Review: Nuke waste, “nukes for peace”, Climate Change, Iran
Review: Australia. A critical time for Australia – Senate Inquiry into Muckaty nuclear waste dump plan, but local community excluded from attendance. W.A plan to use Oakajee port for uranium shipments. Alarming report from CSIRO – Climate Change well underway in Australia. “Climate Sceptics” influence grows.
International: U.S. safety worries with aging nuclear reactors,while France’s cost-cutting threatening safety of new reactors. Nuclear power being promoted as part of nuclear non proliferation! Iran building more nukes? – Israel threatening action on Iran. Continuing legal and financial battles for U.S. nuclear industry. A political move to thwart California’s renewable energy industries. – the week that has been
Nuclear waste dump a danger and’ negligible’ benefit to Northern Territory
NT not able to cope with nuke accident, says Government, Northern Territory News BEN LANGFORD March 29th, 2010 MOST Territory hospitals and the Port of Darwin are not equipped to deal with a radioactive waste incident or interest from “sophisticated criminal groups”, the NT Government has said.
The Government has told a Senate inquiry into new laws for a nuclear waste dump there would be “negligible economic benefit from the facility” for the NT. Continue reading
Anti uranium protest in Western Australia
Kalgoorlie residents protest against uranium industry, ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), Mar 27, 2010
Traditional owners from across WA have joined residents and politicians in an anti-uranium protest in Kalgoorlie. The protesters are opposed to development in WA’s emerging uranium industry.There are also concerns about BHP Billiton’s plans to transport yellow cake from its proposed Yeelirrie mine near Wiluna to Kalgoorlie where it will be loaded on to freight trains bound for Adelaide or Darwin.
France’s nuclear reactors cutting costs and safety
Revelations from an EDF insider Réseau “Sortir du nucléaire” French Nuclear Phaseout Network, 6 March 2010, : EPR reactor prone to major nuclear accident risk! The French Network for Nuclear Phase-out (Réseau “Sortir du nucléaire”) reveals confidential documents disclosed by an anonymous insider from EDF (Electricité de France, the main French power utility). These documents show that the design of the EPR presents a serious risk of a major nuclear accident – a risk deliberately taken by EDF to increase its profitability. Because it is potentially vulnerable to a situation which could have uncontrollable consequences, the EPR reactor is extremely dangerous.
Australia’s contribution to nuclear war
Australians complacently think that big corporations, like BHP Billiton, and ERA, and others, can keep on digging up and selling off uranium, for “peaceful purposes”, without Australia playing any part in the dirty radioactive waste problem, or the even dirtier nuclear weapons proliferation. – our theme for April 2010 – NUCLEAR POWER and PEACE
Navajo’s Radioactive Legacy from Uranium Mining
Toxic legacy for tribes, High Country News, Caitlin Sislin | Mar 26, 2010 Earlier this month, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals approved a controversial permit for uranium mining operations at sites in Church Rock, New Mexico. The operation includes a site associated with the largest release of liquid radioactive waste in United States History — a catastrophe which continues, a generation later, to negatively impact the lives and health of Navajo people residing near the spill site. Continue reading
Pressure to use Oakajee as uranium port
“…there was scope to export products including uranium out of Oakajee, because it was relatively isolated.
A plan to export uranium through a port in a populated area would probably be opposed by the community….”
Barnett cool on Oakajee as uranium port, KATE EMERY AND PETER KERR, The West Australian, 26 March 2010, – Continue reading
W.A. premier rules out Oakajee port for uranium shipments
No uranium through Oakajee: Premier ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) 25 March 2010, The Premier Colin Barnett has ruled out using the proposed Oakajee deepwater port north of Geraldton to ship uranium products. Continue reading
USA- resuscitation of nuclear industry threatened by waste problem
Waste issue hurting U.S. nuclear revival-panel Lack of plan for waste seen hurting nuclear development Commission told to move beyond Yucca Mountain site Some lawmakers oppose plan to shut down Yucca By Ayesha Rascoe WASHINGTON, March 25 (Reuters) – The lack of a permanent home for the nation’s radioactive waste is dampening prospects for a resurgence of the U.S. nuclear industry, federal commissioners said at their first public hearing on the subject. Continue reading
Rudd’s “aboriginal policy” more of a “uranium miners’ policy”
the big mining companies have been pressuring Australian governments to allow the opening of more mines and the establishment of a nuclear waste dump. The forced or coopted loss of Aboriginal control of their land is an important step to achieving this.
Fight for Aboriginal Rights: Labor steps up racist NT land grab, By Hamish Chitts. Rudd would make a great snake-oil seller because for all his lofty words over the past year,…..
In June 2007 the Howard Coalition government used the Little Children are Sacred report into child abuse in remote Northern Territory Aboriginal communities to invade these communities under what it called the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER)……. the Rudd Labor government has not only maintained the NTER, but also extended it.. Continue reading
Appeal to help local communities attend Senate hearing on nuclear waste dump
“Traditional Owners, Tennant residents and Barkly region pastoralists are extremely disappointed that the Senate Committee will not sit in Tennant Creek. The distance and cost to travel to Darwin makes it impossible for the majority of concerned people to attend the hearing,”
A public appeal is being launched to raise funds for Muckaty Traditional Owners to attend a Senate Inquiry hearing in Darwin on April 12.
The Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee is considering the recently tabled National Radioactive Waste Management Bill 2010, which identifies an area in the Muckaty Land Trust as the only site to be initially considered for a radioactive waste dump. Continue reading
Review: waste dump, uranium to Russia, U.S. waste problem, depleted uranium
Review: Australia: A big week with the Howard-Rudd government pretending that all is well with Muckaty waste dump plans, despite growing opposition. Rudd govt also intending to follow Howard’s deal on uranium sales to Russia. Concern rising over unnecessary medical radiation .
International: Nuke waste problem threatens “nuclear renaissance”. Canadian doctors oppose uranium mining, UK fears of radioactive terrorist attack. More revelations of cancer, birth deformities, from depleted uranium. Impoverished Niger a magnet for uranium miners
Northern Territory “Intervention” in interests of uranium miners, not Aborigines
Without doubt, the so called ‘resource boom’ where the price of minerals, especially of uranium started climbing, had a major impact in the introduction of the NT intervention laws which permitted the government to reclaim aboriginal lands.
it is the mining companies and not the aboriginal people who stand to gain from the relocation of aboriginal people away from their land
Alyawarr (Australian Aboriginal) people walked off. They say “enough is enough ! Abolish Northern Territory Intervention ! jagath dheerasekara, 23 March 2010, ” Continue reading
Terrorist nuclear attack a likely result of developing nuclear technology
Legitimate uses for such materials also “significantly increases the risk that they may be diverted and exploited by terrorist organisations”….
BRITAIN FACES NUCLEAR THREAT FROM al-QAEDA, GOVERNMENT REPORT WARNS, San Francisco Sentinel, By Duncan Gardham;The London Telegraph, 23 March 2010, Britain faces an increased threat of a nuclear attack by al-Qaeda terrorists following a rise in the trafficking of radiological material, a government report has warned. Continue reading
Australian uranium miners salivating as they help Russia towards global nuclear dominance
Russia Offers Huge Market for Australian Miners …..as Moscow aggressively campaigns to be the top dog in the global nuclear industry.
Russia Expands Uranium Market Presence, Uranium Investing News, 24 March 2010, By Melissa Pistilli Against the advice of the Australian Federal Parliament’s treaties committee, the Rudd government is going forward with an agreement to allow sales of uranium to Russia. Continue reading
1 This month
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
To see nuclear-related stories in greater depth and intensity
Antinuclear 