Australian Greens dispute Senate Committee’s claim that nuclear energy is “clean”
No one need be killed or injured for want of a wind turbine or solar panel and for this reason it is appropriate to call renewable energy peaceful and clean. Every country has abundant indigenous sources of their own renewable energy. The Indian Ocean Region has abundant solar radiation that could power solar thermal power plants, providing sustainable, reliable and independent energy. Australia providing that form of technology and assistance, rather than uranium, would provide tangible and material benefits to both Australia and the countries of the Indian Ocean Rim
Dissenting Report Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam 14 June 13 The Senate Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Committee inquired into The Importance of the Indian Ocean rim for Australia’s foreign, trade and defence policy . http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate_Committees?url=fadt_ctte/indianocean/index.htm
The Greens dissented on some statements about nuclear power and uranium
These dissenting remarks are restricted to citations or comments in the Committee’s report that exaggerate the prospects of the uranium market in the Indian Ocean Region or which erroneously refer to nuclear as a clean energy source.
The Department of Resources and Energy falsely states that uranium is the “sleeping giant of Australian export commodities.” While the indestructible optimism of the Department may have therapeutic value, it is simply not grounded in reality. Uranium accounts for only 0.29 per cent of national export revenue and less than 0.015 per cent of Australian jobs in the decade to 2011. Further, companies like BHP and Cameco are mothballing their uranium projects.
The fact is that the nuclear industry has been badly shaken by the global financial crisis, its spiralling costs, the ongoing Fukushima disaster and overwhelming competition from renewable energy. Continue reading
Tony Abbott is a danger to clean energy in Australia
Tony Abbott’s proposed main business adviser just revealed that he thinks efforts to build more clean energy in Australia should be scrapped.
Top Abbott business adviser wants renewables target scrapped Maurice Newman, chairman of Coalition’s proposed business advisory council, doubts scientific case for global warming Lenore Taylor, political editor guardian.co.uk, 13 June 2013 The chairman of Tony Abbott’s proposed business advisory council, Maurice Newman, has called for the renewable energy target (RET) to be scrapped because he believes the scientific evidence for global warming and the economic case for renewable energy no longer stack up…….
Whether the Coalition will change their policy on the RET is up to them … I believe it should be removed because the basis upon which we accepted in good faith that we needed it is no longer there…..
- when we look at the science it no longer supports the global warming theory and when we look at the health and economic effects of windfarms and the obscene wealth transfer from poor to rich we have to ask: why are we persisting with them? I think it is a crime against the people.”….
Guardian Australia contacted Newman after seeing minutes of a meeting of an anti-windfarm group called the Crookwell District Landscape Guardians at his southern highlands property on 28 April.Newman appeared to warn the 56 attendees they might not sway the Coalition……
other anti-windfarm activists are preparing for a 18 June rally at Parliament House, effectively trying to use the same “people’s revolt” strategy encouraged by Abbott against the carbon tax to try to push the Coalition leader to drop the RET and stop new windfarms.
A slick, anonymously-run website called Stop These Things (STT) urged readers to attend the June rally because “while it’s safe to assume the Coalition will cruise to victory in September, don’t assume they are on our side”. It added: “It’s time to put them in the spotlight and find out precisely where they stand … the main game is in Canberra where the RET policy was started and where it has to end. The Coalition need to get the message loud and clear – and the message is simple. Australia simply can’t afford the great wind power fraud…… Continue reading
Labor and Liberal in happy agreement pro uranium mining
States sign agreement on uranium ABC News, Jun 12, 2013 The New South Wales and South Australian governments have signed an agreement to encourage mining and exploration along the border of the two states.
The memorandum of understanding was signed at a uranium mining conference in Darwin yesterday.
Uranium exploration has only recently been allowed in NSW, while it is already being mined at Honeymoon and Beverley over the border…… “They want to see politicians whether they’re Liberal, Labor or National all working together and we are.”
Mr Hartcher says the agreement does not open the door to uranium mining in NSW….. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-12/states-sign-agreement-on-uranium/4748452
Liberal Coalition in the grip of front groups opposing wind energy
Windfarm industry fears consequences of Coalition turbine noise policy, Guardian UK Lenore Taylor, political editor, 12 June 13, Firms say they face crippling costs if forced to monitor in ‘real-time’ noise some blame for health problems The Coalition will impose new noise monitoring rules on windfarms that the multibillion dollar industry says will inflict crippling costs, provide no useful information and represent another victory for an anti-noise campaign by concerned citizens backed in part by the climate sceptic lobby.
