Antinuclear

Australian news, and some related international items

Uranium salesman Paul Howes calls for Arkaroola mining

powerbroker and AWU national secretary Paul Howes said he had been convinced of the merits of mining during talks with Marathon Resources, a uranium explorer which had previously lost its licence over breaching of waste disposal conditions…………

Union calls for uranium mining in Arkaroola sanctuary | Adelaide Now, Christopher Russell, 14 May 2010, ONE of the nation’s most powerful unions says uranium miners should be allowed to exploit a huge deposit of the mineral in the Arkaroola reserve in the northern Flinders Ranges…..the union and the miners face a bitter battle to develop the pristine wilderness and popular film setting known as one of the state’s natural geological wonders.

Lined up against developers are film-maker Rolf de Heer – who calls the site “the single most extraordinary piece of South Australia in existence” Continue reading

May 14, 2010 Posted by | politics, South Australia, uranium | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Labor breaks election promise to set up inappropriate nuclear waste dump

Medical experts – including nuclear medicine practitioners – confirm that Australians can continue to have unimpeded access to diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicines without the need for this dump.

Labor reneges on nuclear waste promise, The Age, DAVE SWEENEY, May 14, 2010 Before the 2007 election, federal Labor promised a new approach to the management of radioactive waste, Continue reading

May 14, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ionising radiation double the cancer risk for the young

Younger Patients Face Double Radiation Risk from CT Scans: Study, Ethiopian Review, May 13th, 2010 Younger patients run a higher risk of health problems from radiation exposure caused by computed tomography (CT) scans, according to a new study. Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina found that the radiation risk for younger patients were double those of older patients in a CT radiation exposure study presented last week at the American Roentgen Ray Society 2010 annual meeting in San Diego, CA. Scientists say that the findings indicate that age is another factor that doctors should consider when ordering CT scans. Younger Patients Face Double Radiation Risk from CT Scans: Study

May 14, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics, uranium | , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Increased momentum for a national fight against Muckaty Nuclear Waste Dump Plan

“There is growing national concern about Minister Ferguson’s decide-announce-defend approach. The Senate report does not challenge the Minister’s absolute discretion in the site selection process, which will mean continuation of the secretive and bullish process undertaken so far”.


Senate Report Increases Determination to Fight Muckaty Nuclear Dump. The Beyond Nuclear Initiative (BNI) says a Senate report released today on the National Radioactive Waste Management Bill is deplorable and will invigorate efforts to oppose a dump at Muckaty Station in the Northern Territory. Continue reading

May 13, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics | , , | Leave a comment

Australian Government postpones Nuclear Waste Bill, Spurns Discussion with Greens

Ferguson’s response was “I don’t deal with the Greens, why would I deal with the Greens, we don’t deal with the Greens” and walked off.

The government’s strange flip flops on nuclear, Crikey, by Bernard Keane, 13 May 2010, “….This week it [the Australian Government] was preparing to speed its National Radioactive Waste Management Bill 2010 through parliament, with the aid of an unusually compliant opposition. The bill was scheduled for today but has been dropped ahead of higher priority bills. It is expected to return in June. Continue reading

May 13, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics, uranium | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Australia’s government provides hasty, stingy compensation to its nuclear veterans

Nuclear veterans short-changed in Budget: Xenophon ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), 12 May, 2010, Independent Senator Nick Xenophon says veterans of nuclear testing at Maralinga in outback South Australia have been short-changed in the federal Budget.There were atomic tests at Maralinga and Emu Plains about half a century ago.Senator Xenophon says test veterans will get improved benefits under veterans’ entitlements but no lump sum payments.”Russia, France, the US, even China have provided lump sum compensation for their nuclear test survivors but the Government has failed to do so,” he said.”I don’t think that’s good enough given these victims have waited something like half a century to try and get some justice in relation to what they’ve gone through.”Nuclear veterans short-changed in Budget: Xenophon – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

May 12, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics | , , , , , | Leave a comment

For solar technology, Australian govt backs nuclear company AREVA

short-listed for one of two projects to get substantial backing under the $1.5 billion solar flagships program….none of the big name US and Spanish proponents of the new generation solar tower technologies, such as BritghSource, e-Solar and Cobra, made the short-list.

