Martin Ferguson undermining climate change policy
Ministers accused of blocking energy greening
Sydney Morning Herald Marian Wilkinson, Environment Editor July 27, 2009THE state and federal energy ministers, led by Labor’s Martin Ferguson, are being accused of undermining the Rudd Government’s climate change policies in light of a report which finds the national electricity market they oversee is discouraging energy efficiency and new renewable energy.
“Energy ministers are rewarding polluting energy and blocking efficiency and clean alternatives”, said Jane Castle of the NSW Total Environment Centre which commissioned one of the leading energy consultancy firms, McLennan Magasanik Associates, to report on the role of the National Electricity Market in climate change……………………
The report comes after Mr Ferguson launched an attack on environmentalists for failing to support the expansion of Australia’s liquid natural gas projects and uranium mining, saying they did not understand, “where our electricity comes from, who pays for it and what the future of the global energy landscape looks like”.
But Ms Castle accused Mr Ferguson of thwarting the Rudd government’s climate change policies. “He heads the Ministerial Council on Energy which is actively obstructing the development of energy solutions which would bolster the economy, create jobs and protect us from rising carbon costs,” she said. “His overblown statements are intended to simply disguise his defence of Australia’s biggest polluters.”
The consultants’ findings were backed by one of Australia’s leading renewable energy companies, Pacific Hydro. Its spokesman, Andrew Richards, said the energy ministers needed to intervene to get the National Electricity Market to “transition from the old way of doing things”. As a first principle, he said, the electricity market needed to include a commitment to climate change policies.
Martin Ferguson’s climate change policy | Marian Wilkinson | Environment and ALP
Nuclear power proposal ridiculed
The Bendigo Advertiser 27/07/2009
Last week the chairman of the Federal Government’s Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Dr Ziggy Switkowski, said Australia was the best-placed country in the world to use nuclear power…………………………..Environmentalists have called his proposal “ridiculous” and unnecessary given the number of renewable, and cleaner, energy options available.
Bendigo Sustainability Group president Karen Corr said Mr Switkowski’s idea was irrelevant.
“It is a ridiculous plan to even be considering nuclear power,” she said.
“There is existing technology now for green energy and nuclearpower is not clean, there are so many problems with it, especially with the waste.”
Ms Corr said any nuclear power plant would take at least 20 years to build, which seemed pointless given that wind and solar projects were already running and could be installed relatively quickly.
Mount Alexander Sustainability Group chairman Jim Norris agreed.
“We are saying no to nuclear power, we do not see it as clean and safe, there are other solutions readily available,” he said.
“Nuclear power generation is not entirely renewable clean energy, mine site to power point energy costs are quite considerable; you have got to dig the uranium out of the ground then store it for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.”
Mr Norris said the CSIRO’s Maine’s Power project was “absolute proof” that Australia did not need to rely on nuclear energy.
“Four major Castlemaine businesses will save between 30 and 40 per cent of their energy usage by means other than nuclear power by the end of 2010,” he said.
N-power proposal ridiculed – Local News – News – General – The Advertiser
A dark dawn: the nuclear age is with us
ON LINE opinion By Jake Lynch – 27 July 2009 “…………………In Australia.. investigative reporting by the Sydney Morning Herald established that Peter Garrett,…. had approved a proposal for a new uranium mine from a “reclusive billionaire” named James Neal Blue. Blue, the paper noted, was “one of the world’s biggest arms dealers” and the supplier, through his company, General Atomics, of the Predator drone aircraft being used in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.The new Four Mile mine, in South Australia, would use the same “acid corrosion technique” to extract uranium from aquifers, environment reporter Ben Cubby wrote, as the nearby Beverley mine, which had recorded 59 separate spills of radioactive material in the past decade.
Cubby didn’t raise the point, but real fears have surfaced, over the same period, that South Australia might run out of water, with its state capital, Adelaide, afflicted by salination and drought. It seemed that the exploitation of a resource with a high market value was taking precedence over the preservation of one with unique life-giving properties…………………..