The yet-to-be-released resources policy is set to require all windfarms to provide “real-time” noise monitoring, with the findings immediately publicly available, so nearby residents concerned about the alleged health impact of windfarms can compare the results with strict state government noise controls. The Coalition resources spokesman, Ian Macfarlane, will also try to introduce the measures before the election with a private members bill.
People living close to windfarms have reported symptoms including headaches, sleeplessness and nausea. Several residents experiencing the symptoms have given evidence at inquiries, but a recent study by Prof Simon Chapman of Sydney University found incidence of the sickness was far more prevalent in communities where anti-windfarm lobbyists had been active and suggested it might be a psychological phenomenon caused by the belief that turbines make people sick. “As anti-windfarm interest groups began to stress health problems in their advocacy, and to target new windfarm developments, complaints grew,” said Chapman. Continue reading
Greens’ Alex Bhathal likely to take over federal seat of pro nuclear Martin Ferguson
Alex Bhathal has worked tirelessly for 4 years on issues concerning her local electorate of Batman. Not that Bhathal is forgetting national and global concerns, either. The electorate of Batman deserves a highly intelligent and committed representative to represent this community, while furthering issues of benefit to the nation.
This could be a big change from having Martin Ferguson a celebrity-star puppet of the nuclear and fossil fuel industries as Member of Parliament for Batman
Greens set sights on Batman http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/greens-set-sights-on-batman-20130607-2nuso.html June 7, 2013 Aisha Dow It’s meant to be the safest Labor seat in the nation.
But as the party bickers over preselection for the Melbourne electorate, the Greens have declared “Batman’s next” and pronounced themselves a genuine chance to snatch a surprise outright victory.
In her fourth time running as the Greens’ candidate for Batman, Alex Bhathal said she has been flooded with community donations.”I’ve had aged pensioners donating, people in public housing giving me five dollars, it’s just extraordinary people’s belief in the Greens and what we stand for,” Ms Bhathal said.
Instead he said the battle for Batman will be a two-horse race between the Greens and a Labor party he said no longer represented the progressive views of the electorate.
In the last federal election Ms Bhathal, a Preston social worker, achieved a swing of 6.3 per cent, pinching most of those votes off retiring former Labor frontbencher Martin Ferguson. She’ll need an even bigger swing, of about 8 per cent, if she is to turf out Labor in September.But on Ms Bhathal’s past form, which has seen the Green’s primary vote rise by almost 20 per cent within a decade, Bob Brown challenged the perception Batman was in fact as “safe” as it has been touted.
“It’s been seen as the safest because the Liberal vote is so small. The Greens vote is growing rapidly and the bean counters tend to look at the two big parties and don’t see the Greens coming,” he said. “It’s happened in Cunningham, we won the first seat in the lower house and it’s happened in Melbourne. “Batman is next.”
Best to vote Green – global warming concerns Liberals Malcolm Fraser and John Hewson
Former Liberal PM Malcolm Fraser reckons you should vote Green in September! The Australian Greens 8 June 13 Former PM Malcolm Fraser just asked his twitter followers to vote Green, after a discussion on global warming & funding schools through the Gonski reforms.
On Lateline last night, former Liberal leader John Hewson called on Australia’s $80+ billion Future Fund to cut global warming risk in their portfolio – just after Christine Milne launched our plan for the Fund to leave coal companies behind.
Two Coalition leaders in 24 hours. Do you think Mr Abbott might get onboard with tackling global warming and funding public schools too?
No? Better vote Green on September 14, then.
VIDEO: Senator Ludlam asks Minister Carr about Wikileaks and Bradley Manning
Assange no concern of ours, says Carr, The Age, 7 June 13
- The Australian government has washed its hands of Julian Assange as prosecutors at the trial of US soldier Bradley Manning have openly targeted the WikiLeaks publisher as a conspirator engaged in espionage.
Foreign Minister Bob Carr has told a Senate budget estimates committee that the government would make no more representations to the US on Assange’s circumstances because his case “doesn’t affect Australian interests”.
Senator Carr’s declaration that he would not “over-service” Assange’s consular needs came after US military prosecutors left no doubt that they regard the WikiLeaks chief not as a journalist dealing with sources but as a conspirator in the theft of classified information. Continue reading
Tony Abbott’s climate views a danger to our children’s future
Christine Milne: Abbott’s climate stance jeopardises the future of children Lenore Taylor, political editor guardian.co.uk, 6 June 13, Greens leader plans ‘keep the bastards honest’ campaign, casting party as Senate curb on Coalition excesses Milne talks to Guardian Australia The Greens leader, Christine Milne, has suggested Tony Abbott is not fit for leadership because of his stance on climate change, but she is preparing a Democrats-style “keep the bastards honest” election campaign to stop Abbott’s “excesses” in the Senate, on the assumption he will be prime minister.
