Pro-nuclear professor got his facts wrong
Lesley Kemeny’s inaccuracies – The Age, by Jim Green 17 Oct 09 Lesley Kemeny claims that 60 countries have ’embraced’ nuclear power yet a moment’s research shows that the figure is 31 (‘ Nuclear energy key to future’, The Age, Oct 14). He lauds Australia’s “superb” uranium mining industry. Yet a 2003 Senate References and Legislation Committee report found “a pattern of under-performance and non-compliance” in the industry, identified many gaps in knowledge, and concluded that changes were necessary “in order to protect the environment and its inhabitants from serious or irreversible damage”.
A shame no-one listened − the following year at the Ranger uranium mine in the NT, 150 workers were exposed to drinking water containing uranium levels 400 times greater than the Australian safety standard. Mining company ERA was fined $150,000 — a rare example of a uranium mining company being prosecuted for breaching operating conditions.
Mr Kemeny gives a figure of 5 grams of carbon dioxide per megawatt-hour of nuclear power, yet the Switkowski report puts the figure 12 times higher. The Switkowski report also demonstrates what a blunt instrument nuclear power is in the climate change battle − it found that building six nuclear reactors would reduce Australia’s emissions by just 4% if they displaced coal-fired plants, just 2% if they displaced gas, and nothing if they displaced renewables and energy efficiency measures.
Nuclear unnecessary: gas is the transition to renewables
Coal and nuclear just hot air, the immediate answer is gas Sydney Morning Herald PADDY MANNING October 17, 2009 People are looking for a cleaner energy source, one they can believe in, and enough to keep the lights on and power electric cars and desalination plants by 2050, when Australia’s population will be 35 million. Continue reading
Corruption charges follow uranium company’s deals with S.A. govt
Arkaroola uranium hunter on bribery charges HENDRIK GOUT17/10/2009 The owner and director of the largest shareholder in the company which the state government allows to explore the Arkaroola wilderness for uranium, Marathon Resources, is awaiting trial on charges of having bribed a government minister. Continue reading
Central Australia’s radioactive waste threat discussed internationally
Radioactive sites get overseas pressure ABC News By Kirsty Nancarrow i Oct 16, 2009
Anti-nuclear campaigners from Central Australia are hoping to put international pressure on the Commonwealth to abandon plans for a nuclear waste facility in the Northern Territory.
Natalie Wasley from the Beyond Nuclear Initiative says it is providing a briefing and a DVD to be screened and distributed to delegates at a conference in Sweden this weekend on the management of radioactive waste.
She says the Australian Government’s failure to consult people who are likely to be affected by the four sites being considered is out of step with what other countries are doing.
Radioactive sites get overseas pressure – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Western Australian government’s “blind spot” about uranium mining
Greens sceptical about uranium mine assessment ABC News Oct 16, 2009 The Greens say they doubt the Western Australian Government will be swayed on the level of environmental assessment it is proposing for a uranium mine on the Goldfields.The Government last week extended the time available for public comment on the assessment level for BHP Billiton’s Yeelirrie mine by four weeks.
WA Greens’ Senator Scott Ludlam says while he encourages more people to respond within the consultation period, he is sceptical it will make a difference.”Nobody seriously believes this State Government or this Environment Minister is going to take a look at the evidence that the community will put on the table …………… Government has got a particular blind spot around uranium mining ……….
Greens sceptical about uranium mine assessment – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Misleading headlines about nuclear
Peter Beattie warms to nuclear energy
Jamie Walker | October 17, 2009Article from: The Australian“………..Mr Beattie’s chief reservation about nuclear power is not on principle or safety grounds — it is the expense of building reactors. Just off the plane from Los Angeles, where he is Queensland’s trade commissioner for North and South America,……..Asked to what extent nuclear would be a part of Australia’s energy future, he said he doubted it would amount to much. “There is an argument for nuclear,” he said. “But I think, frankly, the new energies will leave nuclear behind. I mean, on all the assessments I ever saw when we were in government nuclear was too expensive — we are too small a population in Australia.”
Nuclear vets class action, then mysterious closure of their website
Coober Pedy Regional Times Maralinga Anniversary October 15, 1953 – 1967 and nuclear veteran’s website is closed down.
