Julian Assange’s Wikileaks Party to enter Australian politics in 2013
Julian Assange confirms bid for Australian Senate, news.com.au 20 Dec 12 PLANS to set up an Australian WikiLeaks party are “significantly advanced”, the whistleblowing organisation’s most visible member says.
Julian Assange has told Australian media he intends to run for a Senate seat in the next election, adding that “a number of very worthy people admired by the Australian public” have expressed interest in standing for a yet-to-be registered Australian WikiLeaks party.
A draft party constitution has been prepared and is being subjected to legal review, Fairfax reports. Party registration with the Australian Electoral Commission would require confirmation of at least 500 members listed on the electoral roll.
Mr Assange told Fairfax he had not yet registered to vote but believes he will be able to register in either NSW or Victoria as an overseas voter.A “strategic decision” would determine which state he would run to represent, he said…..
http://www.news.com.au/national/julian-assange-confirms-bid-for-australian-senate/story-fncynjr2-1226535741180
Uranium lobbyist Michael Angwin attacks Australia’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act
Uranium industry calls for reform, Mining Weekly, By: Esmarie Swanepoel 19th December 2012JOHANNESBURG – The Australian Uranium Association (AUA) has called for a reform of the environmental assessment and approvals process in Australia, after federal Environment Minister Tony Burke delayed a decision on a new uranium mine in Western Australia.
Burke on Tuesday extended his decision deadline until March 31 next year, and requested more information on the project from projectdeveloper Toro Energy.
The AUA’s CEO Michael Angwin said on Wednesday that the best way to reform the environmental assessment and approvals process was to cease the “discriminatory treatment” that the industry received under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act….
Australia’s Liberal Party supporting Senate attack on wind farms
Research program required into potential health effects of wind farms BY: ANNABEL HEPWORTH The Australian December 20, THE federal Coalition yesterday revealed it would back a proposed crackdown on noise from wind farms.
In a surprise development, the opposition’s energy spokesman Ian Macfarlane confirmed broad support for a bill introduced by independent senator Nick Xenophon and Democratic Labor Party counterpart John Madigan that would stop wind farms that exceeded normal background noise by more than 10 decibels. subscribers only
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/climate/research-program-required-into-potential-health-effects-of-wind-farms/story-e6frg6xf-1226540720864
Toro Energy’s new female leadership now landed with government rebuff for uranium project
No green light for Toro uranium mine, The Age, December 18, 2012 – Peter Ker Resources reporter Uranium aspirant Toro Energy has been dealt a blow on the eve of the Christmas break, with Environment Minister Tony Burke refusing toapprove the company’s plans for Australia’s next uranium mine at Wiluna.
While Mr Burke has not rejected the proposal, he has not approved it today as many in the market had expected.
Instead he has told Toro that more information on certain matters is required before the mine – located in Western Australia’s harsh interior – can proceed. Mr Burke has extended the deadline for a decision to be made to March 31, 2013, but has also indicated he may give his ruling earlier than that…..
While the market may not have expected a delay to approvals for the Wiluna mine, environment groups had been confidently predicting for some time that Toro had not done enough to satisfy the approval conditions.
A recent consultant’s report commissioned by the Conservation Council of Western Australia predicted that certain measures around storage of tailings were not adequate to meet federal approval. Council spokeswoman Mia Pepper said Mr Burke’s decision was prudent and responsible.
”The Toro project is ill-conceived,” she said. Australian Conservation Foundation spokesman Dave Sweeney said Toro
was a small company that would struggle to raise the funds needed to get the Wiluna project off the ground.
Toro will have a change of leadership in February when Mr Hall steps down and is replaced by Dr Vanessa Guthrie.
That transition has already made headlines for making Toro what is believed to be the only ASX company with an-all female leadership,given that its chairman is Erica Smyth.
http://www.theage.com.au/business/mining-and-resources/no-green-light-for-toro-uranium-mine-20121218-2bku9.html#ixzz2FWbwfzw7
Australian government refuses Toro ‘s Wiluna uranium project, requires further scrutiny
Peak state and national environment groups today welcomed the Federal Environment Minister’s increased scrutiny of WA’s first planned uranium mine – Toro Energy’s Wiluna project.
