Antinuclear

Australian news, and some related international items

Australia’s voting system distorts Climate Change action

Queensland and particularly Western Australia, which both have strong fossil fuels industries, relatively rural dwelling patterns, and populations of about 2m and 4.5m respectively.’……….

The climate policy disconnect: It’s rural voter over-representation  Financial Times February 8,  by Kate Mackenzie “………..a new paper finds that over-representation of regional voters can make a significant difference to public policy on both gasoline taxes and international climate change agreements… Continue reading

February 9, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, politics | , , , | Leave a comment

Government Report has vision for Sustainable Northern Australia

The Taskforce points the way for a sustainable future for the north of Australia – one that must include Aboriginal people at the heart of it.

Greens Challenge Government over Northern Australia   Rachel Siewert  8th February 2010, The Australian Greens have challenged the Government to commit to implementing the vision outlined in the Sustainable Development in Northern Australia report released today. Continue reading

February 8, 2010 Posted by | Northern Territory, politics | , , | 2 Comments

W.A’s Chamber of Minerals and Energy doesn’t want public inquiry on uranium mining

Chamber snubs uranium inquiry call ABC News  February 4, 2010 The Chamber of Minerals and Energy has rejected the call for a public inquiry into proposed uranium projects in Western Australia.The Government yesterday upheld a decision by the Environmental Protection Authority to use an environmental and management review program to assess Toro Energy’s uranium project near Wiluna.

The Conservation Council of Western Australia wants a public inquiry, the highest level of assessment, and says it should be applied to all proposed uranium projects.

Chamber snubs uranium inquiry call – ABC North West WA – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

February 6, 2010 Posted by | politics, uranium, water, Western Australia | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Climate Sceptic extremist has a ‘significant argument’ says Abbott

‘Mad Monk’ meets Monckton THE AGE , TOM ARUP February 4, 2010 A day after releasing his climate change policy, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has met the world’s most famous climate change sceptic, Christopher Monckton, 3rd Viscount Monckton of Brenchley…… Continue reading

February 4, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, energy, politics | , , , , | Leave a comment

Climate Policy: Rudd’s and Abbott’s not all that different

….It’s time that Australian politicians realised that the clean-energy revolution is the equivalent to a modern-day space race. The winners get to take all. The losers get to clean the dishes and sweep the floor. Or drive a ploughless tractor.


Carbon copy Giles Parkinson  Business Spectator 3 Feb 2010 The climate change policies of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition have more in common than you might think.For a start, both studiously ignore the need for the Australian economy to make any sort of transition, despite the clear global trend. Continue reading

February 3, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, energy, politics, solar | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Greens to promote energy efficiency and renewables

there will then be space in the 20 per cent target to bring on large-scale wind and other renewable energy sources,” Greens Senator Christine Milne

Greens renew push for energy target changes  ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) 27 Jan 2010 The Greens are making a fresh push for changes to the Federal Government’s renewable energy target scheme, saying it is blocking investment in large-scale projects.

They will introduce a Private Members Bill when Parliament resumes next month to change the way energy efficiency measures such as solar hot water and heat pumps are treated. Continue reading

January 27, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, energy, politics | , , , , | Leave a comment

Interim carbon price would mean a start to action on climate change

We are under no illusions that this solution is perfect. It is clearly a third or fourth best solution. But, unlike the CPRS, there is no way it can hold back climate action.

This deadlock helps no one. The community is denied action on the climate crisis, the business community is denied the investment certainty it craves, the government looks increasingly impotent and the opposition looks like spoilers.

Interim carbon price preferable to time-wasting political stunt Christine Milne: The Australian January 22, 2010 There is a solution to this deadlock, one that Ross Garnaut suggested a year ago in his final report, Continue reading

January 22, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, energy, politics, solar | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Greens call upon Rudd to help Australia’s nuclear veterans

“We know the Australian government was complicit in these tests which saw many soldiers used as human guinea pigs..”

Time for Rudd to step in and ensure justice for Maralinga nuclear vets:   Scott Ludlam  20th January 2010,  The Australian Greens are dismayed by the Rudd Government’s refusal to help Australian veterans of the Maralinga atomic bomb tests of the 1950s and 60s. Continue reading

January 21, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tony Abbott dancing around nuclear power

his support for nuclear options surfaces fairly regularly in media releases.

Abbott won’t rule out putting a nuclear power station on a headland near you -NORTH COAST VOICES 18 January 2010 Continue reading

January 17, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics | , , , | Leave a comment

Australia missing the renewable energy bus

PM’s green power approach ‘a fraud’ Big Pond News December 23, 2009

Australia’s biggest private renewable energy firm has attacked Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s environmental agenda, saying his green power target is at risk of failing. Continue reading

December 23, 2009 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, energy, politics | , , , , , | Leave a comment

John Howard re-affirms his nuclear faith

I’m a great believer that most problems of this kind can be fixed by technology, rather than by politics I think countries that now don’t have nuclear power, including my own, should focus very heavily on nuclear power.”


Former Australian PM on global warming Fox News – Your World with Neil Cavuto 18 Dec 09 ” – I think the best way of tackling the issue of global warming is for the world to invest as much as possible, as soon as possible, in finding a technological solution to the challenge. Continue reading

December 21, 2009 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics | Leave a comment

ACF’s South Australian election call on uranium

ACF calls on all political parties in the South Australian State Election 2010 to act on:………….

Uranium

7. Prevent South Australia becoming the Radioactive State by requiring BHP Billiton’s Roxby mine to only trade in copper, to not export radioactive concentrates, and to leave the uranium and other radioactive waste at the mine site.

8. Require rehabilitation of the proposed Roxby open pit, with disposal of tailings in to the pit for the 10,000 year isolation period required under the Federal Government rehabilitation standards that apply to the Ranger uranium mine, and prevent liquid radioactive waste leakage from Roxby tailings piles….
www.acfonline.org.au

December 11, 2009 Posted by | politics, South Australia, uranium | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Aborigines seek review of uranium mine approval

Court to review Federal approval of uranium ABC News 11 Dec 09 A review  has been sought in the Federal Court of the approval for Australia’s fourth uranium mine in South Australia’s far north-east.The action was taken by the Indigenous Justice Advocacy Network. Continue reading

December 11, 2009 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics, uranium | , , , , , | Leave a comment

BHP Billiton advisor gets prime seat on foreign investment board

.….FIRB members provide advice to the treasurer on contentious investment proposals. Douglass joins expanded FIRB board Sydney Morning Herald JACOB SAULWICK December 11, 2009 Continue reading

December 11, 2009 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics, uranium | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Abbott’s position on nuclear power – a definite ‘maybe’

Libs unclear on nuclear Sydney Morning Herald JIM GREEN December 11, 2009 WILL the Liberal Party blow itself up over nuclear power? Party leader Tony Abbott seems alert to the risks and his position is a definite maybe: Continue reading

December 11, 2009 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics, uranium | , , , | Leave a comment