Olympic Damn Uranium Mine – Premier Rann’s Toxic ECONOMIC Legacy?
BHP Billiton’s expanded Olympic Dam uranium mine – if it does eventuate – will leave a toxic radioactive legacy. But that’s not all. What about its economic legacy?
It’s going to cost a heap to get it started. They are going to need to move a million tonnes of rock per day for four years, that is, a billion tonnes of rock, just because of the overburden, because the ore body is far underground. So they are moving a million tonnes a day for four years before they even get to the ore body. This is going to cost $billions.
The energy cost, in drawing huge amounts of water from the proposed desalination plant in Spencer Gulf, will be massive.
All this – at a time when the market for uranium continues to slump, when nuclear power is becoming prohibitively expensive – seems like an economic folly.
South Australian Premier Rann initially rose to fame within the Labor party with a strong anti-uranium and anti-Roxby
Downs push. But, once in power as Premier, he did a complete about face. Now Rann is poised to let BHP Billiton dictate the terms for the expansion of the mine.
This means renegotiating the Indenture Act 1982, which makes BHP Billiton exempt from the laws of the country. This legislation allows the mine to operate with wide-ranging exemptions from the Aboriginal Heritage Protection Act, the Environment Protection Act, the Natural Resources Act and the Freedom of Information Act.
Mike Rann’s goal is to make Mike Rann look big in history – to be the one that gave BHP Billiton free rein with its big misguided adventure. He has to do this in a hurry, before his Labor colleagues give him the boot. Here’s hoping that more thoughtful minds in South Australian politics will see that he doesn’t get away with this.
Anti uranium, pro uranium – South Australian Premier ‘s personal ambitions
Premier Rann agrees to step down – but only after mine expansion, SMH, Phillip Coorey, August 1, 2011THE South Australian Labor Premier, Mike Rann, has agreed to quit but will not cut short a trade trip to India or stand down immediately as his party had demanded.
In a statement from Delhi, Mr Rann offered a compromise of a bloodless transition to his Education Minister, Jay Weatherill, but only after he had concluded some items of business, especially the expansion of the massive Olympic Dam uranium mine. Mr Rann made a name for himself decades ago as a political aide when he drove Labor’s opposition to uranium mining.…http://www.smh.com.au/national/premier-rann-agrees-to-step-down–but-only-after-mine-expansion-20110731-1i6il.html
BHP Billiton now in charge of South Australia’s uranium politics?
Roxby negotiations now hostage to ALP factional coup timeline, 01/08/11 The State Government has now handed over complete control of negotiations over the Olympic Dam expansion to BHP Billiton, say the Greens.“BHP Billiton can now dig their heels in and not give an inch on any aspect of the project knowing that the Premier and the Minister Foley are desperate for a deal before they are forced out,” said Greens Parliamentary leader Mark Parnell.
“The company isn’t in a hurry, but the Premier sure is. “What will happen now to previous commitments from the Government, such as processing in South Australia rather than China, and ensuring ‘world’s best practice in terms of the environment’ for the expansion?
“Will they be sacrificed in order to meet an artificial timeline set by the ALP back-room?” he asked.
Uranium mining to remain illegal in New South Wales
“Uranium mining and exploration is prohibited under the Uranium and Nuclear Facilities (Prohibitions) Act 1986.”
‘No plans’ to lift NSW uranium ban ABC Sydney – Australian Broadcasting Corporation August 01, 2011 The New South Wales Government is adamant it has no plans to overturn a state ban on uranium mining and exploration. Continue reading
BHP Billiton’s Premier Rann determined to promote uranium mining
Premier Rann to step down after nine years, Michelle Grattan and Ben Doherty, The Age, August 1, 2011 VETERAN South Australian leader Mike Rann has agreed to step down in favour of his more popular Education Minister as the party tries to fight its way back from bad opinion polls.
But he wants to complete ”several key projects” – most importantly the go-ahead for the expansion of the Olympic Dam uranium mine – and has not given a date for quitting.
………Mr Rann said he had decided that ”a seamless transition to a new leader was the most appropriate course”.But before he stepped down ”I intend to conclude negotiations with BHP Billiton over the indenture agreement that will allow the expansion of the Olympic Dam mine project to proceed.” The project was vitally important to future generations of South Australians. ”It is now at a critical and sensitive stage and it is important that the new leader is brought into this complex process.”
Premier Rann to step down after nine years
Julia Gillard’s Climate Change package looking like a winner
PM’s climate change loophole to stymie Abbott Sid Maher The Australian July 29, 2011 JULIA Gillard has moved to cement in law her climate change plan, including a default emissions reduction target of 12 million tonnes a year after 2016, forcing Tony Abbott to win approval of both houses of parliament if he is to vary the policy or proceed with his pledge to scrap the carbon tax. Continue reading
Australia’s Prime Minister counters the untruths of the campaign against carbon pricing
to take just one point, a false claim was made about employment,” she told Australia Associated Press, adding “there was a suggestion that employment was somehow going to go slow or go backwards under pricing carbon. It’s simply not true.”
“Employment in this country will go up by 1.6 million jobs by 2020, half a million of those jobs in the next two years,” she said.
Australian PM dismisses anti-carbon tax campaign, People’s Daily, China, 24 July 11 Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Saturday dismissed a series of anti-carbon tax advertisements paid for by big business, saying the facts are on the government’s side. Continue reading
Malcolm Turnbull – Australian Liberal’s moderate voice on Climate Change
As Turnbull said: ”There has been a very effective campaign against the science of climate change by those opposed to taking action to cut emissions – many because it does not suit their own financial interests – and this has played into the carbon tax debate.”….
