Ethics and Australia’s fight against nuclear power – theme for December
It is easiest to just adopt the good old “she’ll be right, mate” attitude, and to ignore the push for the nuclear fuel cycle in Australia. After all, some Australian make money out of uranium, and who cares if other countries make bombs out of it?
It’s also easy to please the powers that be, and go along with BHP Billiton etc, and Australian politicians in the drive for the nuclear fuel cycle here.
But, it takes courage to stand up for the environment, health, peace, against the push. Most courageous of all, the Aboriginal people who make this stand – against the propaganda, bribery, and threats of the pro-nuclear push.
Australian Aboriginal owners petition against nuclear waste dump
Dianne Stokes, a traditional owner from the area, says community members, along with the Australian Conservation Foundation, have delivered a petition with more than 2,000 signatures to federal
Resources Minister Martin Ferguson.
Traditional owners petition against nuclear dump ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), Nov 19, 2010 2 Traditional owners say they are ramping up their fight against a nuclear waste dump in the Northern Territory. Continue reading
Renewed call against Martin Ferguson’s nuclear waste dump plan for Aboriginal land
“It is a long way from Northcote and Preston to Muckaty but today’s message to Minister Ferguson is simple: this issue is not out of sight and not out of mind and many people in this region do not support or accept this plan to push a radioactive waste dump on an unwilling community,”…Minister Ferguson’s dump plan is irresponsible, divisive and out of step with both international best practice and local community opinion.
Not in our name: locals say no to Minister’s dump plan , 18 Nov 10, Local community members will today join with representatives of the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) to deliver thousands of petitions calling on federal member Martin Ferguson to dump his plan for a controversial radioactive waste dump at Muckaty, north of Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory. Continue reading
Australian govt to try mediation to get nuclear waste dump on to Aboriginal land
a representative from other clans, Mark Lane Jangala, has launched a Federal Court challenge against the Government and the land council to try to stop the dump.
Nuclear dump parties to enter mediation, ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), By Anna Henderson, 26 Oct 10 The Federal Government and the Northern Land Council have agreed to mediate with Aboriginal clans who oppose a nuclear waste dump in the Northern Territory. Continue reading
Australian Greens support Aboriginal fight against Muckaty nuclear waste dump
He read a letter from traditional owners to Parliament – “We are the Aboriginal people who own the land and the dreamings you are talking about, we are asking that you reject this bill and scrap Muckaty as a site for the waste dump.”
Greens urge rethink of nuclear dump site – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), By Megan Lewis Sep 29, 2010 The Greens have urged the Federal Government to scrap plans to build a nuclear waste dump at Muckaty Station in the Northern Territory…… Continue reading
The Australian government wants to overrule Northern Territory on nuclear waste dump
The Australian government debates the ACT’s Euthanasia bill. The debate seems to be all about euthanasia. But actually – not so. This debate is about the rights of the ACT”s democratic government to make its laws – or whether the Federal government can overrule them.
This looks like a precursor to the National Radioactive Waste Management Bill, where the same issue will arise, regarding the Northern Territory. Perhaps that’s why we can expect that the Australian Government will not weaken on its over-riding of the ACT’s Euthanasia law.
If the y did weaken, well it might set a precedent that would inconvenience the nuclear/uranium lobby
Muckaty nuclear waste dump plan – a bad idea that now might fail
Greens hit back at Govt uranium plans | Perth Now September 22, 2010“.….conservationists are pleased they have bought more time on the controversial Muckaty waste dump. Continue reading
29% voter swing to Greens in Northern Territory’s proposed nuke waste dump area
with many of the intervention’s most controversial elements still in place during Labor’s first term, some voters chose not to vote for either major party. Other issues, like the proposed Muckaty Station nuclear waste dump, seemed to have an effect.
In Tennant Creek, near where the facility would be built, Labor had a 24 per cent swing away from it in primary votes, while the Greens, who are opposed to the dump, achieved a swing of 29 per cent
The shifting tide of Territory politics, ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), By Katrina Bolton – Sep 9, 2010 Continue reading
New Country Liberal Party M.P. opposes Muckaty nuclear waste dump plan
During her campaign, Ms Griggs attacked Labor for its proposals to build the dump at Muckaty Station, about 120km north of Tennant Creek…….NT Labor Chief Minister Paul Henderson supported Ms Griggs’s stance
Top End Country Liberal MP ‘will cross floor’ Mark Schliebs * The Australian * September 01, 2010 NEWLY elected Country Liberal Party MP Natasha Griggs will cross the floor on bills she regards as unfair to the Northern Territory. Continue reading
Swing against Labor in NT due to Labor’s Aboriginal policy and nuclear waste dump plans
Mr Hampton said…….There’s obviously the issues …..in terms of the nuclear waste dump as well, so they’re federal issues……
Intervention cost Labor votes: NT minister – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), By Eleni Roussos, 24 Aug 2010, The Minister for Central Australia, Karl Hampton, says the federal intervention contributed to a swing against Labor in the Northern Territory. Continue reading
Anti-nuclear movement making waves in Australia
The sad reality is that whoever forms government in Australia on Monday will support expanded uranium mining and radioactive waste dumping at Muckaty.
Whilst we have strong political supporters it is increasingly clear that it is the community and community organisations and resistance that best challenges the atomic agenda
those of us working for a nuclear free future have got some results and made some waves.– Dave Sweeney, 20 August 2010, Continue reading
Northern Territory Labor MP says Muckaty nuclear dump far from certain
Muckaty nuke dump not a done deal: Snowdon, ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), By David Coady, 17 Aug 2010. Federal Member for Lingiari Warren Snowdon has suggested that building a nuclear waste dump at Muckaty Station in the Northern Territory is not a done deal. Continue reading
Long list of Labor and Liberal policy failures on nuclear issues
The government has failed to implement its policy of addressing radioactive waste management issues in a manner which is “scientific, transparent, accountable and fair”: Muckaty did not even make the short-list when scientific and environmental criteria informed a site-selection process in the 1990s.
Nuclear backflips and broken promises – On Line Opinion – By Bill Williams and Jim Green 13 August 2010 The Medical Association for Prevention of War and Friends of the Earth have produced a “Choose Nuclear Free” policy scorecard and analysis ahead of the August 21 federal election. www.choosenuclearfree.net The two striking features of our analysis are the long list of broken promises and backflips by the Labor Government, and the unwillingness of the Opposition to oppose. Continue reading
Australia’s major political parties fail on nuclear waste dumping
“When you attempt to impose nuclear waste dumps on unwilling communities it’s very likely to backfire and the dump won’t be established because community opposition will prevail,”
Anti-nuclear alliance gives thumbs down to parties – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), 17 Aug 2010, An alliance opposed to a nuclear industry in Australia says neither the Government nor the Opposition deserves to win the federal election.At a meeting of the Australian Nuclear Free Alliance in Alice Springs, traditional owners have raised renewed concerns about a proposal to house a nuclear waste dump at Muckaty Station near Tennant Creek. Continue reading
Nuclear industry manipulating older Aboriginals into leasing their land
Traditional owners ‘pressured’ into nuclear land leases ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), 16 Aug 2010, The Australian Nuclear Free Alliance says traditional owners, particularly the elderly, are facing increasing pressures from mining companies and governments to lease their land for nuclear development. The alliance of mainly traditional owners held its annual conference near Alice Springs over the weekend. Continue reading
Antinuclear 