Antinuclear

Australian news, and some related international items

Nuclear’s Brave New Confidence Trick to hijack Walk Against Warming

August 15 will be the day for “Walk Against Warming”.  The nuclear lobby will try to use this occasion to promote nuclear power as a solution to global warming.

I like their slogan –  “Brave New Climate”.  It has echoes of “Brave New World” – a book in which the State exercised complete surveillance over people’s lives. And that would be the scenario, in  a nuclear Australia.  It’s an aspect not often discussed – but nuclear power is so dangerous, that it requires huge surveillance, and secrecy –  indeed a Brave New World style influence on our lives.

Nuclear power far from being any solution to Climate Change, simply creates a new and potentially greater problem.

At the website below, a Double-sided A4 flyer can be downloaded, for printing off, and used to counter this attempt by the nuclear lobby to hikack the Walk Against Warming.

Nuclear Power & Climate Change — Friends of the Earth Australia

July 25, 2010 Posted by | Christina reviews, climate change - global warming, energy, uranium | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Recipe for mega disaster – nuclear action on Gulf Oil Spill

The deeper the well, the greater the likelihood that the oil and gas effluent will have greater concentrations of radioactive components, particularly radium, thorium and uranium..

BP NUCLEAR OPTION Spells Mega-Disaster For Gulf Of Mexico, thepeoplesvoice.org, Dr. Tom Termotto, National Coordinator 24 July 2010,  Gulf Oil Spill Remediation Conference (International Citizens’ Initiative) There has been much speculation lately about a nuclear device being planned for closing in the BP Macondo Well in the Gulf of Mexico. The consequences of exercising this option go well beyond killing the Gulf of Mexico; there would be far-reaching and profound ramifications for the oceans of the world. Continue reading

July 25, 2010 Posted by | uranium | , , , , | Leave a comment

Greens MP Mark Parnell will continue fight against uranium mining in Arkaroola

Greens MLC Mark Parnell’s proposal to declare the wilderness sanctuary off-limits for miners.

Arkaroola mining debate delayed, The Independent Weekly, SUZIE KEEN24 Jul, 2010 A parliamentary showdown over mining at Arkaroola in the Flinders Ranges will be delayed until September. Continue reading

July 24, 2010 Posted by | politics, South Australia, uranium | , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

US Senate rejects 2 Bills about nuclear loans

The House will almost certainly have to accept the Senate version; those loans are now history.

SENATE REJECTS EMERGENCY FUNDING BILL WITH $9 BILLION IN NUKE LOAN GUARANTEES

SENATE DROPS NUKE-LARDED CLIMATE BILL AND SENATE COMMITTEE CUTS HOUSE COMMITTEE’S NUKE LOAN PROGRAM, Beyond Nuclear 24 July 2010,  First, the Senate last night rejected the House-passed emergency supplemental funding bill by a 51-46 vote.* This is the bill that included $9 Billion in “emergency” loans for new nuclear reactor construction. Continue reading

July 24, 2010 Posted by | uranium | , , , | Leave a comment

BHP- cutting staff, new Environmental Impact Statement on OLympic Dam uranium mine expansion

The decision is understood to affect about 150 staff…..BHP is preparing a supplementary environmental impact statement in response to public consultation on its draft EIS for the Olympic Dam expansion.

BHP to move white-collar jobs interstate and overseas Gavin Lower .  The Australian July 23, 2010 Continue reading

July 24, 2010 Posted by | Olympic Dam, politics, South Australia, uranium | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Australia’s Nuclear Reactor Agency cutting staff, reducing costs

there will be reductions in fixed costs and around 80 staff of ANSTO’s workforce of 1,009.”

Nuclear body ANSTO to cut 80 staff, cheap nike air, by selena on July 23rd, 2010 Continue reading

July 24, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, business, uranium | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Report from UK Uranium Weapons Network

UWN is campaigning for the UK government to adopt a precautionary approach to the use of DU in conventional weaponry and for greater transparency over where DU has been used

Latest documents advocating the ban of depleted uranium. By Jerry Mazza, Online Journal, 23 July 2010, “…… recent documents gathered from reliable government and non-government sources. ………According to the UK Uranium Weapons Network, now submitting its evidence to the Iraq War Inquiry, “The UK Uranium Weapons Network (UWN) announced today that it has submitted its report on British military use of depleted uranium (DU) ammunition in the 2003 Iraq War to the Chilcot Inquiry. Continue reading

July 24, 2010 Posted by | uranium | , , , , | Leave a comment

Greens call for ALP, Liberals to be honest about nuclear issue

“The Labor Party says they are against it but have let ANSTO head Dr Zigmunt Switkowski travel all over the country as atomic energy salesman-in-chief…..”An election campaign is when cards should go on the table. The Australian Greens oppose nuclear power in Australia. Where do the others stand?”