Time then, perhaps, to dredge up some of the nuances otherwise in danger of being forgotten, but emphasised usefully in two new books, Plutonium: A History of the World’s Most Dangerous Element, by Jeremy Bernstein (Cornell University Press) and In Mortal Hands: A Cautionary History of the Nuclear Age, by Stephanie Cooke (Black Inc Books)…………….
…………The element at the heart of humanity’s deadliest weapons is plutonium, and Bernstein describes the science leading to its eventual production in sufficient quantities to manufacture bombs, evoking intrigues, along the way, that crossed the borders of Mitteleuropa, with protagonists fleeing Nazi persecution and heading for points west. Plutonium is a by-product of civil nuclear reactors, and Bernstein ends with a wry commentary on its sheer uselessness for any but military purposes. From the initial laboratory quantities measured in millionths of a gram, the world is now “awash” with the stuff, he says: 155 metric tons in total………………………….
Britain…. still has not settled on one site for the long-term disposal of waste from its existing nuclear plants. The cost, now estimated at well over £70 billion, or about US$120 billion, has been palmed off on the government,…
…Across the Atlantic, the Hanford reactor that produced plutonium for Los Alamos was mothballed long ago, Bernstein notes. The risk from leaks to swimmers and anglers downstream on the Columbia River was hushed up when it was operational, but it now represents a US$10 billion time bomb……………..
In the civil domain, the “nuclear renaissance” now underway creates a lucrative market for uranium suppliers like Australia, but, she observes, also multiplies the risk, of both accidents and proliferation.
A dark dawn: the nuclear age is with us – On Line Opinion – 27/7/2009
Australia’s threatened water resources, and the uranium mining risk
(for more Australian news, go to
What impact is uranium mining having on our water?
The Advertiser, by Jim Green, 25 july 09
ENVIRONMENT Minister Peter Garrett buttressed his decision last week to approve in situ leach (ISL) uranium mining at Beverley Four Mile with the claim that he is “certain this operation poses no credible risk to the environment”.
Thus Mr Garrett adds another chapter to the history of spin surrounding ISL mining.
Environmental debates typically revolve around differing assessments of the possibility of environmental contamination.
But with ISL mining, environmental pollution – specifically contamination of groundwater with radionuclides, heavy metals and acid – is a certainty.
ISL mining involves pumping an acidic solution into an aquifer, dissolving the uranium ore and other heavy metals and pumping the solution back to the surface.
After the uranium has been separated, liquid radioactive waste is simply dumped in the aquifer. Isolation and containment of the pollutants would not be difficult or expensive, but the mining companies will take the cheaper option of polluting groundwater for as long as the politicians let them……………………
A 2003 Senate References and Legislation Committee report recommended banning the discharge of radioactive liquid mine waste to groundwater. ISL uranium mining is used at the Beverley uranium mine and it is the mining method proposed for Beverley Four Mile, Oban and Honeymoon.
The future of this mining technique is plain to see: short-lived mines leaving SA with a legacy of polluted aquifers.
Spills and leaks are common at ISL mines. The SA Department of Primary Industry and Resources lists 59 spills at Beverley from 1998 to 2007.
Serious questions must be raised as to BHP Billiton’s capacity to safely manage radioactive tailings at Olympic Dam if, as planned, tailings production increases sevenfold to 68 million tonnes annually and water consumption increases to more than 250 million litres daily.
BHP Billiton pays nothing for its massive water take for the Olympic Dam mine, despite recording a $17.7 billion profit in 2007-8. That arrangement is enshrined in the Roxby Downs Indenture Act 1982………
……… The Indenture Act provides a raft of exemptions and overrides from the SA Natural Resources Act 2004, the Environment Protection Act 1993, the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1988 and even the Freedom of Information Act 1991.
BHP Billiton and the Rann Government are currently engaged in secret discussions over the future of the Indenture Act.
