Antinuclear

Australian news, and some related international items

Bleak future for uranium, but not because of resources tax

The mining lobby, and their media servants revel in attacking the Australian government over the proposed super profit resources tax. They blame theis for a poor outlook for for example, the expanded Olympic Dam uranium mine.

But the truth of the poor uranium outlook is otherwise.

Tax gains from bad apples: reduce your tax bill | The Australian, 16 June 2010, Guadagnuolo sees little prospect of a sustained recovery for uranium miner Energy Resources Australia ………”Further, we think the market has overestimated the scarcity of uranium, while advances in reactor technology will limit demand as reprocessing becomes increasingly effective, with the added benefit of limiting the proliferation of nuclear materials,” he says…..PRIME CANDIDATE FOR TAX LOSS SELLING……Energy Resources of Australia (ERA): Down 43 per cent since June 30.

June 16, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, secrets and lies, uranium | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

BHP Billiton fudges radiation exposure levels of uranium mine workers

The whistleblower produced documents that show BHP uses manipulated averages and distorted sampling to ensure the figures are below the maximum exposure levels set by government…..managed to manipulate the sampling by transferring workers, whose exposures were escalating, to a different area

Radiation unsafe at BHP’s Olympic Dam: whistleblower, Sydney Morning Herald, June 4, 2010 Workers at BHP Billiton’s Olympic Dam are being exposed to unsafe levels of radiation, according to a company whistleblower. Continue reading

June 11, 2010 Posted by | secrets and lies, South Australia, uranium | , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Australia’s heritage secret old nuclear target: how many secret new ones?

“Many Territorians would not even be aware of this priceless nugget of Cold War history right in their backyards.”

‘Top secret’ Cold War seismic vault heritage-listed “…….. ABC News by James Glenday May 18, 2010


The Spencer Hill Seismic Vault has been heritage listed…… A seismic vault, which was used to detect nuclear tests during the Cold War, has been heritage-listed……………Michael Wells from the Northern Territory Government’s heritage branch says the equipment was used to detect nuclear tests in the former Soviet Union.…. Between 20 to 30 US soldiers worked at the facility but many of their activities were kept secret from the Australian people…. ‘Top secret’ Cold War seismic vault heritage-listed – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

May 19, 2010 Posted by | Northern Territory, secrets and lies | , , , , | Leave a comment

Murky history of Australia’s exposure to radiation from French nuclear tests

Prime Minister Whitlam sent HMAS Supply to witness the French Tests. A Royal New Zealand Naval vessel also took position and watched. Thus more ANZAC nuke vets were created by the exposures they suffered…….The same mistakes which caused the Black Mist incident and all other incidents in Australia to go unreported in the 1950s were still in play in the 1970s………

Paul Langley’s Nuclear History Blog, 19 May, 2010, On 22 July 1973 French atmospheric nuclear testing recommenced at Mururoa Atoll in the South Pacific. Continue reading

May 19, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, secrets and lies, uranium | , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Nuclear industry can no longer hide radiation danger to workers

The “Silkwood Syndrome” of denial by employers and governments has dogged Australia since the 1950s….the nuclear industry must realise it risks embarrassment on a global scale should it persist in these tactics.

Things are always officially perfectly safe –  nuclearhistory « Paul Langley’s Nuclear History Blog, 14 May 2010, ….In late July l996 the Australian Democrats raised the issue of radiological safety in the SA State Parliament.The Democrats report that workers employed at Roxby Downs were contaminated while performing nuclear duties in relation to radioactive waste owned by the Commonwealth. Continue reading

May 14, 2010 Posted by | secrets and lies, South Australia | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Be wary: Australian govt compensation may impede current legal action

Aust Govt to compensate nuke vets, Paul Langley’s Nuclear History Blog, 7 May 2010, “……..This may be very good news for the surviving 2,000 nuclear veterans out of the Australian 8,000 service personnel who were used as target practice for the British nuclear weaponeers,…..

It still leaves the question as to whether the payments will contain clauses impeding the current legal action against the British government, Continue reading

May 7, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, secrets and lies, uranium | , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

BHP Billiton not disclosing its bribery, while keeping up its integrity spin

Oxfam is urging BHP Billiton  to clean up its act, by disclosing all its bribes to countries to secure mining leases. BHP Billiton is signed up to the ETI agreement, which sets a standard for transparency in mining operations.

Cambodia’s Minister fro Water Resources said that BHP paid $US 2.5 million to the government, to secure a special concession.

