) 9726 3988
Hon Ed Husic MP for Chifley – no email  (02) 6277 4488
Mr Stephen Jones MP for Throsby  no email  (02) 4262 6122
Hon  Ms Julie Owens MP   for Parramatta Julie.Owens.MP@aph.gov.au  (02) 6277 4134

 Hon Tanya Plibersek MP for Sydney –   (02) 6277 4404   tanya.plibersek.mp@aph.gov.au

Ms Michelle Rowland MP – for Greenway  michelle.rowland.mp@aph.gov.au  (02) 9671 4780

SENATORS

Senator the Hon Doug Cameron    senator.cameron@aph.gov.au  (02) 6277 3367

Senator Sam Dastyari    senator.dastyari@aph.gov.au   (02) 9326 5987
Senator Jenny McAllister  jennifer.mcallister@aph.gov.au  (02) 9719 8100

Senator Deborah O’Neill  – no email –  (02) 4367 4565
 
CANDIDATES  

Peter Alley  for Lyne peter@peteralley.com  0428 327 525

Josh Andrews – for Berowra josh@joshnandrews.com 0423 132 262

Aoife Champion for HUme – aoife.champion@nswlabor.org.au 0413 794 318

Anne Charlton – for Robertson – no email – 0412 863 792
Milton Dick – for Oxley Milton.Dick@australianlabor.com.au   (07) 3372 8980
Michael Freelander for Macarthur –  mike.freelander@australianlabor.com.au  0499 938 5030
Rhonda Funnell for Mackellar – for Mackellar Rhonda.Funnell@nswlabor.org.au0400 916 196
Chris Gambian for Banks – chris@chrisgambian.com.au   0438 898 198
Katie Gompertz for Bradfield – no email 0417 952 723

Lyndal Howison for Bennelong – lyndalhowison@gmail.com 0478 913 841
Emma Husar for Lindsay – emma.husar@australianlabor.com.au  0499 394 517
Mr Jess Jennings- http://www.jesswecan.net (no ph no.)
Christian Kunde for Farrer – christian.kunde@nswlabor.org.au 0423 413 849
Emma McBride for Dobell – (no ph no)
Fiona Phillips for Glmore – Fiona.Phillips@nswlabor.org.au 0434626669
Andrew Punch for Mitchell  0490 347 212 mitchell@andrewpunch.com.au

Diedree Steinwall for Hughes Diedree.Steinwall@nswlabor.org.au  0415 578 318
Susan Templeman for Macquarie susantempleman@gmail.com (no ph no)
Damian Wood for Cowper  (contact not available)

June 7, 2016 Posted by | election 2016 | Leave a comment

Labor politicians and candidates: question them on nuclear policy!

ALP IndecisionSAMPLE EMAIL USA election 2016

 It is best to send emails or letters in your own  words. However, here’s an example anyway.

My website will follow with interest – the politicians who bothered to answer, and whether or not they will stick to Labor’s policy.
Your own address, and date
 Sender’s address
The Hon Mr or Ms……..
Member for
Dear …….
 As the Federal Election approaches, I need to know what is you position on the nuclear issue.
The 2015 National Policy Platform states:
  1. Labor will:
  • Vigorously and totally oppose the ocean dumping of radioactive waste; 
  • Prohibit the establishment of nuclear power plants and all other stages of the nuclear fuel cycle in Australia; 
  • Fully meet all Australia’s obligations as a party to the NPT; and 
  • Remain strongly opposed to the importation and storage of nuclear waste that is sourced from overseas in Australia.
The South Australian Labor government t is promoting a move to import nuclear wastes.  In view of this, the National Labor Party will surely be re-examining the national policy.
Before deciding on my vote, I need to be sure of Labor policy on this issue.
 Please tell me:
Will you vote to keep the present Labor policy as above, or will you vote to change it?
Yours faithfully
Your name
VICTORIAN MEMBERS OF FEDERAL PARLIAMENT
Hon Anthony Byrne MP – MP for Holt   Anthony.Byrne.MP@aph.gov.au  (03) 9796 7533
Hon Ms Lisa Chesters MP – for Bendigo  Lisa.Chesters.MP@aph.gov.au (03) 5443 9055
Hon Michael Danby MP – Melbourne Ports – Michael.Danby.MP@aph.gov.au (03) 9534 8126
Hon Mark Dreyfus QC, MP – for Isaacs –   mark.dreyfus.mp@aph.gov.au
Hon David Feeney – for Batman     david.feeney@australianlabor.com.au
Hon Andrew Giles for Scullin – Andrew.Giles@vic.alp.org.au  (03) 9404 1911
Hon Catherine King  MP for Ballarat  Catherine.King.MP@aph.gov.au    03) 5338 8123
Hon Jenny Macklin – for Jagajaga no email.(03) 9459 1411Richard Marles- for Coria     richard.marles.mp@aph.gov.au    03) 5221 3033