In an interview with Guardian Australia, Milne said the Liberal leader’s personal politics were threatening the planet. “Tony Abbott has been so irresponsible in terms of addressing global warming,” she said. “He has chosen to jeopardise the future of children, of generations henceforth, of species, by putting his own political perspective ahead of actually addressing global warming. Continue reading
Greens push to cease Future Fund’s investments in fossil fuel industries
Greens push to end Future Fund fossil fuel investment http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/greens-push-to-end-future-fund-fossil-fuel-investment-20130606-2nr45.html#ixzz2VVM2J100 Peter Hannam Carbon economy editor, 6 June 13,
The Greens will on Thursday launch a campaign to get the $85 billion Future Fund to sell its holdings in fossil-fuel industries, starting with coal. The fund’s energy holdings now total about $3 billion, and are exposed to a ”carbon bubble” as nations shift towards low-carbon fuels, Greens leader Christine Milne said. The International Energy Agency last year estimated that two-thirds of proven fossil-fuel reserves would have to remain in the ground if the world is to avoid global warming of 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels.
”It’s good for the planet, good for people and good for long-term financial management to get out of coal,” Senator Milne said.The Greens are hoping to match the success of the anti-tobacco push, which led to the Future Fund deciding in February to dump its $222 million holdings of tobacco-related investments.
The Future Fund ”takes a very serious approach to environmental, social and corporate governance issues”, spokesman Will Hetherton said. However, exiting coal or other fossil fuels ”is certainly not on the current agenda”.
Senator Milne is hoping the campaign will spread to other superannuation funds, mimicking the push among US universities and other institutions to divest fossil-fuel investments. Tom Swann, a spokesman for Fossil Free ANU, said his university’s council recently discussed plans to set up responsible investment guidelines and will seek public input.
ANU has more than $80 million invested in coal, coal seam gas and other fossil investments out of about $260 million in equities, he said.
“The divestment campaign has really taken off in the USA, with campuses and city governments as large as Seattle and San Francisco dropping their investments in fossil fuels because people understand that if it’s wrong to wreck the climate, it’s wrong to profit from the wreckage,” said US environmentalist, Bill McKibben, ahead of a speech at ANU on Wednesday. ”Divestment had a real impact in the fight against apartheid, something Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu recognise, and it’s an important part of tackling climate change
Queensland’s electricity consumers copping huge costs paid to State Government
Qld’s financial bonanza from networks – paid for by consumers REneweconomy, By Giles Parkinson 4 June 2013As Queensland Premier Campbell Newman and his senior ministers continue their campaign to vilify rooftop solar, a new report has thrown further light on the real reason behind the massive increases in electricity bills in recent years – the huge increase in money pocketed from the network providers by the state government.
A report prepared for the Queensland CaneGrowers association by Melbourne-based energy consultancy CME says receipts pocketed by the state government from its network operators has more than doubled each year – from $47 million in 2007/8 to $970 million in 2011/12 – and this has been paid for by the consumers. Continue reading
Where does Northern Territory’s Chief Minister Giles stand on NT becoming nuclear waste dump host?
Nuke waste for Barkly? Tennant and District Times, By By Barkly MLA Gerry McCarthy May 31, 2013, “……..The Federal Court hearing in relation to Muckaty Station as Australia’s first nuclear waste management facility should become the Chief Minister’s ‘yard-stick’ as the decision reflects, can a small family group make a decision about Aboriginal land allowing development that adversely impacts on the extended clan, moiety and tribal owners including traditional owners from surrounding Aboriginal land?
Chief Minister Adam Giles, has not declared his position or the CLP Government’s position on the NT becoming the repository for Australia’s nuclear waste including intermediate to high level waste from nuclear fuel rods and decommissioned nuclear reactor from Sydney’s Lucas Heights.
However where do Mr Giles and his Government members stand on the Muckaty nomination as Territory Labor’s position has not changed in opposition to Federal colleagues imposing Australia’s first nuclear waste dump on the NT! http://www.tennantcreektimes.com.au/story/1540673/bali-for-tiwis-nuke-waste-for-barkly/?cs=1261
Hear this: Clean Energy Finance Corporation will issue contracts to low carbon companies, despite Abbott’s threat
Clean Energy Finance Corporation told to shelve contracts http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-29/clean-energy-investment-at-stake-if-coalition-wins-election/4720894 AUDIO: Sarah Clarke reports on the clean energy future(The World Today) 29 May 13 The Coalition has already promised to dump the $10 billion Clean Energy Finance Corporation.
It was set up to lend money to firms delivering clean energy and low emissions, to give them a kick-start in the market.The Coalition is now warning it to stop drawing up contracts for new projects until after the election…….