Turnbull on a crusade, The Age , Michelle Grattan, July 23, 2011 “…….In Thursday’s Virginia Chadwick Memorial Oration The Age in Sydney, Turnbull took on the climate sceptics – naming Lord Christopher Monckton who appeared at the National Press Club earlier this week – and appealed to Liberals to stand up for the science.
”Those of us who do not believe that the CSIRO is part of an international Green conspiracy to undermine Western civilisation, or that leading scientists like Will Steffen are … you know, subversives, should not be afraid to speak out and loudly on behalf of our scientists and our science….. Continue reading
South Australia to ban uranium mining in Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary
Premier Mike Rann announces permanent protection for Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, Herald Sun, By Greg Kelton and Sarah Martin , July 22, 2011 ARKAROOLA will be protected for all time from mining, South Australia Premier Mike Rann has announced during a visit to the wilderness sanctuary. Continue reading
Australia’s polluting industries gear up for campaign against carbon pricing
Industry launches anti-carbon tax campaign, ABC News, chief political correspondent Sabra Lane, 21 July 11 A lobby group is opening up a new front against the Federal Government’s carbon tax plans by kicking off an advertising campaign.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Coal Association, the Minerals Council and the Housing Industry Association have formed a group they call the Australian Trade and Industry Alliance.
It says the Government’s deal with the Greens and the independents is flawed and will harm businesses.
In an echo of the mining industry’s tactics against the resources tax last year, the group says it will run a range of media ads against the carbon price.
Last year the Minerals Council spent $17 million in its campaign against the super profits tax and it was successful in watering it down. It was also credited with helping to oust Kevin Rudd from the Lodge.
“The key message is the carbon tax means pain but no environmental gain,” Alliance spokesman Peter Anderson said….http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-07-21/industry-group-steps-up-carbon-ads/2803794
Tony Abbott’s climate plan just can’t work
If you stop to think about it for a minute, it’s obvious that Direct Action won’t work. It doesn’t introduce a proper market mechanism for carbon abatement. It doesn’t seek to cap Australia’s carbon emissions. The odds are against it, even before we examine the depth of the Coalition’s actual commitment to addressing climate change. No wonder Tony Abbott can’t find any economists or climate scientists prepared to support it.
A close look at Abbott’s Direct Action plan, ABC Drum, Ben Eltham, 21 JULY 2011, “……What exactly are the policies of the Coalition, and would they work? After all, there’s been plenty of media scrutiny of the Government’s carbon tax. There’s been precious little on the Opposition’s own carbon policy, which it calls “Direct Action”, or the many sweeping statements on climate change and the carbon tax by Tony Abbott. Continue reading
Toro uranium company to press W.A. govt for exemptions to royalty payments?
Toro managing director Greg Hall said he would examine the proposal and consider approaching the government for possible exemptions
State royalty plan hits Toro hopes for uranium project, THE AUSTRALIAN, SARAH-JANE TASKER , July 21, 2011 TORO Energy’s plans to become the first new uranium miner in Western Australia have been hit by news the state government will force the emerging industry to pay a royalty. Continue reading
Australian Liberal politician attacks climate science teaching in schools
Queensland Education Minister Cameron Dick said Mr McIver’s comments were an “outrageous slur” on the professionalism of the state’s 38,000 teachers. “The curriculum taught in Queensland state schools is developed and delivered by educational experts, not politicians, nor backroom political party operatives like Mr McIver,” he said.
”Quite simply, students studying science in Queensland state schools are taught scientific facts.
Students ‘brainwashed’ over climate change: LNP, Sydney Morning Herald, Tony Moore, July 15, 2011 , The Liberal National Party president has blasted the Queensland education system for “brainwashing” students about climate change. Speaking to LNP members at the party’s state conference today, Bruce McIver said he was discouraged about how children were being taught about climate change in schools. Continue reading
Australian govt debates nuclear waste dump, as Aboriginal opposition continues
Six years of ‘long, hard struggle’: Communities call for a new approach on radioactive waste management, Beyond Nuclear, 15 July 11, Today marks six years since the Howard federal government announced plans for a radioactive waste dump in the Northern Territory. There was immediate and resolute opposition from the Northern Territory Government and Traditional Owners and communities near all of the targeted sites.
Three Department of Defence sites were initially announced, with a site in the Muckaty Land Trust added to the short list after a controversial nomination by the Northern Land Council.
New legislation tabled by Resources Minister Martin Ferguson names the contentious Muckaty site as the only area to be further assessed, even though a federal court case by Traditional Owners is underway to challenge the nomination. Continue reading
Anti uranium stance likely to return Western Australia’s Labor Party to power
“Campaign Capital director Daniel Smith, who commissioned the polling, said the polling indicates the state Labor Party may be able to exploit the issue at the next state election, after strengthening its opposition to uranium mining at its recent state conference.
“The polling indicates WA Labor’s reaffirmed opposition to uranium mining provides political opportunities in the marginal seats that will decide the next state election,” said Mr Smith.
“Among the swinging voters that will decide these elections, support for uranium mining was recorded at only 28 per cent.”
Japanese disaster hurts WA’s uranium support, Nick Evans , PerthNow , July 14, 2011 “……PerthNow has seen the results of recent polling put to 400 voters in four government held marginal seats – Riverton, Jandakot, Swan Hills and Mount Lawley – that shows opposition to uranium mining has grown since the Fukishima disaster in Japan.
Almost half the voters contacted by Western Australian Opinion Polls said they opposed uranium mining in WA, with 32 per cent of people saying they strongly oppose the idea.
Only 5 per cent strongly support the opening of uranium mines in WA, with total support running at only 32 per cent….. Continue reading
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