Rob Mitchell MP  – for Mcewan    rob.mitchell.mp@aph.gov.au  (03) 9333 0440
Brendan O’Connor for Gorton    Brendan.O’Connor.MP@aph.gov.au   (03) 8390 6166
Clare O’Neil – for Hotham     Clare.ONeil.MP@aph.gov.au     (03) 9545 6211
Ms Joanne Ryan- for Lalor – no email (03) 9742 5800
Ms Maria Vamvakinou MP – for Calwell     Maria.Vamvakinou.MP@aph.gov.au (03) 9367 5216
Mr Tim Watts MP for Gellibrand   http://www.timwatts.net.au/Contact/Contact-Info (03)9687 7661

SENATORS VICTORIA
Senator the Hon Kim Carr   senator.carr@aph.gov.au  (03) 9639 2798
Senator the Hon Jacinta Collins     https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Contact_Senator_or_Member?MPID=GB6
03) 9890 7022
Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy   senator.conroy@aph.gov.au (03) 9391 4952
Senator Gavin Marshall   senator.marshall@aph.gov.au  (03) 9348 9699


CANDIDATES  VICTORIA
Chris Buckingham for McMillan   Chris.Buckingham@vic.alp.org.au      0405 518 057
Paul Klisaris – for Ashton paul.klisaris@vic.alp.org.au   0412 516 026
Hovig Melkonian –  for Casey   hovigmelkonian@australianlabor.com.au     0459 959 095
Stefanie Perri – for Chisholm    stefanie.perri@australianlabor.com.au (03) 9544 2192
Shashi Bhatti – for Gippsland  https://www.facebook.com/search/str/Shashi%2BBhatti/keywords_top
Carl Katter – for Higgins  carl@carlkatter.com  0432 507 140
Libby Coker,   for Corangamite, libby.coker@libbycoker.com.au  0400 267 288
Matthew Coote – for Goldstein  matthew.coote@vic.alp.org.au    0435 496 625
Tony Clark – for Deakin (03) 8819 0398 http://tonyclark.net.au/Contact
Simon Curtis for Latrobe    simon.curtis@vic.alp.org.au   0400 174 155
Marg D’Arcy  marg@margdarcy.com  0409859046
Sophie Ismail for Melbourne  sophie4melbourne@gmail.com  0474 014 540
Eric Kerr – for Indi  Eric.Kerr@vic.alp.org.au
Peta Murphy – for Dunkley 0468 778 143 peta.murphy@vic.alp.org.au
Carolyn Gleixner – for Flinders    carolyngleixneralp@gmail.com   (03) 5989 0537
Adam Rundell for Menzies   Adam.Rundell@vic.alp.org.au
Lydia Senior – for Mallee   lydia@lydiasenior.com.au  0447 133 893
Alan Williams for Murray Alan.Williams@vic.alp.org.au

June 6, 2016 Posted by | ACTION, election 2016 | 1 Comment

Submission time again – this time to South Australian Parliamentary Committee

scrutiny-Royal-Commission CHAINJOINT COMMITTEE ON FINDINGS OF THE NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE ROYAL COMMISSION 