Reserve Bank board member Jillian Broadbent, the chair of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, says she is disappointed with the Coalition’s plans.
“There’s a lot of confusion about what we are and what the working model is and what kind of costs we’re going to be to the taxpayer, because on our numbers we’re going to be financially self-sufficient in probably within the first two years of our operation,” she said.”Then you start generating dividends which go to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency which can save the Government putting funds into that agency directly.”
The fund is currently considering applicants from at least 50 low carbon and low emission companies with contracts worth up to $2 billion.It plans to start issuing those contracts on July 1, despite calls for them to be shelved until after September.
Fund has ‘obligation to fulfil responsibilities’
Ms Broadbent says shelving the contracts is not possible. “We have an obligation to fulfil those responsibilities and that’s what we’re doing,” she said……..
The parliamentary secretary for Climate Change Yvette D’Ath says the Clean Energy Finance Corporation has a guaranteed future if Labor is re-elected. “These businesses have to meet very strict investment guidelines and criteria to get that finance through the Clean Energy Finance Corporation,” she said.
“So we’re very confident that there’ll be that rigour, there’ll be that transparency and that this will attract a lot of investment in Australia to invest in renewable energy.”
Clean Energy Finance Corporation explains its value, to Australia’s Liberal Coalition
Green fund makes its case to Coalition The Age, May 29, 2013 –
The Clean Energy Finance Corporation’s chief executive Oliver Yates outlines the case for preserving his $10 billion green fund in an email sent to the Coalition’s finance spokesman Andrew Robb.
The Coalition has vowed to scrap the fund if it wins office at the September 14 elections, and has called for the new corporation to halt loans before it formally starts operations on July 1.
Highlights of the email include the potential benefit to the Victorian economy of projects being considered, and that “active discussions are underway” with more than 50 project proponents, which are seeking CEFC finance of about $2 billion. CEFC has also received proposals from some 119 additional project proponents seeking CEFC finance of more than $3.3 billion.
(Sub-headlines have been added to break up the text.)
‘Rigorous commercial basis’…….
Public benefits…..
Externalities…..
Simpler approach…..
Project discussions…. http://www.theage.com.au/business/carbon-economy/green-fund-makes-its-case-to-coalition-20130529-2naxp.html#ixzz2UpEjXYvQ
23 per cent of Victorian voters likely to vote for Julian Assange
New poll reveals that Julian Assange could win senate seat in Australian elections, TNT 29th May 2013 By Emma Featherstone Assange’s bid for a senate seat was seen by many as a stunt, but a poll has found 26 per cent of Australians would vote him in.
The Senate is in the upper chamber of Australia’s National Parliament and is comprised of 12 representatives from the six states, plus a pair of representatives from its territories.
The poll came from data through UMR Research, the Labour Party’s pollster. It was compiled from 1,000 Australian voters’ online answers.
They were asked: “Recently, Wikileaks has announced that Julian Assange plans to run for a seat in the Australian Senate. If he were to run, how likely would you be to vote for him and the Wikileaks Party?” 26 per cent of respondents declared themselves likely voters for the Wikileaks Party. 23 per cent of voters in Victoria, where Assange will run, consider themselves “likely” to vote for his party……. New poll reveals that Julian Assange could win senate seat in Australian elections – TNT Magazine
AUDIO: Clean energy investment frustrated due to fear of Abbott win in Australian election
Clean energy sector faces uncertain future if Coalition wins federal election http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-29/clean-energy-investment-at-stake-if-coalition-wins-election/4720894 ABC Radio The World Today 29 May 13 By environment reporter Sarah Clarke Billions of dollars worth of investments in the clean energy sector are at stake if the Coalition wins the federal election in September.
The Coalition is vowing to scrap the carbon tax, review the renewable energy target and axe the $10 billion Clean Energy Finance Corporation if it takes Government.
As the largest owner of installed wind energy capacity in Australia, the company Infigen says the current level of uncertainty is playing havoc with some big investments.”It’s a problem that’s been in our industry for a number of years because it’s the first time legislation’s been reviewed or tinkered with,” Infigen’s executive director Miles George said.
“Now we have a prospect of a change of government, that uncertainty will remain until there is a change of government and a further review of the renewable energy target. “So yes, at the moment investment is pretty much stalled in the industry.”
Mr George says Infigen is yet to decide if it will go ahead with up to $2 billion worth of potential investments.
“We have a number of projects in our development pipeline but we won’t be progressing any of those until there’s more certainty about the legislation,” he said. “It’s very frustrating. Frustrating for our investors, frustrating for our capital providers for the sector, but it’s also frustrating given that the renewable energy target legislation has actually been very effective.”…….
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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