The Australian Conservation Foundation and the Conservation Council of Western Australia described Tony Burke’s refusal to approve the Toro Wiluna uranium project and to require further project detail as prudent and responsible.
“The Toro project is ill-conceived and the WA assessment has been dangerously deficient,” said CCWA campaigner Mia Pepper.
“The WA Government has broken its promise of a world’s best practice uranium industry and has failed to meet national standards. “Premier Barnett and the WA Government now urgently need to re-examine the environmental assessment process in WA and hold a comprehensive public inquiry into uranium mining.” Continue reading
Queenslanders vulnerable to UV radiation – new solariums banned
New solariums to be banned in Queensland, Brisbane Times, December 16, 2012 Bridie Jabour “….. CEO Cancer Council Queensland Professor Jeff Dunn congratulated the Newman Government on the move but said he would like to see a total ban on solariums in the next three years….. Professor Dunn said the government had confirmed earlier this week they will move toward a total ban on solariums.
‘‘Queensland has the highest rates of skin cancer in the world – more than 2600 people across the state are diagnosed with melanoma each year, yet it remains the single most preventable cancer,’’ he said. ‘‘A ban on solariums will eliminate potentially deadly skin cancers linked to sunbed use, no doubt saving the lives of thousands of Queenslanders.’’
In his announcement Mr Springborg said sun-beds and stand-up tanning machines that use exposure to ultraviolet radiation were dangerous. ‘‘People who use a solarium before the age of 35 have a 75% greater risk of melanoma,’’ he said.
He said evidence of growing community awareness of the risks posed by solarium use was abundant. http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/new-solariums-to-be-banned-in-queensland-20121216-2bh6t.html#ixzz2FKubxb1U
Unanimous decision of Labor Northern Territory branch opposing Muckaty nuclear waste dump plan
The ALP conference endorse the motion that-
1. The Barkly ALP Sub Branch sternly opposes the establishment of a Nuclear Waste Storage Facility at Muckaty NT
1.A the Barkly sub branch opposes the Australian Government capacity to override the Northern Territory Legislation regarding establishing a Nuclear Waste Management facility in the NT.
1.B Rejects any legislation which would continue to target a site on the Muckaty land trust or any other site in Australia, for a nuclear waste dump that is not based on recognised science and international best practices.
1.C Notes the recent application by ANSTO for reprocessed spent fuel waste to return to the Lucas Heights facility in Sydney and acknowledges this as an opportunity to review radioactive waste management in Australia by conducting an independent and comprehensive public commission into all aspects of radioactive waste transport, storage and management in Australia.
New members joining Northern Territory’s Labor Party, in reaction against Federal nuclear waste dump plan
ALP NT president Matthew Gardiner says Labor needs to rebuild after its loss in this year’s Territory election.
“We probably have more members now than we ever had before because people are actually responding and reacting to some of the decisions made by the current Government.
NT Labor draws line in sand on nuclear waste dump http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-12-10/nt-alp-on-nuclear-waste-dump/4418778?section=nt By Allyson Horn, 10 Dec 12, The Northern Territory branch of the Australian Labor Party has passed a resolution against the construction of a radioactive waste facility at Muckaty Station near Tennant Creek. Continue reading
Corporate Australia determined to destroy environmental protection laws
Do you recognise the language of the industry bullies?
” this is just a speed bump along the way”
One of the main sticking points with those against the changes, which includes environmental groups and The Greens, is that the Commonwealth would not have right of veto over projects on environmental grounds..
Industry says backflip on environmental approvals may be just a bump in the road, ABC Rural News, By Babs McHugh, 07/12/2012 The mining industry says the decision by the Federal Government not to honour an agreement to streamline the environmental approvals process is a purely political one.
The Prime Minister has told the Business Advisory Forum at the Council Of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting that the Federal Government wouldn’t relinquish any of its powers unless all states agreed to the same framework.