Greens call on major parties to declare their hand on nuclear energy , Scott Ludlam, 22nd July 2010, The Australian Greens are calling on Labor and the Coalition to be up-front with Australians about their position on nuclear power after a renewed push by the uranium lobby. Continue reading

July 23, 2010 Posted by | General News, uranium | , , , , | Leave a comment

Protest at Olympic Dam against effects on Aborigines, water, pollution

Zane Alcorn said: “Not only is the expansion at Olympic Dam going ahead without the consent of traditional owners, but tens of thousands of gigalitres of water per day is being sucked out of the Artesian Basin on Arabunna land to service the mine.

Protesters block mine. Roxby Downs Sun, 22 Jul, 2010 Forty anti-nuclear activists staged a protest on Friday against the Olympic Dam expansion, blockading the entrance and stopping traffic from entering.

The protest aimed to highlight the “catastrophic effects” the mine and its expansion would have on traditional owners and their natural resources. Activists painted themselves blue and used their bodies to spell words such as water, with some people partly naked to help draw attention to their views. Continue reading

July 23, 2010 Posted by | Olympic Dam, Opposition to nuclear, South Australia, uranium | , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Uranium marketers getting a bit desperate?

Mr Connor says with the current world oversupply of uranium, potential miners need to consider…..”You know, any customer they can find who gives them the money they need to be profitable and stable works,” he says

Think creatively on sales, says uranium marketer, ABC Rural News,  22/07/2010 A leading uranium marketer is encouraging emerging Australian producers to ‘think outside the box’ when selling yellowcake.

Mike Connor, from Nuclear Resources International, says…. Continue reading

July 23, 2010 Posted by | uranium | , , , | Leave a comment

Uranium accident shuts U.S. highway

U.S. Highway 412 …has been shut down …They initially reported that the chemical spilled was uranium

(USA) Uranium Accident Prompts Road Closure , Evacuations Reported Near Fairview,  KOCO Oklahoma City,  July 22, 2010 An accident involving a vehicle carrying cesium has forced the closure of a road in Major County, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. According to a news release from the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, U.S. Highway 412 at Bouse Junction east to State Highway 58 at Ringwood has been shut down for containment purposes. They initially reported that the chemical spilled was uranium.Fairview police said there have been evacuations about 1,000 feet around the area. It has not been determined whether anything is leaking.Authorities at the scene are waiting for officials from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to arrive from Tulsa.Chemical Accident Prompts Road Closure – Oklahoma City News Story – KOCO Oklahoma City

July 23, 2010 Posted by | uranium | , , , , | Leave a comment

Northern Territory Minister convinced by nuclear lobby

We can’t rely on emotions,” Mr Vatskalis said.

Vatskalis breaks ranks to back nuclear power,Northern Territory News,  NIGEL ADLAMJuly 23rd, 2010 TERRITORY Resources Minister Kon Vatskalis yesterday seemed to break ranks with the Labor Party and back an Australian nuclear power industry. He said at a mining conference in Perth that support for nuclear electricity-generating plants could grow when people had the “full facts and figures”. Continue reading

July 23, 2010 Posted by | Northern Territory, politics, uranium | , , , | Leave a comment

No U.S. waste dump in sight, as Yucca stays sghut

Hanford’s high level radioactive waste has been expected to go to Yucca Mountain, but the Obama administration is shutting the project down…..

HANFORD: Yucca Mountain funding voted down,  Tri-City Herald, 22 July 2010, Annette Cary, An amendment to restore money to license the Yucca Mountain, Nev., nuclear repository failed in the Senate Appropriations Committee today. Continue reading

July 23, 2010 Posted by | uranium | , , , , | Leave a comment

Greed and stupidity in uranium investment world

You would think that investors would wake up to the hype!  The so-called “nuclear renaissance” is just not happening.

Even the market for nuclear weapons is now looking dodgy – these being no protection whatever from terrorists, (in fact  a target for them)

China is looking to slow down its economy.-  China’s supposed  great uranium binge is a BHP executives’ fantasy

There is  a glut of uranium supply, made worse by the weapons reduction program, which now supplies  uranium (mining not needed)

From today’s CTV News: Despite the low spot and term prices, uranium producers have shown almost no discipline by reducing current or planned output,”…Despite falling uranium prices, worldwide spending on exploration and mine development grew 133 per cent to $1.6-billion in 2008 from 2006″

In sunny Australia, passing up the chance to develop 21st Century renewables,  we are mindlessly letting banks, super funds etc,  put our money into this gaping hole of impending loss – the almost certainly doomed uranium industry.

July 22, 2010 Posted by | Christina reviews, uranium | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Keep Fremantle nuclear and uranium free!

“Fremantle has been a nuclear-free city since 2000, and we are against any form of transportation of uranium through Fremantle.”

Uranium protesters rally in Fremantle, Sydney Morning Herald, ANGIE RAPHAEL, July 21, 2010 – Protesters have rallied against uranium mining ahead of a conference with major mining companies in Western Australia. Continue reading

July 22, 2010 Posted by | Opposition to nuclear, uranium | , , , , , , | Leave a comment