Fairfax News has conflict of interest in reporting on nuclear power
Becruz by Robert Vose 25 July 09The Chairman of the Board for Fairfax Media Limited is Mr Ron Walker. Ron Walker was also one of the three owners of a company that aimed to build Australia’s first nuclear power station:
Herald Sun Michael Harvey February 28, 2007
JOHN Howard has admitted he had known of a private bid by a Liberal powerbroker to build Australia’s first nuclear power station since the middle of last year.
Mr Howard received a phone call from businessman Ron Walker about the time the Federal Government established its expert investigation into the viability of nuclear power.
Mr Walker told the Prime Minister he was registering a private company interested in nuclear power…
The Herald Sun revealed yesterday that Mr Walker joined forces with fellow business chiefs Hugh Morgan and Robert Champion de Crespigny to establish a private company called Australian Nuclear Energy Pty Ltd.
If Fairfax newspapers such as The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald are starting up a campaign to subtly promote nuclear power – through these pretend allegorical stories of the last couple of days – THEY NEED TO DECLARE A POSSIBLE CONFLICT OF INTEREST!!!!
These nuclear power puff pieces do not constitute rational debate. They do not look at the options for energy systems that could replace coal power stations. The writing style even suggests that the authors are embarrassed to have to present these kinds of positions in their writing.
……………………….If editors and the board are pushing the nuclear power wheelburrow they need to declare their interests in nuclear power.
Becrux » Blog Archive » Why is Fairfax Promoting nuclear power?
Australia: Aboriginal voices raise uranium concerns
ANFA – protecting country, supporting communities – www.anfa.org.au
Australia’s poor record as a uranium mining nation
ARCHIES ARCHIVE 24 July 09
Ranger:• despite being expected to operate under a “no-release” water management system, incidents involving misplaced low grade ores or failures in water control bunds have led on numerous occasions to contaminated runoff waters being leaked into adjacent creeks (especially Corridoor Creek, a tributary of Magela Creek).• in early 2004 incorrect plumbing saw the process water circuit being connected to the potable drinking water circuit – leading to rapid and significant toxic process water being mixed with drinking water, and much of the Ranger workforce being potentially exposed to both acute chemical and radiological exposure.Olympic Dam:• after operating for nearly a decade, a major ongoing leak from the tailings dam was revealed, amounting to the loss of billions of litres of tailings water to groundwater.• in March 1999, and again October 2001, major explosions and fires caused substantive damage to the mill and smelter complexes, including major releases of noxious fumes – though the extent of radiological releases remains highly contentious, the fact that the uranium solvent extraction circuit in the 2001 incident was on fire raises serious concerns about how these incidents are handled by current regulators.
Beverley:
• numerous spills and leaks from pipelines have occurred………………Can uranium mines be satisfactorily rehabilitated?
The experience of rehabilitating uranium mines to date in Australia is questionable. The first generation of uranium mines from the Cold War, namely Rum Jungle, Radium Hill, Mary Kathleen and the South Alligator group of mines, all still present environmental and radiological management problems and require constant vigilence and maintenance.
Examples include: – Rum Jungle –….mine drainage continues to pollute the Finniss River…… Radium Hill…………tailings requires ongoing maintenance…..Mary Kathleen………… ongoing seepage of saline, metal and radionuclide rich waters from the tailings dam
From a briefing paper by Gavin M. Mudd for <a
Uranium Mining and a National Park #2 « Ærchies Archive – The Curmudgeon’s Magazine
Rudd ridicules Opposition’s nuclear push
Rudd ridicules Opposition’s nuclear push
Jul 23, 2009 Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says Labor’s policy of opposing nuclear power generation in Australia is clear……………………………“Can I say our policy on this was made absolutely clear at the ALP national conference a couple of years a go when I was leader of the parliamentary Labor Party, I still am, though my other job has changed, and it was clear cut that we were getting rid of the three mines policy,” he said.
Mr Rudd says the remarks show the Opposition do not have a coherent policy on climate change.
“We’ve got this extraordinary situation where the only thing the Liberal Party seem to be united on is putting nuclear plants, power plants, across the country, when they can’t even have a unified position on climate change,” he said.
Bligh rules out Queensland uranium mining
ABC News By Chrissy Arthur Jul 23, 2009
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says uranium mining will not be allowed in the state under her government.Earlier this week, Federal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson said it was inevitable that uranium would be mined in Queensland.Ms Bligh says she made a promise at the last election not to allow uranium mining and she will not be breaking it.”It’s not like coal, or nickel or zinc,” she said.”This is a material that is used for a range of very serious and violent purposes around the world.”
Bligh rules out Qld uranium mining – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Mega uranium in Australia
Mega steps up bid to beat BHP with WA’s 1st uranium mine
(Note from Christiona Macpherson – Is Mega Uranium involved in a court case in South Africa?)
PERTH, July 23 AAP
Trading Room By Rebecca Le MayJuly 23 2009,
The race to develop Western Australia’s first uranium mine has gained pace, with Mega Uranium Ltd entering a $US49 million ($A60 million) joint venture with a Japanese firm to progress the Canadian explorer’s Lake Maitland project.
Mega is vying to beat BHP Billiton Ltd’s Yeelirrie project as the state’s first uranium mine.
Both projects are situated in WA’s midwest region near Wiluna………………..Mega, which is expected to soon seek an Australian stock exchange listing, said on Thursday it had teamed up with Japan Australia Uranium Resources Development (JAURD) and Itochu to develop the project………………….
“JAURD’s shareholders – power companies Kansai, Kyushu and Shikoku, will have access to uranium produced at Lake Maitland and Itochu will participate in uranium off-take arrangements,” Mega chief executive Sheldon Inwentash said.
The transaction is subject to approvals required under the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act.
Federal Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson, said on Thursday Australian was “committed to mining uranium with safe hands and only supplying uranium to countries which use it with safe hands”.
News: Australian Stock, Share & Commodity Markets News – Tradingroom.com.au
Australia’s top nuclear business closes down – “a waste of time”
Top trio turn off N-switch
(for more Australian news go to nuclear news Australia )
Herald Sun Cameron England
July 23, 2009 12:00am
THREE of Australia’s best-known businessmen have abandoned plans to build the country’s first nuclear power plant in the face of Federal Government opposition to the controversial energy source.
Fairfax Media chairman and former Liberal Party treasurer Ron Walker has applied to deregister Australian Nuclear Energy — the company he set up with mining identities Robert Champion de Crespigny and Hugh Morgan — three years after its creation.
Mr Walker said yesterday a lack of government support had scuttled their ambitions. “Government was very clear that they would not allow nuclear energy in Australia,” he said.
“We decided that it was just a waste of our time…………
…………Mr Walker applied to shut down ANE, which investigated the possibility of building a nuclear plant in either Victoria or South Australia, on May 2
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25821675-664,00.html
Rio Tinto tries to steer Rudd towards nuclear power
Business Spectator , 22 Jul 2009
Rio Tinto tries to steer Rudd towards nuclear power“…………….The company laid out its position in a submission to the government’s Energy White Paper, signed by Rio Tinto Australia managing director Stephen Creese.
The submission raised particular concern about the government’s 20 per cent renewable energy target…………………..
Rio Tinto owns 68 per cent of Australia’s largest uranium exporter Energy Resources of Australia Ltd.
The miner also cast doubt on the viability of gas as a lower-emitting, base load alternative to coal.
Government minister in a hole over Australian uranium mine approval
Government minister in a hole over Australian uranium mine approval
edie.net news by David Gibbs 21 July 09-“……………..The decision to approve Australia’s fifth uranium mine sparked fierce criticism of Mr Garrett from political opponents and conservation groups.They accused the former anti-uranium activist, who once stood for the Nuclear Disarmament Party and penned anti-nuclear anthems for his band, of hypocrisy and argue the mine will harm the environment.
Federal opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull said: “This approval shows that Mr Garrett is as big a phoney as the prime minister.