That’s despite a promise at the last COAG meeting to reduce duplication of environmental assessments between the Commonwealth, States and Territories.
It would have meant changes to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC), which was enacted in 1999…. Continue reading
Julia Gillard delays decision on weakening environmental protection: reactions from business and The Greens
Environment delay riles business, The Age, December 7, 2012, Michelle Grattan BUSINESS has reacted furiously to Prime Minister Julia Gillard putting on hold plans to give the states power to deal with environmental approvals for major projects……
Greens leader Christine Milne said Ms Gillard had found out during the past few months that she had ”made a complete muck of it”, and now had made another mistake.
Instead of abandoning ”this ridiculous proposition that the Commonwealth hand over its powers to the states, what she’s said is ‘all right then states, you go and sort it out, come back and tell me how much of the environmental protection powers you want, and I’ll hand it over to you next year”’.
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/environment-delay-riles-business-20121206-2ay8k.html#ixzz2ERF3Jiwr
Australia at risk of losing its national environmental protection laws
The Business Council of Australia hastily prepared a discussion paper and released it the day before the Forum, calling for a slashing of so-called green tape. The Prime Minister agreed to the business demands and took the proposals to COAG. State and Territory leaders duly fell in line. As is the practice with COAG, the first official notification of the detail of the proposals was in the communique following the meeting.
It is a broad-ranging package of measures but most significant is the proposal for the Commonwealth to hand over responsibility for administration of national environmental laws to the States by March next year.
COAG’s Green Tape Agenda Is Undemocratic, New Matilda By Brendan Sydes, 4 Dec 12 The unelected Business Advisory Forum has been given special access to this Friday’s COAG meeting – and it’s calling for national environmental laws to be wound back. Brendan Sydes explains what’s wrong with the process
The goings on in Parliament last week might not provide the best vantage point to reflect on what we value in our democratic system of government.
Imagine, however, an alternative system where the executive arms of government meet behind closed doors and make crucial decisions on matters of national policy, where the agenda is not published beforehand and where the detail of policy only comes to light in a communique published after decisions have been made.
Consider further a refinement of that system which means that unelected vested interests get a seat at the table in the lead up to the secret meeting and get make their demands heard on key parts of the policy agenda.
That in a nutshell is how the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) and the recently-developed Business Advisory Forum (BAF) interact. COAG meets again in Canberra this Friday. The meeting will be preceded by a meeting on Thursday of the BAF, a new institution that appears to have been hastily cobbled together prior to the first COAG meeting in April this year. Its precise membership and terms of reference appear never to have been announced. Quite where or from whom the idea even came from is unclear.
Unsurprisingly, given these hazy origins, the idea that we ought to have a business body with special access to COAG has gone largely unscrutinised. The first meeting of the BAF took place the day before the April COAG meeting. Continue reading
Australian Senate defeats motion regarding the safety of uranium transport
Today, 29 November, senator Ludlam moved this motion on the safety of uranium transport. It was defeated in the Senate
That the following matter be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee for inquiry and report by 30 June 2013:
The role, adequacy and effectiveness of government regulation of uranium oxide transport, including:
a. the mitigation of public radiation exposure from uranium oxide transport;
b. the evaluation of the frequency and severity of transport and handling accidents including the 27 December 2011 train derailment resulting in toxic copper concentrate flowing into the Edith River;
c. the process of issuing and auditing compliance with transport radiation management plans;
d. the resourcing and conduct of transport related aspects of nuclear actions referred under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC);
e. the preparedness and resourcing of regional emergency contingency planning, education and training services;
f. the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency Codes, including the Code of Practice for Safe Transport of Radioactive Material;
g. the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office regulation of the transportation of nuclear material and issuance and auditing of compliance with transport permits;
h. other relevant related matters.
Secret Labor and Liberal plans to gut Australia’s environmental laws
Minister Burke: Don’t hand your powers to the states 22 Oct 2012 | Larissa Waters In April this year, a special meeting of big business leaders hijacked a meeting of state and federal governments (COAG). They demanded the weakening of Australia’s environment laws.
