Antinuclear

Australian news, and some related international items

S.A. govt should come clean on Arkaroola uranium mining policy

Creating a national park would give the SA Premier a boost in the polls, with mining in the sanctuary highly unpopular among voters. However, converting the land to national park would not affect the mining lease. Marathon was recently granted a 12-month extension to its licence at Arkaroola.

National park rumours take toll on SA uranium miner | The Australian,  Verity Edwards and Damon Kitney February 21, 2011 1 The value of controversial mining company Marathon Resources has fallen by $4.9 million amid speculation the Rann government will declare the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary a national park. Continue reading →

February 20, 2011 Posted by | politics, South Australia | | 1 Comment

Australian Labor Party’s Nuclear Self-Destruction

If the ALP wants to reverse this trend, re-energise its membership base and win Greens voters back to the Labor fold, the last thing it should be doing is trashing its remaining environmental credentials by adopting a pro-nuclear policy.

Labor going nuclear in rush to self destruct – Unleashed (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), Sian Prior 18 Feb 2011, Someone’s clearly been handing out the idiot pills in the Labor Party. Continue reading →

February 19, 2011 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics | Leave a comment

Australian Greens giving new hope for solar energy

The Greens say they have ensured $100 million will flow into Solar Flagships within the forwards estimates period (before 2015) with the remainder of the funding to follow. A round table discussion between the government and Greens will convene to discuss how best to utilise solar energy funding into the future, including the role of feed-in tariffs as a necessary mechanism in the uptake of solar energy in Australia….

Australia’s Solar Flagships May Not Be Sunk, Renewable Energy News,  by Energy Matters, 18 Feb 2011, The federal government’s Solar Flagships program, which was to have faced the axe to help pay for damage caused by the Queensland floods, is now back on the national agenda after the Australian Greens agreed to support the Prime Minister’s flood levy. Continue reading →

February 19, 2011 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics, solar | | Leave a comment

Australian Labor Party in the grip of mining companies

The great evil of Native Title Act was that it pretended to legitimise ‘extinguishment’ of land rights for the great majority of Aboriginal people…….

The Trouble with Labor, – Westender – Brisbane’s Oldest Independent, Online Newspaper. 15 Feb 2011, Tim Anderson sees trouble ahead for Australia, while we still cling to our illusions about the Labor Party The mining companies – at the centre of the Australian oligarchy – were the main beneficiaries of the East Asian boom, yet have refused to share the benefits. Nor have we demanded it of them. This issue, of course, was behind the coup against Kevin Rudd…. Continue reading →

February 15, 2011 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics | Leave a comment

Mining companies’ victory over Australian Government

The stunning victory by the mining houses over the federal government was a victory of renters over owners, and a triumph of misinformation and emotion over logic……..It is worth remembering, too, that some of our richest mines are directly and discretely owned by foreign companies.

An opportunity missed on mining super tax, Sydney Morning Herald, Ian Verrender, February 15, 2011 “…..the most extraordinary transfer of wealth in the nation’s history is taking place right under our noses……Tomorrow BHP Billiton will deliver one of the biggest half-year earnings results in Australian and British history. Continue reading →

February 15, 2011 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics | Leave a comment

Martin Ferguson forced to eat his words on uranium to India

No to Indian uranium sales, The Age, Katharine Murphy, February 11, 2011 AUSTRALIA will not sell uranium to India until it signs a nuclear non-proliferation treaty and completes a safeguards agreement, Resources Minister Martin Ferguson says. Continue reading →

February 11, 2011 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, people, politics | Leave a comment

Australian Greens demand that govt come clean on uranium sales to India

Greens nuclear spokesman Scott Ludlum says it appears the government is playing a “double game”…..Labor senator Doug Cameron says Australia should not entertain the idea of trading uranium with India until the developing nation met international obligations….

Please explain uranium move, Greens demand, Sydney Morning Herald, 10 Feb 2011, The Australian Greens are demanding the Gillard government explain whether it privately supports uranium sales to India. Leaked WikiLeaks cables reveal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson told US officials in 2009 a deal to supply India with nuclear fuel could be reached Continue reading →

February 11, 2011 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics | Leave a comment

South Australian Labor rejects nuclear power

“Nuclear reactors are traditionally more expensive to build than traditional energy sources and have significant environmental and cost issues associated with long-term storage and management of high level nuclear waste.