A Joint Committee of the South Australian Parliament has been established to consider the findings of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission, focusing on the issues associated with the establishment of a nuclear waste storage facility, and to provide advice, and report on, any South Australian Government legislative, regulatory or institutional arrangements, and any other matter that the Committee sees fit.
Any person or organisation wishing to make a written submission to the Committee, or register an interest in presenting oral evidence to the Committee, is invited to do so by Friday, 1 July 2016.
Written submissions and expressions of interest should be addressed to the Secretary to the Committee, C/- Parliament House, GPO Box 572, Adelaide 5001, by telephone on (08) 8237 9498, or e-mail at guy.dickson@parliament.sa.gov.au Guy Dickson Secretary to the Committee

June 3, 2016 Posted by | NUCLEAR ROYAL COMMISSION 2016, politics, South Australia | Leave a comment

South Australian ‘Citizens’ Jury’ to kick off expensive nuclear publicity juggernaut

Citizens' Jury scrutinyJay Weatherill launches a nuclear propaganda juggernaut, Independent Australia   1 June 2016,  Noel Wauchope examines Jay Weatherill’s elaborate publicity campaign featuring so-called “citizens’ juries” ahead of a nuclear waste dump in South Australia.

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN Premier Jay Weatherill is launching an all out campaign to inform the public about the recent Nuclear Fuel Chain Royal Commission‘s plan for a global nuclear waste importing industry.

This is all going to be terribly democratic, we are told. There will be “citizens’ jury” meetings on 25-26 June and 9-10 July.

I am, in fact, in favour of the citizens’ jury idea. Instead of us being “talked down” to by experts (who are likely to have a vested interest in the nuclear waste import plan), ordinary non-experts hear all the evidence and opposing opinions, discuss these and come up with a sensible verdict……

My first problem with the South Australian citizens’ juries on nuclear waste importing is that the first jury isn’t given a true jury role.

The letter sent to potential jury participants says that their task will be to:

‘… produce an independent guide to help every South Australian understand the recommendations raised by the Royal Commission’s report.’

This jury will not produce a verdict on whether or not the jury thinks that the nuclear waste import plan should go ahead….It is going to provide material for the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission‘s information campaign. And how will this jury gather this information? Well, it will presumably be informed by the newly created Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission Consultation and Response Agency — about which nobody seems to know anything. Who are the members?……

There are other questions as to its role. A citizens’ jury is supposed to have an independent advisory panel. Who will be on this panel? It’s also supposed to have an independent monitor supervising its meetings. Who will this be? The jury will hear expert witnesses. Who will they be? And where will the jury get its documentary information? How transparent will this citizens’ jury be?

One comforting thought is that newDemocracy’s reputation is at stake if their jury process is seen to be unfair. However, will they be able to withstand the pro-nuclear pressure from the Weatherill Government and Kevin Scarce‘s Royal Commission crew?……

Meanwhile, Jay Weatherill has wasted no time in setting out the rest of the process that will follow this first Citizens’ Jury meeting….

This again raises those questions about just who will be informing the public, with what materials and so forth. And there’s another great question that nobody seems keen to answer.

How much is this nuclear publicity juggernaut going to cost taxpayers?  https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/jay-weatherill-launches-a-nuclear-propaganda-juggernaut,9055

June 3, 2016 Posted by | politics, South Australia | Leave a comment

Globally unprecedented scale of Nuclear waste shipments target Australia:

ship radiationNuclear Waste Brief by David Noonan, Independent Environment Campaigner.  3 June 16   An un-declared Australia port is targeted to receive a globally unprecedented scale of high level nuclear waste transport and shipping, facing some 100 000 tonnes of SNF waste over a circa 33 year period of proposed peak Nuclear port operations from project Year 11 to Year 45 (Jacobs MCM, Executive Summary, Figure 3 Timeline of spent fuel transfers, p.5).

This is some 25 per cent higher than the global total of 80 000 tonnes of SNF waste shipped around the world in a 45 year period since 1971 according to the World Nuclear Association report “Transport of Radioactive Materials” (Sept 2015) and the Jacobs MCM consultancy (p.152).

A total of 30 000 tonnes of high level nuclear wastes were shipped to the UK Sellafield reprocessing facility and a total of 40 000 tonnes was shipped to the French La Hague reprocessing facility, by far the world’s largest nuclear ports, in the 45 year period since 1971 (WNA report).