Now the Labor and Liberal parties are preparing to do just that. Secret discussions are now underway to gut our national environment laws by giving away the Environment Minister’s approval powers to state governments.
Our environment is under attack like never before. If environmentprotection were left to the states, they would have dammed the Franklin River, put oil rigs in the Great Barrier Reef and built Traveston Dam.
This December, the state Premiers and the Prime Minister will meet again at COAG to take the next step to gut Australia’s environment laws before final sign off at a meeting in March 2013. Before this happens, tell the Labor and Liberal parties not to gut Australia’s environment laws. Continue reading
New South Wales Greens condemn the call for nuclear energy
Nuclear Power In NSW – ‘Dangerous, Uneconomic And Retrograde’ http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=3486 by Energy Matters, 26 Nov 12, A parliamentary committee that called on the state government to foster public discussion of nuclear power generation in New South Wales has been slammed by Greens NSW MP John Kaye; who labeled nuclear energy as “dangerous, uneconomic and retrograde”.
“Parading nuclear energy as a viable low emissions energy source while the O’Farrell government continues to devastate the renewable energy sector is deeply contradictory,” said Mr. Kaye.
“Despite the ink barely having dried on community submissions to the O’Farrell government’s long awaited Renewable Energy Action Plan, nuclear energy is again being dragged out for debate.”
Mr Kaye said wind energy and solar power technologies are cheaper to develop and avoid the threat of toxic waste products that will haunt humanity for thousands of years; plus what he called the unavoidable connection to nuclear weapons.
“Energy Minister Chris Hartcher must now rule out a review of nuclear energy development in NSW and focus on fostering a jobs rich, clean energy sector in NSW,” he said. Nuclear power is continuing to raise its ugly radioactive head in Australia, with Resources Minister Martin Ferguson making his love affair with nuclear power more apparent during a speech in Sydney last month.
“The Australian government’s responsibility is to test all forms of clean energy and if at some point in the future we don’t get the breakthrough on baseload clean energy Australia will need to think seriously about considering nuclear,” he said, apparently including nuclear power as a clean energy source; a questionable association.
Minister Ferguson may need to spend less time daydreaming about nuclear power and take more note of what is happening in the renewables industry as the “breakthroughs” have already occurred; for example, solar thermal technology combined with heat storage systems.
Residential solar panels have already helped put off the need for constructing more large carbon intensive power plants and home energy storage systems – the Next Big Thing for small-scale solar power – will also increasingly wean Australia off fossil fuel based baseload power generation.
What a uranium company CEO thinks of the Australian media
Funny – I go through the uranium so-called news each day. What I find there is a succession of obvious handouts from the uranium lobby, presumably to grateful journalists, who don’t bother to check the accuracy of these uranium market forecasts . Article after article has glowing predictions for the financial boom to come, (just a little later) from investing in uranium.
Nearly every article concentrates on China.And, I think to myself. Do these uranium dreamers ever consider that the Chinese might be intelligent? That they might notice how unpopular nuclear power has become globally, and the reasons why (- economic, and safety). Yes, China is reported as planning to expand its nuclear power programme. Oh goody! They might want our uranium! But what if China wakes up to the dismal outlook for nuclear, elsewhere.
But never mind. The Australian media dutifully regurgitates the China uranium-buying boom to come, – no mention of the other countries (especially India’s political mess over nuclear power). We carefully ignore the nuclear decline in Germany, Switzerland, USA, UK, even France.
However, the poor old uranium lobby still thinks itself to be hardly done by Australia’s government and media.- Christina Macpherson
Marathon Resources Chairman , Peter Williams, lambasts Government on resources industry attitude – today’s A.G.M. 22 Nov 12,
“……..The overwhelming influence of environmental and heritage activists and bureaucrats in South Australia in recent years, supported by Government, has seen the pendulum swing far away from balanced development and economic growth….
The SA Government’s actions in the North Flinders have jeopardised the State’s reputation as a safe place for resource investment…. “
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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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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