Australia’s Minerals Council ASKED for national profit based tax
The Australian media – ever true to its corporate masters, and 
its own slackness, is giving the big miners, and their mouthpiece, the Liberal Party, full sway with an attack on the Australian government’s newly announced super profit resource tax.
BHP Billiton’s CEO Marius Kloppers is the leader in this breath-taking hypocrisy.
1. The Minerals Council of Australia, in its submission to the government Dec. 2008 specifically requested a change to a national “profit-based” tax.
2. BHP and its ancillary industries now kick up a fuss about reduced activities, job losses, etc at the Olympic Dam uranium mine at Roxby Downs. But Olympic Dam has been functioning at about a quarter capacity for many months, due to a shaft accident, – nothing to do with the resource tax. And all probably quite convenient, in the present climate of low uranium prices.
World Bank has labelled nuclear power plants “large white elephants”
Nuclear power in developing countries: radioactive waste, proliferation and debt « Charles Santiago 6 May 2010, The World Bank view – Nuclear Power Plants s are large white elephants The World Bank has labeled nuclear plants “large white elephants”.. Its Environmental Assessment Source Book is unambiguous about nuclear’s problems: “Nuclear plants are thus uneconomic because at present and projected costs they are unlikely to be the least-cost alternative. Continue reading
Be wary: Australian govt compensation may impede current legal action
Aust Govt to compensate nuke vets, Paul Langley’s Nuclear History Blog, 7 May 2010, “……..This may be very good news for the surviving 2,000 nuclear veterans out of the Australian 8,000 service personnel who were used as target practice for the British nuclear weaponeers,…..
It still leaves the question as to whether the payments will contain clauses impeding the current legal action against the British government, Continue reading
AREVA’s radioactive water contamination in Niger
VIDEOLeft in the Dust – Areva’s uranium mining in Niger | Greenpeace International
Left in the Dust – Areva’s uranium mining in Niger | Greenpeace International 6 May 2010, Operations of Nuclear giant AREVA put lives at risk in Niger Uranium mines in Niger operated by the state-owned French nuclear giant AREVA continue to create a radioactive hazard for the people living nearby.
A new report released today by Greenpeace reveals contamination levels in the air, water and soil above internationally accepted limits.“Radioactivity increases poverty because it creates more victims. With each day passes we are exposed to radiation and continue to be surrounded by poisoned air, polluted water and earth – while AREVA makes hundreds of millions from our natural resources.”
said Almoustapha Alhacen, President of the local Nigerian NGO Aghir in’ Man (which means “the shield of the soul” in the Touareg language, is a local environmental and human rights organization).Last November, Greenpeace carried out soil, water and air tests in Arlit and Akokan, located a few kilometers from the mines.
The samples were studied in collaboration with the France-based Research and Independent Information on Radioactivity Commission (CRIIRAD).“The analysis we have performed show that the uranium contamination in four out of five water samples exceed World Health Organisation safety limits*. We found evidence of radon, a radioactive gas dissolved in water and also chemical elements. Even so, this water is still being distributed to the population and the workers for consumption” said Bruno Chareyron, an engineer in Nuclear Physics from CRIIRAD. Left in the Dust – Areva’s uranium mining in Niger | Greenpeace International
Controversial U.S. nuclear reactor – fuelled by Australian uranium
“Australians feel a deep responsibility,” said Atkinson. “We are sending this poison around the world.” Of the 12,000 tons of uranium exported, one-third ends up in the United States. “The United States is one of the major consumers of our uranium,” he said.