“The economics of nuclear power do not add up.

Labor blocks nuclear power bid for state, Adelaide Now Daniel Wills February 11, 2011 LABOR has blocked a push for South Australia to consider nuclear power to meet energy demands. Continue reading →

February 11, 2011 Posted by | politics, South Australia | | Leave a comment

DUMPING ON DEMOCRACY – THE NATIONAL RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT BILL,

The Government plans to ignore and override legislation passed in the NT Parliament which seeks to ban the imposition of nuclear dumps – the Northern Territory Nuclear Waste Transport, Storage and Disposal (Prohibition) Act 2004. The NT Government remains steadfastly opposed to the dump plan…..The Bill also provides wide-ranging powers to override Commonwealth legislation.

PROPOSED RADIOACTIVE WASTE DUMP AT MUCKATY, NT by Jim Green, February 2011, “……….Federal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson is driving the plan for a radioactive waste dump at Muckaty. The legislation he has put forward – the National Radioactive Waste Management Bill – is heavy-handed and undemocratic. Continue reading →

February 8, 2011 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics, wastes | Leave a comment

South Australian govt allows uranium company to despoil unique wilderness

Senator Minchin described it as one of the most reckless decisions of the state Labor government…Wilderness Society environmental scientist Matt Turner said most South Australians were opposed to mining in Arkaroola.

Minchin blasts Flinders Ranges mining permit, Sydney Morning Herald, February 7, 2011 Uranium explorer Marathon Resources has had its licence renewed to operate in the sensitive Arkaroola region of South Australia’s Flinders Ranges. Continue reading →

February 8, 2011 Posted by | politics, South Australia | | Leave a comment

Martin Ferguson shows his true colours as nuclear salesman

Mr Ferguson said nuclear power was making great strides. “It is a proven clean-energy technology,” he told The Australian yesterday. “In a very short period, it will get cheaper (!)…..

Ferguson steps up push for nuclear energy The Australian,  Christian Kerr February 03, 2011 AUSTRALIA could be contemplating nuclear power in as little as four years, according to Energy Minister Martin Ferguson. Continue reading →

February 2, 2011 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, people, politics | Leave a comment

Australia’s mining companies spent $22 million to get rid of Prime Minister Rudd

The industry’s national body, the Minerals Council of Australia, spent $17.2 million, mainly on TV advertisements; BHP Billiton spent $4.2 million; Rio Tinto just over $537,000,…

A snip at $22m to get rid of PM, The Age, Mark Davis, February 2, 2011 HOW much does it cost to bring down a prime minister? The answer: a tad over $22 million. Continue reading →

February 2, 2011 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics | Leave a comment

Set up disaster relief funds, postpone corporate tax cuts, say Australian Greens

“While we are open to the idea of a levy, the Greens see establishing a long-term, well-resourced disaster relief fund as a high priority in the face of climate change.” Senator Milne added deferring the top end corporate tax cuts planned for July 1, 2013, was a better way to save money.

Greens angry at climate cuts, Sydney Morning Herald, January 27, 2011 –   The Australian Greens say they are angry the federal government flood recovery plan is turning its back on what it says is the disaster’s cause – climate change…… Continue reading →

January 28, 2011 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, politics | | Leave a comment

Change date for Australia Day – Premier defends Greens’ stance

The Greens leader and Aboriginal Affairs Minister, Nick McKim, says Indigenous people associate the date with invasion…. Aboriginal protesters…….. say January the 26th marks the invasion of their land and heritage.

Premier defends Greens’ move to shift Australia Day ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), 27 Jan 2011, Tasmanian Premier Lara Giddings has defended a call by the Greens to shift the date of Australia Day. Continue reading →

January 28, 2011 Posted by | politics, Tasmania | Leave a comment

Gillard cuts climate change programs, but not the perks for polluters

`It is remarkable that carbon abatement programs have been singled out while fossil fuel subsidies, such as fringe benefits tax benefits for car use and diesel fuel rebates for miners remain untouched,” The Climate Institute chief executive John Connor said.

Gillard government criticised for slashing funding for green energy projects to pay for flood rebuilding Kerrie Sinclair The Courier-Mail January 27, 2011 THE clean energy industry has criticised the Gillard government for cutting funding for climate change technology to help pay for the flood recovery. Continue reading →

January 28, 2011 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, politics | | Leave a comment