BHP Executive Marius Kloppers memo’d staff on BHP’s “working with integrity” – and with “our values, which underpins everything we do” – source: – The Age, Business April 28, 2010 – “BHP urged to open up on payments.”

April 28, 2010 Posted by | secrets and lies, uranium | , , , | Leave a comment

Cameco uranium miner told aborigines that radiation is not harmful

Phoebe Clark from the Punmu community says company representatives told locals that radiation is not harmful to people.

Miner accused of misleading radiation claims , ABC North West WA – Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 23 April 2010, A Canadian mining company has been accused of giving misleading information to traditional owners during a community workshop in the Pilbara. Continue reading

April 24, 2010 Posted by | secrets and lies, Western Australia | | Leave a comment

Lax controls in possibly corrupt BHP Billiton

BHP Reveals Possible Corruption  Australasian Investment Review – (AIR) 22 April 2010, BHP Billiton, the world’s biggest mining company, has joined its smaller rival, Rio Tinto, in being implicated in possible corrupt activities.The news was buried in the company’s first quarter exploration and development report, issued yesterday……
The ASX and or ASIC should ask BHP to provide more details as soon as possible……The disclosure laws here in Australia will have to be applied to see if BHP has provided timely and adequate disclosure to the local (and London) markets……There’s no word on whether the US Justice Department will become involved, but if it involves a breach of America’s bribery laws, it will.

If the reports are confirmed then authorities in countries in Europe, especially the European Commission and China could also become involved…..the fact that the allegations have been raised by the SEC shows the lax controls inside BHP, Australasian Investment Review

April 22, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, secrets and lies, uranium | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

ERA fails to come clean on Ranger uranium leak

ERA fails to come clean on Ranger uranium leak ,  Scott Ludlam, 21st April 2010, Ranger Uranium Mine. Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) has failed to come clean with shareholders and the people of the Northern Territory about the contaminated water leaking from the Ranger uranium mine in Kakadu National Park during today’s Annual General Meeting in Darwin. Continue reading

April 22, 2010 Posted by | Northern Territory, secrets and lies, uranium | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

U.S. corruption investigation involves BHP Billiton

BHP embroiled in US corruption probe, The West Australian, 21 April 2010, BHP Billiton says it is co-operating with US authorities in an investigation into possible corruption involving government officials. Continue reading

April 21, 2010 Posted by | secrets and lies, uranium | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Rudd govt trying to deceive Australian public over radioactive waste dump

Labor Lied About Nuclear Waste, New Matilda, By Scott Ludlam , 17 April 2010, The Rudd Government is trying to force a nuclear waste dump on a remote Aboriginal community and is hoping that most voters won’t care or notice,Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s proposed “solution” to our 60 year radioactive waste legacy has sparked a major confrontation. Continue reading

April 17, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, secrets and lies, uranium | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Strange deals – Aboriginals and Olympic Dam Uranium Mine Expansion

The Kokatha-Mula appear to have become the “Land Council” for the traditional Kokatha people of the Western Desert, since the traditional Kokatha people walked out on Native Title and BHP Billiton several years ago!

Kokatha ”Mula”, sounds catchy and similar but on researching the internet found no historic reference to this name.

MARK ALDRIDGE: WHO’S BEHIND THE INDEPENDENT ABORIGINAL CANDIDATES? , Coober Pedy Regional Times, 19 March 2010, ANTaR  SA is helping Lynette Crocker and Dylan Mastrosavas to stand as ‘Independent SA Change’ to bring forward your Aboriginal Voices. Continue reading

March 19, 2010 Posted by | secrets and lies, South Australia, uranium | , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Martin Ferguson’s hypocrisy about medical radiation

Here’s another example of Martin Ferguson’s duplicity.  He’s promoting the planned radioactive waste dump on aboriginal land, as necessary for Australians because it’s for medical waste.

BUT:  1. There’s no scientific reason why the nuke waste dump has to be in the Northern Territory, let alone on aboriginal land.

2. The dump will also take highly radioactive spent fuel rods – conveniently opening the door for a future intake of high level nuclear waste from  – well, perhaps the USA, as Howard and Bush had intended.

March 11, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, secrets and lies | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Uranium conference perpetuating lies about radiation

Losses don’t take shine off silver lining, Sydney Morning Herald, SCOTT ROCHFORT March 2, 2010‘GOOD’ RADIATION Scientific findings were aired at a conference yesterday confirming that radiation can actually be good for you. Continue reading

March 2, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, secrets and lies, uranium | , , , , , , | Leave a comment