iINFORMATION PAGES

ABC News 26 March 09 Greens MP Mark Parnell says use of electricity from renewable resources should be mandatory for South Australian households.

Bureau of Statistics figures suggest about 30 per cent of people say they are willing to pay more for renewable energy, but fewer than 10 per cent act.

Mr Parnell thinks the problem is giving people a choice.

"Most people don't voluntarily pay extra and they especially don't want pay extra if they don't think that it's going to make a big difference overall," he said.

Greens force extended Roxby consultation Craig Wilkins 26 March 09

The Government’s move comes in response to a Greens campaign, and hours before the Upper House was set to vote in favour of a Greens Bill forcing an extension on the public comment period for the massive mining project.

“The Greens are very pleased Mike Rann has recognised the original consultation period for the Roxby expansion was woefully inadequate,” said Greens MLC Mark Parnell.

“Eight weeks consultation for the SA community to try and respond to the largest project ever in South Australia was never enough.“Even with a 14 week public comment period, the community will still struggle to read and respond to the largest document ever printed in this state.

“The Greens are pleased the Premier has responded to our call and ensured a longer time for the public to have a say in the Olympic Dam expansion,” he said

Will the Olympic Dam Environmental Impact Statement just get a rubber stamped "Yes" - no matter what?

Item below makes that sound likely

BHP-Billiton talks go on during impacts study

NEGOTIATIONS on a new agreement between BHP-Billiton and the State Government over the proposed Olympic Dam mine expansion will continue while the environmental impacts of the project are considered.

Queensland Labor's win is a setback for uranium THE AUSTRALIAN  Robin Bromby  March 23, 2009 PULL down the bunting, recork the champagne, throw out the sausage rolls -- there will be no celebration party for the Queensland uranium players.....................

..............falling uranium prices,...............

On top of that, we are seeing mine closures. Toronto-listed Denison Mines now has its Utah mine on care and maintenance and last week announced it was suspending operations at two pits in Colorado.

The drastic decline in the price has really hit the local sector for six. A check on announcements shows that many local uranium explorers have more or less gone into hibernation, emerging only to file the compulsory quarterlies and financial statements.

Call for more scrutiny on Olympic Dam expansion The Independent Weekly TIM DORNIN 24/03/2009 

The South Australian Opposition has joined The Greens and environmental groups in calling for more scrutiny of BHP Billiton's multi-billion-dollar expansion of its Olympic Dam uranium and copper mine.An environmental impact study on the mine's expansion will be released on May 1 but will only be available for public consultation for two months.The Opposition wants that extended to four months while Greens MP Mark Parnell has proposed three months and has the backing of the Conservation Council.Opposition resources spokesman David Ridgway today said all South Australians needed adequate time to analyse the extensive detail of the Olympic Dam expansion...........................The Greens have already introduced a bill to parliament's upper house to provide for a three-month consultation period. More scrutiny call for on Olympic Dam expansion - Local News - News - General - The Independent Weekly

Green group says Govt knew of radioactive leak ABC News 24 March 09

Friends of the Earth says the government has known about a radioactive leak at Olympic Dam for three months, but only released the information to the media yesterday.

The group found out about the leak after a worker passed on photos showing the radioactive liquid collecting in unlined trenches.

Dr Jim Green, from Friends of the Earth, says the State Government has known about the problem since last April, but did not make the information public.

"We only became aware of the problem in December and we hear that BHP reported the problem to the State Government last April, as to why that was not made public earlier, you'd really have to put that to the State Government representative," he said. Green group says Govt knew of radioactive leak - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Anna Bligh promised to buy 200,000 solar hot water systems to sell to householders at $500 each as the ALP took a step to the left at today's ALP campaign launch.

Pledging to turn Queensland into "the solar state of Australia" Ms Bligh said the ALP's solar hot water scheme would save about $300 a year to the average household power bill.

The solar hot water systems will go to public tender in 2009 and will be offered to households over three years at $500 each, rather than the estimated retail price of $4500.

It was the biggest single ticket item at today's ALP campaign launch, opened by Deputy Premier Paul Lucas, before Prime Minister Kevin Rudd welcomed Anna Bligh to the stage. Labor steps to the left - Queensland - BrisbaneTimes - brisbanetimes.com.au

"The gloves are coming off" - the nuclear lobby getting desperate, as nuclear's costs and waste problems mount? 14 March 09

The 2009 Paydirt Uranium Conference will open in Adelaide on Monday (March 16) ....Australia's leading nuclear scientists and lobbyists will join miners and explorers at the Hilton Adelaide next Monday and Tuesday, 16th-17th March, for an intensive two-day review of the prospects for uranium mining and nuclear energy in Australia.

