Quaker Indian Committee disavows Doctrine of Discovery, affirms Declaration Indian Country Today By Gale Courey Toensing Dec 17, 2009 PHILADELPHIA – Inspired by the actions of the Episcopal Church, a Quaker group has disavowed the Christian Doctrine of Discovery and voiced its support for the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Continue reading
Book reveals SA land injustice BigPond News 21 Dec 09
A new book alleges South Australia was built on an unlawful land grab, which breached British laws protecting the rights of Aboriginal people.
The book, called Coming to Terms, says a rule requiring the settlers to obtain land from the indigenous people only with their consent was ignored.
It says by the end of 1836, the Aboriginal people had been stripped of all their land.
Former High Court justice Michael Kirby will launch the book in Adelaide.
Book reveals SA land injustice | National – Regional | Telstra BigPond News and Weather
Christina Macpherson 18 Dec 09 Why does the media continue to give such a platform to the narrow views of a nuclear physicist obviously spruiking for his business? Is it because of some mindset that sees “hard” science (nuke physics, geology etc) as somewhow “real” scince, as compared to the “soft” sciences like ecology, environmental science, climatology?
It wouldn’t be so bad if Ziggy Switkowski showed that he had a clue about the ecological effects of radiation from uranium tailings, or the discharge of hot water into marine environments. He obviously doesn’t. Nor does he show any understanding even of the problems that will shut down nuclear plants as extreme weather events occur, and as sea levels rise.
But perhaps most of all, Ziggy Switkowski is right out of his depth on economics – as predictions of nuclear’s likely costs show not just the exorbitant construction costs, but also the running costs. As quoted today (by Tessa de Ryck) “a 2007 report that nuclear power will likely cost over $7,000 per kilowatt, Moody’s Investor Services is now taking an even more cautious view towards investment in nuclear power,”
A clean and green way to fuel the nation THE AUSTRALIAN , Ziggy Switkowski, 18 Dec 09 “………Cost. Nuclear energy has the highest capital cost, up to $4 billion to 6bn for our first 1000MWe reactor, but low running costs largely independent of the cost of uranium itself………………….
Greenpeace debunks nuclear benefit Malaysia Business Insight BY PAUL ICAMINA 18 Dec 09 NUCLEAR’S contribution in easing climate change is “too little, too late,” the anti-nuclear group Greenpeace said.
“Most of the hypothetical new big reactors would start to generate energy well beyond 2020, probably after 2025, Continue reading
Nuclear Power Expansion in China Stirs Concerns The New York Times By KEITH BRADSHER 15 Dec 09 “………. inside and outside the country, the speed of the construction program has raised safety concerns.
The last country to carry out such a rapid nuclear expansion was the United States in the 1970s, in a binge of reactor construction that ended with the Three Mile Island accident Continue reading
Australia Issues Red Alert as Tropical Cyclone Approaches Coast By Jason ScottDec. 16 (Bloomberg) — Australia issued its highest storm alert as Tropical Cyclone Laurence’s winds strengthened to as high as 285 kilometers (177 miles) per hour as it approached the northwestern coast, where offshore oil and gas rigs were evacuated earlier………..
Cyclone George in March 2007 caused flooding at Energy Resources of Australia Ltd.’s Ranger uranium mine in the Northern Territory.
Australia Issues Red Alert as Tropical Cyclone Approaches Coast – Bloomberg.com
A real chance for a world free of nuclear weapons Sydney Morning Herald MARK DAVIS December 17, 2009 “…………………The original “grand bargain” of the NPT was that the nuclear-armed states signing up agreed to negotiate disarmament while the states without nukes agreed not to develop or obtain weapons. Continue reading
Report on nuke threat is a dud Greg Sheridan, Foreign editor : The Australian December 17, 2009 “……………The world has more than 20,000 nuclear weapons and it would be a good thing if this number were substantially reduced. Continue reading
Utah gov to DOE: Halt depleted uranium shipment By BROCK VERGAKIS (AP) 16 Dec 09 SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Gov. Gary Herbert sent Energy Secretary Steven Chu a letter Tuesday asking him to halt the shipment of nearly 15,000 drums of low-level radioactive waste from South Carolina for disposal in Utah. Continue reading
Indigenous Peoples in Copenhagen: Ruling out the Nuclear Option — Neither Clean nor Green Nuclear Reaction 15 Dec 09 COPENHAGEN — Remembering the words of Chief Seattle, Indigenous Peoples and people of color at the UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen sent a message to the world to rule out nuclear energy, which is neither clean nor green. Continue reading
Commission points way for uranium sales Sydney Morning Herald MARK DAVIS AND JONATHAN PEARLMAN December 16, 2009 AUSTRALIA could drop its ban on selling uranium to India after a report commissioned by the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, and his Japanese counterpart recommended changes to the nuclear non-proliferation regime. Continue reading
Review of past week
Australia: Embarassment for Rudd (disarmament hero) with new defense call to revive Australian nuclear weapons plan, and with Gareth Evans including ‘peaceful’ nuke power, just as Rudd launches the report of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament. BHP Billiton adviser Hamish Douglass is appointed to the Foreign Investment Review Board. Tony Abbott dancing around the Coalition’s enthusiasm for nuclear power. Australian company Paladin now mining uranium in earthquake prone area in Malawi.
International: Uranium price continues to fall, but don’t worry, in Copenhagen the industry is pushing for nuclear as the solution to climate change. Meanwhile huge world-wide poll shows growing popularity of renewable energy, majority of people prefer it.Parliament of World’s Religions opposing nuclear. Problems and delays in India’s nuke program, while Young Indian movement gathers opposition to nuclear.
Coalition raise uranium BigPond News December 13, 2009
The Coalition has again called on the government to re-think its opposition to selling uranium to India, to help cut global greenhouse emissions.Opposition leader Tony Abbott says nuclear energy is a ‘clean, green, energy source’ worth considering.
Shadow Environment Minister Greg Hunt says the Copenhagen summit is a good opportunity for the Prime Minister to seek a nuclear agreement with other countries.
Coalition raise uranium | National | Telstra BigPond News and Weather
Oz Uranium Sector ninemsn Money 14/12/2009 3 By Chris Shaw The spot uranium price is now US$45 per pound, which is down 5% from 3-month ago levels and compares to a spot price of US$52.50 per pound as at the end of last year. Continue reading
The Doctor, the Depleted Uranium, and the Dying Children Top Documentary Films 15 Dec 09 An award winning documentary film produced for German television by Freider Wagner and Valentin Thurn. Continue reading
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
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