Only a few weeks ago, the Australian veterans of the atomic tests launched a class action against the Australian Federal Government on the basis that at the time of exposing Australian troops to nuclear blasts the Government knew that the exposed troops were placed in danger from internalisation of fission products. Continue reading
Olympic Dam uranium mine jobs at risk
Workers fear lay-offs as they wait for repairs
Sydney Morning Herald BARRY FITZGERALD
October 15, 2009
There have been no lay-offs among the 3000 employees and contractors at BHP Billiton’s Olympic Dam copper, uranium and gold mine in South Australia after the loss of 80 per cent of the underground mine’s hoisting capacity.
But with speculation continuing that the Clark shaft could take up to six months to repair, fears are growing in the outback town that services the mine, Roxby Downs, that BHP could soon be forced to resort to a skeleton workforce.
BHP is still not commenting on the likely impact of the October 6 incident and will not confirm reports that the 850-metre Clark shaft was knocked out of action when a fully loaded ore skip crashed. Automated ore-loading equipment at the bottom of the shaft and winding gear – including a four-kilometre cable – on the surface were damaged………….Leading analysts have tipped that the Clark shaft could be inoperative for between two and six months. The Clark shaft accounts for about 80 per cent of the 10 million tonne-a-year mining operation. http://www.smh.com.au/business/workers-fear-layoffs-as-they-wait-for-repairs-20091014-gxic.html
Maralinga atomic test site unsafe, aborigines affected
Coober Pedy Regional Times Maralinga Anniversary October 15, 1953 – 1967 and nuclear veteran’s website is closed down. “…………..October 15 is the anniversary of the first nuclear test at Maralinga, Totem 1.– the beginning of atomic testing in Australia 1953 – 1967, and the contamination of traditional Kokatha Lands in the Western Desert of South Australia. The Action Australia page on the ANVAR website contained the details. Continue reading
Aborigines further limited in dealing with mining companies
Appeal quashing ‘will hurt indigenous’
WA Today October 15, 2009
A High Court decision to quash an appeal by indigenous people against a company run by mining billionaire Andrew Forrest will limit the rights of indigenous people to negotiate with mining companies, an Aboriginal corporation says. Continue reading
Survey: Nuclear power NOT supported by Australians
Nuclear power: ACNielsen’s survey Mumble 15 Oct 09
Here is extract from Nielsen’s report:
Nuclear Power
Respondents were told ‘The introduction of nuclear power has been suggested as one means to address climate change’ and then asked ’Do you support or oppose the Federal Government considering the introduction of nuclear power in Australia?’.
Almost one in two voters (49%) said they supported the consideration of nuclear power while 43% were opposed. Six in ten (62%) of Green voters were opposed to nuclear power while 58% of Coalition voters were in favour.
“It is important to understand two things about this question. First, it was deliberately asked in the context of addressing climate change. Second, it asked whether voters felt the government should consider nuclear power, not introduce it. Even in this context, nuclear power failed to achieve support from a majority of voters and a significant minority (43%) remain opposed” said Nielsen Research Director, John Stirton.
Thanks to AREVA, India to get Australian uranium?
Land take-over begins for 9,600 MW Maharashtra nuke plant Sify News 14 Oct 09 Work on the 9,600 MW Jaitapur nuclear power project in Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri district will kick off Thursday with the process of acquiring 938 hectares of land, a top official said here Wednesday. Continue reading
Australia says no uranium exports to India
Australia rejects uranium exports to India PRESS TV 14 Oct 2009 Australian foreign minister emphasizes Canberra’s firm stance against exporting uranium to Indian for its nuclear energy program.
Speaking in New Delhi on Tuesday, Stephen Smith said his government would not sell uranium to the Asian giant, which is energy-starved but nuclear-armed, unless it signs the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Smith said Australia in not planning to renew a contract negotiated by the former government to sell uranium to India.
“We have had a long-standing principal position which is not aimed at India, it is the long-standing position that we do not export uranium to a country that is not a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty,” he said.
n January 2008, Australia’s new Labor government outlawed uranium sales to India.
BHPB sets policy for Federal govt, as well as for South Australia’s
We knew that BHP pretty much dictated the policies of the South Australian government – most clearly shown in the Roxby Downs (Indenture Ratification) Act 1982 (Indenture Act). which provides BHP Billiton the legal authority Continue reading
Truly clean energy can provide baseload power – forget nuclear
Need energy? Forget nuclear and go natural WA Today MARK DIESENDORF October 14, 2009 – Is nuclear power the only way to meet Australia’s future energy needs and cut carbon emissions? The answer is no! Continue reading
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