The giant backing Australian solar,  Giles Parkinson |   Business Spectator, 12 May 2010, The French nuclear giant Areva might have made one of the deals of the year when it snapped up Ausra, the solar thermal energy company founded by Australian researcher David Mills. Continue reading

May 12, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics, solar | , , , , | 1 Comment

Super profit resources tax – a reasonable thing in super profit times

10 years ago $1 in every $3 of profit was returned to Australians from rental on a non-renewable resource. Today it is $1 in $7.Profit based taxation does work.

The extraordinary mining tax, CairnsBlog.net, Jan McLucas , 12 May 2010,  “……”Royalty and excises are based on volume or value and they do not rise with profits. It is important to remember that in 2008-09 the resource sector generated close to $90 billion of superprofits. Continue reading

May 12, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics, uranium | , , , | Leave a comment

Australia: Flawed Senate Report into Radioactive Waste Plan

“This proposed legislation remains controversial and contested.  Minister Ferguson’s legislation is a bad deal, not a done deal.”

Senate radioactive dump inquiry deeply flawed, Australian Conservation Foundation, 8 May 2010 A Senate report into laws to authorise a controversial planned nuclear waste in the Northern Territory has failed to make any progress towards responsible radioactive waste management in Australia, the Australian Conservation Foundation said today… Continue reading

May 7, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics, uranium | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

South Australian government – a faithful servant of uranium mining companies

A total of 335 proposals have been received between 2004 to 2009 and 168 successful submissions have shared grants worth $10 million.

Grants for uranium,  Whyalla News, 05 May, 2010 PMUranium SA has received a boost to its drilling works at Mullaquana after receiving a State Government grant for its exploration works Continue reading

May 6, 2010 Posted by | politics, South Australia, uranium | , , , | Leave a comment

Australian Senate delays its report on planned nuclear waste dump on Aboriginal land

Senate’s Muckaty nuclear dump report delayed,  ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)By Gina Marich  Apr 30, 2010 A Senate committee report into the proposed nuclear waste dump at Muckaty Station, north of Tennant Creek, has been delayed. Continue reading

May 1, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Melbourne anti nuclear waste dump protest targets Martin Ferguson

Nuclear dump opposed from Muckaty to Melbourne , Indymedia Australia, 30 April 2010, Community opposition to Martin Ferguson’s nuclear waste dump at Muckaty Station continues to grow. About 40 people convened at short notice outside Martin Ferguson’s electoral office on High Street Preston in a colourful protest of speeches, song and street theatre. ‘Martin Ferguson’ gets ‘splashed’ with Muckaty nuclear waste in the street theatre performed outside his office. Continue reading

May 1, 2010 Posted by | politics, uranium, Victoria | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear Waste Dump: three recommended Australian Defence Force sites excluded. Why?

A bill presently before parliament rules out the possibility of using one of three previously nominated sites on Australian Defence Force land in the Northern Territory,

Plan For Nuclear Waste Dump Faces Backlash, IPS ipsnews.net, By Stephen de Tarczynski, MELBOURNE, Apr 26, 2010Aboriginal landowners in Australia’s far north are battling government plans to construct this country’s long-term nuclear waste storage facility on their land… Continue reading

April 27, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tony Abbott would dump the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation

Abbott wants lead role for troops in Afghanistan, The Age, MICHELLE GRATTAN, April 24, 2010, “………In his first major foreign policy speech as Opposition Leader, he …… said he would drop Australia’s bid for a Security Council seat; scuttle Kevin Rudd’s pursuit of an Asia-Pacific community, and likely dump the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament that Australia set up. Foreign aid would be focused on the Asia-Pacific region, and uranium sold to India……Abbott wants lead role for troops in Afghanistan

April 24, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics, uranium | , , , | Leave a comment

Rudd govt’s nuclear waste dump bill more draconian than Howard’s

NT: Nuclear waste facility to be dumped on locals, Socialist Party (Australia) , 23 April 2010, Contradicting the ALP’s claims of consent, the April 2008  NT Labor Party conference unanimously passed a resolution calling on the federal government to exclude Muckaty because the nomination “was not made with the full and informed consent of all traditional owners and affected people and as such does not comply with the Aboriginal Land Rights Act.” Several federal ministers and members of government have also acknowledged the opposition and distress of locals.

This gives lie to Ferguson’s claim that he is restoring ‘fairness’ to the issue of radioactive waste management, Continue reading

April 23, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment