Paul Howes, like Martin Ferguson, a Nuclear Salesman
A loyal class-war warrior | The Australian, 18 May 2010, “ THE Secretary of the Australian Workers’ Union, Paul Howes, …….. Perhaps the most controversial position Howes has taken, one that puts him at odds with the Labor government, is his staunch support for nuclear energy in this country.He has spoken on the issue in a number of public forums, and received front-page newspaper coverage for the stance, including in The Australian. Continue reading
Save Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary from uranium mining, says Liberal Senator
Arkaroola too precious to mine: Minchin , The Independent Weekly, 14 May, 2010 South Australia’s Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary is too precious to turn over to uranium mining, South Australian Senator Nick Minchin says.
The Liberal Senator says he is appalled that the Australian Workers Union is in favour of opening the sanctuary to the uranium industry. Continue reading
Uranium salesman Paul Howes calls for Arkaroola mining
powerbroker and AWU national secretary Paul Howes said he had been convinced of the merits of mining during talks with Marathon Resources, a uranium explorer which had previously lost its licence over breaching of waste disposal conditions…………
Union calls for uranium mining in Arkaroola sanctuary | Adelaide Now, Christopher Russell, 14 May 2010, ONE of the nation’s most powerful unions says uranium miners should be allowed to exploit a huge deposit of the mineral in the Arkaroola reserve in the northern Flinders Ranges…..
the union and the miners face a bitter battle to develop the pristine wilderness and popular film setting known as one of the state’s natural geological wonders.
Lined up against developers are film-maker Rolf de Heer – who calls the site “the single most extraordinary piece of South Australia in existence” Continue reading
Labor breaks election promise to set up inappropriate nuclear waste dump
Medical experts – including nuclear medicine practitioners – confirm that Australians can continue to have unimpeded access to diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicines without the need for this dump.
Labor reneges on nuclear waste promise, The Age, DAVE SWEENEY, May 14, 2010 –Before the 2007 election, federal Labor promised a new approach to the management of radioactive waste, Continue reading
Ionising radiation double the cancer risk for the young
Younger Patients Face Double Radiation Risk from CT Scans: Study, Ethiopian Review, May 13th, 2010 Younger patients run a higher risk of health problems from radiation exposure caused by computed tomography (CT) scans, according to a new study. Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina found that the radiation risk for younger patients were double those of older patients in a CT radiation exposure study presented last week at the American Roentgen Ray Society 2010 annual meeting in San Diego, CA. Scientists say that the findings indicate that age is another factor that doctors should consider when ordering CT scans. Younger Patients Face Double Radiation Risk from CT Scans: Study
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
Martin Ferguson’s Solar Energy plan for failure
Ferguson’s department once again has diverted funds to his favoured fossil fools and a gladbag of solar generation novices….Let’s get off this flagship of fools before it sinks the hopes of achieving a large-scale transition to renewables.
Solar Flagship shortlist comes up short * Olga Galacho, Herald Sun * May 13, 2010 FOSSIL fuel pirates and other opportunists have commandeered Energy Minister Martin Ferguson’s Solar Flagship program. The short-listed bidders for a slice of the $1.5 billion booty, courtesy of the Federal Government, was buried in a press release issued on Budget night. Continue reading
Increased momentum for a national fight against Muckaty Nuclear Waste Dump Plan
“There is growing national concern about Minister Ferguson’s decide-announce-defend approach. The Senate report does not challenge the Minister’s absolute discretion in the site selection process, which will mean continuation of the secretive and bullish process undertaken so far”.
Senate Report Increases Determination to Fight Muckaty Nuclear Dump. The Beyond Nuclear Initiative (BNI) says a Senate report released today on the National Radioactive Waste Management Bill is deplorable and will invigorate efforts to oppose a dump at Muckaty Station in the Northern Territory. Continue reading
Methinks the uranium corporations do protest too much
Australia’s media is awash with the anger of BHP Billiton and other uranium miners, (even weird little Cauldron Energy), about the government’s super profit resources tax. Their threat is to wind down uranium mining, leave Australia etc.
But uranium mining is winding down anyway. BHP Billiton’s Grat Big New Mine is far from happening, as Olympic Dam still producing about a quarter capacity, with a damaged main shaft.
Recent Nuclear Non Proliferation arrangements mean that countries can get nuclear fuel from old nuclear weapons (no uranium mining needed for that). And the famous Nuclear Resuscitation (sorry, did I mean Renaissance?) – is not really happening.
And – it’s rude to mention this – but just one nuclear mishap like the current oil mishaps, and nuclear power is dead in the water forever.
Australian Government postpones Nuclear Waste Bill, Spurns Discussion with Greens
Ferguson’s response was “I don’t deal with the Greens, why would I deal with the Greens, we don’t deal with the Greens” and walked off.
The government’s strange flip flops on nuclear, Crikey, by Bernard Keane, 13 May 2010, “….This week it [the Australian Government] was preparing to speed its National Radioactive Waste Management Bill 2010 through parliament, with the aid of an unusually compliant opposition. The bill was scheduled for today but has been dropped ahead of higher priority bills. It is expected to return in June. Continue reading
Govt perks to uranium industry in “indigenous” budget
Indigenous- Petrol sniffing, child abuse targeted, ABC Rural News, 11/05/2010…………………Funding will continue for the rehabilitation of the former uranium mining site at Rum Jungle in the Northern Territory, and sorting out Indigenous land access issues.Half a million dollars will be spent on the Working in Partnership Program, to help mining companies work better with Indigenous communities and create more Indigenous mining jobs.Beware of Australian govts bearing small, hurried, gifts to Maralinga veterans
As Queen’s Counsel Cherie Blair leads the Australian atomic veterans into legal battle with the British government over compensation, the Australian government hurriedly decides to at last give some (pretty lousy) compensation to them
Could it be that there’s a little clause in there somewhere, about the veterans dropping their legal case in UK, if they want to get Australian govt recognition?
Australia’s government provides hasty, stingy compensation to its nuclear veterans
Nuclear veterans short-changed in Budget: Xenophon ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), 12 May, 2010, Independent Senator Nick Xenophon says veterans of nuclear testing at Maralinga in outback South Australia have been short-changed in the federal Budget.There were atomic tests at Maralinga and Emu Plains about half a century ago.Senator Xenophon says test veterans will get improved benefits under veterans’ entitlements but no lump sum payments.”Russia, France, the US, even China have provided lump sum compensation for their nuclear test survivors but the Government has failed to do so,” he said.”I don’t think that’s good enough given these victims have waited something like half a century to try and get some justice in relation to what they’ve gone through.”Nuclear veterans short-changed in Budget: Xenophon – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
American Cancer Society misrepresented President’s Cancer Panel findings
why………did the ACS react so strongly and go on to misrepresent the findings of the Cancer Panel as if the NIH were an antagonist, rather than an ally?
the Chronicle of Philanthropy famously once blasted the ACS as being “more interested in accumulating wealth than in saving lives”
Every Cancer Counts, Carl Pope: Memo to the American Cancer Society, THE HUFFINGTON POST, May 11, 2010, “…..The ACS comment was widely and understandably reported as an attack on the scientific validity of the Cancer Panel’s findings. But in reality, the Cancer Panel never said that pollution is the major cause of cancer. Continue reading
For solar technology, Australian govt backs nuclear company AREVA
short-listed for one of two projects to get substantial backing under the $1.5 billion solar flagships program….none of the big name US and Spanish proponents of the new generation solar tower technologies, such as BritghSource, e-Solar and Cobra, made the short-list.
The giant backing Australian solar, Giles Parkinson | Business Spectator, 12 May 2010, The French nuclear giant Areva might have made one of the deals of the year when it snapped up Ausra, the solar thermal energy company founded by Australian researcher David Mills. Continue reading
1 This month
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
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