(USA) Uranium: The Australia-Vt. connection, Brattleboro Reformer, By BOB AUDETTE , May 6, 2010 BRATTLEBORO — Australia and Vermont are connected in a way not many people think about — through uranium.”We are pretty sure that some of the uranium mined in Australia is being used in the fuel rods at Vermont Yankee,” Continue reading
Resuscitation of nuclear industry is losing momentum
(USA) Some States Push For New Nuclear Reactors, With Little Success | SolveClimate.com, by Dave Levitan – May 5th, 2010 “…..Stalled Momentum
Many other states do not have moratoria in place —only about 12 do—but even those that have the legal greenlight are seeing the nuclear momentum get held up recently. Continue reading
Intrepid women anti-nuclear walkers welcomed in Sydney
“I want to ensure that my great grandchildren are not threatened by the deadly effects of the nuclear cycle,” she said, “The nuclear cycle starts in Australia by digging up uranium.”….
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to walk with pride and in partnership with our Indigenous brothers and sisters,”
Trekkers leave footprints to bring peace, Alternative Media Group, Lawrence Bull , 6 May 2010 Women walking from Brisbane to Canberra in the name of peace and a nuclear free future arrive in Sydney City on Sunday. Continue reading
Nuclear Power Agreement between Obama and Australia
The proposed Agreement permits the transfer of information, material, equipment (including reactors), and components for nuclear research and nuclear power production
Message to the Congress Concerning a Nuclear Agreement with Australia. THE WHITE HOUSE, BARACK OBAMA, 5 May 2010, Politics News, – “I am pleased to transmit to the Congress, pursuant to sections 123 b. and 123 d. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2153(b), (d)) (the “Act”), the text of a proposed Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Australia Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy……. Continue reading
Central Australian uranium project scrapped – a win for the community!
“It’s an industry with a lot of costs and not many benefits.”
Greens laud uranium deal scrapping ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), 6 May 2010, Greens’ Senator Scott Ludlam said scrapping the Napperby uranium project is a win for the people of central Australia. Continue reading
South Australian government – a faithful servant of uranium mining companies
A total of 335 proposals have been received between 2004 to 2009 and 168 successful submissions have shared grants worth $10 million.
Grants for uranium, Whyalla News, 05 May, 2010 PMUranium SA has received a boost to its drilling works at Mullaquana after receiving a State Government grant for its exploration works Continue reading
Australia at the Nuclear Non Proliferation Conference
as ever, Australia agrees with promoting nuclear technology. Australia keeps its focus on its own lucrative role, as uranium supplier, in the global nuclear cycle which makes nuclear weapons possible.
The U.N Nuclear Non Proliferation Conference in New York looks like becoming something of a non event. Continue reading
Central Australian uranium project not viable due to low prices
$57m uranium deal falls through in Central Australia, ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), By Louisa Rebgetz May 4, 2010 Australian uranium producer Toro Energy has pulled out of a project in Central Australia.The company says a drop in uranium prices has made it unviable to go ahead with the Napperby uranium project, 160 kilometres north-west of Alice Springs.
Foreign nuclear companies jittery over India’s radiation safety risks
Radiation death in India raises nuclear safety concerns, (Reuters) 5 May 2010, – The radiation-related death of a scrap metal worker has raised concerns over nuclear safety in India, at a time when the Asian power is wooing foreign players to its $150 billion civilian nuclear market. Continue reading
Australia’s media will distort govt’s Resource Super Profit Tax.
the Government has already produced modelling showing the RSPT coupled with the resources exploration rebate will actually increase jobs from the “business as usual” scenario……….
The lesson here isn’t so much that the mining industry is a pack of liars. It’s what the media does with the lies. ……..
Digging through the mining industry’s lies, Crikey, by Bernard Keane, 5 May 2010, Don’t believe a single word you read in the mainstream media from the mining industry about the impact of the Resource Super Profit Tax. Continue reading
Radioactive dust and BHP’s Great Big New Uranium Mine
Government, media, corporations … tum ta da … all happy with the “resources boom” – Never mind the question of uranium wastes, when BHP Billiton sets up its Great Big New Uranium Mine. I mean – where will the radioactive dust go?
Oh dear – to Antarctica, and perhaps a few other places, too – like Australia’s capital cities. What about the towns and regions near Olympic Dam?
1 This month
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
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