“He spent his whole life denouncing uranium mining and wanting to shut it down. Now he’s opening a new one.” ………………Senator Scott Ludlam, nuclear spokesman for The Greens, said the claim the mine, 550km (340 miles) north of Adelaide, would be world’s best practice was “unfounded and bordered on delusional”.
He added: “This acid injection uranium mine will dump liquid radioactive waste into regional groundwater body and the minister is trying to argue this won’t damage the environment.”
Government minister in a hole over Australian uranium mine approval
Drowning island pins hopes on clean energy – CNN.com
(for more internatiomal news, go to http://www.nuclear-news.net)
(CNN) 21 July 09 — Tuvalu, the fourth smallest nation on the planet, has announced it aims to be totally powered by renewable energy sources by 2020.Located between Hawaii and Australia, the tiny Pacific nation is one of the world’s climate change hotspots and many believe it is already seeing the negative affects of rising sea levels.
The highest elevation on the island is just 4.5 meters (14.8 feet), and king tides have become increasingly damaging over the past 10 years, threatening the homes and livelihoods of its 12,000 inhabitants.
The government of Tuvalu is working with the e8, a consortium of 10 energy firms from the G8 nations that was set up after the 1992 Rio Earth Summit as a non-profit organization. The Tuvalu government estimates that it will take around $20 million in investment to reach the goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2020.
The first stage of the project has seen the roof of the country’s largest football stadium covered in solar panels, which supplies 5 percent of the electricity needed by the nation’s capital, Funafuti…………………………
“We thank those who are helping Tuvalu reduce its carbon footprint as it will strengthen our voice in upcoming international negotiations. And we look forward to the day when our nation offers an example to all — powered entirely by natural resources such as the sun and the wind,” said Kausea Natano, Tuvalu’s minister for public utilities and industries.
Nuclear power is a feminist issue
by Noel Wauchope 21 July 09
Thirty years ago, along with others, I argued that NUCLEAR is a feminist issue, and Women’s Electoral Lobby put in a detailed anti-uranium submission to the Australian federal government.
Nothing has changed.
1. The uranium/nuclear industry is still a Big Boys’ Club
– providing the ultimate phallic symbol – the nuclear missile, – toys for the boys
– providing exorbitantly paid jobs for the corporate boys, and for their tunnel-vision “experts”
– providing short-term dangerous jobs for tough boys.
2. Cancer is on the increase, especially breast cancer. The research goes towards cure – which is fine, but where’s the research into the causes and prevention of breast cancer . (Women are conned into thinking that “detection = prevention”)
Women bear the load of caring for those who suffer and die from leukaemia, breast cancer, lung cancer, – as well as of birth abnormalities. Meanwhile the establishment carefully attributes these to “genetic factors” – or vaguely to “unknown” factors.
The nuclear issue is still a feminist issue.
In every survey, more women than men are opposed to this industry.
But then – if they speak out – the “experts” dismiss women’s views – they are too “emotional”
Still – those surveys are a bit of a nuisance for the uranium/nuclear lobby – they are working hard now, to get women on side with them.
1 This month
7 April – WEBINAR – Australia and the Doomsday Clock – Preventing nuclear war through NoFirstUse and other policies
Online | Tuesday April 7, 4:00-5:30pm, Australian Eastern Time / 8:00-9:30am Central Europe Time
– Access the registration link
15 April – Zoom –Nuclear Power is Not the Solution
Apr 15, 2026 01:00 AM in Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney
Join the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) on Tuesday, April 14th for a timely webinar exploring the risks associated with nuclear power and challenging the myth that it offers a simple, safe, carbon-free solution to the climate crisis
21 April Webinar: No Nuclear Weapons in Australia
Start: 2026-04-21 18:00:00 UTC Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney (GMT+10:00)
End: 2026-04-21 19:30:00 UTC Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney (GMT+10:00)
Event Type: Virtual
A virtual link will be communicated before the event.
Host Contact Info: australia@icanw.org
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
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