An undeclared Australian port is targeted to take over three times the total tonnage of high level nuclear waste shipped to Sellafield and two and a half times the total tonnage shipped to La Hague.

Some 400 waste ships of high level nuclear waste, totalling 90 000 tonnes SNF waste and requiring 9 000 transport casks, are to be brought into Australia in a 30 year period of peak port operations.

In a comparable 30 year period, there were some 160 high level nuclear waste shipments from Japan to Europe from 1969 to late 1990’s, totalling 7 040 tonnes SNF waste and involving some 4 000 nuclear waste transport casks (WNA report).

Sweden has shipped over 4 500 tonnes SNF waste around the Swedish coast to their CLAB central interim storage facility by mid-2015 (WNA report). Australia is proposed to do so every 18 months.

Questions on the location of a Nuclear port and on the safety of waste shipments:

The SA State government must publicly explain the basis for the farcical claim made by Jacobs MCM (Introduction p.11) of “an abundance of locations” suitable for deep sea Nuclear port sites in SA.

Is a new deep sea Nuclear port and high level SNF waste storage site to be imposed in the coastal region south of Whyalla? Or as reported in The Australian “World’s nuke waste may pass through NT, SA” (12 May 2016): Is the Port of Darwin also in the Nuclear target range?

The Final Report Concludes: “…if a cask was lost at sea and was irrecoverable, there is a potential for some members of the public consuming locally sourced seafood to receive a very small dose of radiation”; and Concludes that terrorist attack scenarios are conceivable and rocket attack has the greatest potential to cause a release of radiation (Appendix L – Transport risk analysis p.312).

A further Jacobs MCM desk top Concludes that radioactivity that escapes from an unrecovered and degrading cask is expected “to be diluted in thousands of cubic kilometres of seawater” (“Safety and risks in the transportation of radioactive material to and from Australia”, April 2016, p.50). see http://www.nodumpalliance.org.au/

 

 

June 3, 2016 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics, reference, safety, wastes | Leave a comment

New DemocracyCo’s co-CEO Emily Jenke says Citizens’ Jury not about manufacturing nuclear consent

Nuclear jury about the big picture, not manufacturing consent. InDaily, Tom Richardson, 3 June 16 The citizens’ jury beginning this month to debate South Australia’s nuclear future is not an attempt to manufacture the “social consent” alluded to by Royal Commissioner Kevin Scarce, but a bid to establish whether it exists, says one of the architects of the forum.

InDaily can reveal that SA-based startup DemocracyCo has won the tender to deliver the first of the two planned Citizens’ Juries, to be held over two weekends, beginning on June 25.

Jenke, Emily New Democracy

The company, which also convened last year’s forum on dog and cat management, will oversee a randomly-selected congregation of 50 South Australians to ponder issues surrounding the prospective local establishment of a high-level nuclear waste dump. The jury selection process was conducted by a separate company, the Sydney-based New Democracy Foundation.

New DemocracyCo’s co-CEO Emily Jenke told InDaily the process was part of a broader body of work whose aim was not to engineer public support, but to “get an understanding by the end of the year as to whether the community are comfortable continuing this discussion”.

“This process… is about understanding; it’s not trying to build social consent, but understanding whether it’s there or not,” Jenke said. Continue reading →

June 3, 2016 Posted by | politics, South Australia, wastes | Leave a comment

Senator Jacqui Lambie comes out fully supporting the nuclear industry

USA election 2016NUCLEAR POWER   https://twitter.com/JacquiLambie

JLN notes that should the majority of Australians agree to allow the establishment of a home-grown industry of nuclear power generation; this of course will significantly de-carbonise our base-load national energy supply and achieve the same purpose as a carbon tax or ETS for the environment, while keeping the cost of electricity low and competitive with our major trading partners.

Lambie,-Jacqui

JLN notes that Australia has more than 30% of the world’s known uranium resources and has the potential to become the new Saudi Arabia of the 21stCentury, which continues to embrace the rapidly advancing technologies and new safer methods of nuclear power generation.

June 3, 2016 Posted by | election 2016 | Leave a comment

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