"The gloves are coming off in the nuclear debate as political and business stakeholders assess the role of nuclear power in Australia's future carbon footprint," Conference Convenor, Mr Bill Repard, said today.

With a Queensland state election coming up in Australia, many minor parties will be looking to hold balance of power and making the major parties listen to what they have to say. The Queensland Greens are one of these parties.

Q. What would the three main policies you are taking into this election be?

• What we call ‘Green collar jobs’. Basically these are environmentally and economically friendly jobs. This includes improving transport and installing insulation for homes.
• Managing where the money is going. No idealism. We would be taking a look at and scrapping a lot of old labor policy such as the Traveston Crossing Dam
• and locally, education. Give a lot of support for teachers. This applies across primary and secondary schooling as well as at tertiary level. You recently gave comment to the Sunshine Coast Daily about uranium mining in Queensland. Does the LNPs position have merit or should they directly invest in renewable energy technology?

  There is no merit to it, or to Labor's proposal to invest in uranium. We want to have a nuclear free Australia and no nuclear waste. Don’t send overseas where the disposal is up to other countries.

  Q. Which renewable energy technology would you prefer to see invested in most?

  Solar. Absolutely solar, it’s the oldest and most familiar. We know a lot about solar. We know more about solar than any other technology. I’m getting this from a speech by Ronan Lee “We will build two new solar thermal power stations, one near Townsville and one on the Darling Downs, creating jobs, reducing pollution and making electricity cheaper.”

Today, The Greens promised to waive all State Government levies, fees and charges for any company generating "green jobs" to shift to Queensland.

Ronan Lee - who defected from the ALP last year to become the Greens' first Queensland MP - said the Queensland Government was quick to help the Gold Coast Indy and Virgin Airlines, but failed to help a Canberra-based solar cell company that wanted help to relocate...........................He predicted the company would become the largest supplier of solar cells in the southern hemisphere.....................

As a new policy for the 2009 state election campaign The Greens promised to set up a Greens' 'Job Agency' to create "new green industry jobs" - set up as a partnership between the state and federal governments.

It will be linked to Infrastructure Australia and report to the Coalition of Australian Governments (COAG).

It will include a board of management with industry experts chosen to retrain people into emerging industries and provide seed funding to new businesses. Green alternative to 'old parties' - Queensland - BrisbaneTimes

Mayor ambushed by pram-jammers Centralian Advocate Daniel Burdon 17 Feb 09

PROTESTERS surprised Alice Springs Mayor Damien Ryan on Friday morning when they arrived at the Council Civic Centre to demonstrate.

The group of some 20 families arrived at about 9.30am on Council's doorstep to protest against uranium exploration in the region.

Called the "Families for a Nuclear-free Future", the group held its second 'Pram Jam', a peaceful demonstration by families with young children "concerned" about exploration for uranium at the Angela-Pamela deposit.......

...........Others attending the demonstration highlighted the "irony" of Alice Springs being a "solar city" with uranium exploration, and claimed that "many people would leave town" if a uranium mine started up at Angela-Pamela

Release Roxby Environmental Impact Statement Greens MLC Mark Parnell has called on BHP Billiton to release the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the hundred year multi billion Olympic Dam expansion, after it was revealed that “the largest document ever printed in this state” which was “being printed as we speak” would not be released until May 1 for only an 8 week consultation period.

 “Although it has taken years to prepare, BHP Billiton and the SA Government expect interested South Australians to read and respond to the largest document ever printed in this state, describing a hundred year project with thousands of pages of detailed analysis, in just days,” said Greens MLC Mark Parnell.

“In fact, the SA public were given a longer time to have their say on changes to caravan park zoning, or a new shopping centre in Victor Harbor, than for the biggest development by far in South Australia’s history,” he said...............

Greens MLC Mark Parnell will introduce a Private Member’s Bill into State Parliament to increase the public consultation period to a minimum of 12 weeks.

“The SA Government has had the EIS since Christmas.  BHP Billiton has been actively working on this project for years, yet South Australians will only have 40 working days. What’s the point of public consultation if it is so rushed that no-one can properly respond?  Frankly, it’s insulting to the many experts in SA interested in this project,” Mr Parnell said.

“The Olympic Dam expansion will have an extraordinary ongoing impact on SA’s job market, water and energy supply and social fabric.  I call on the Rann Government to treat the SA public with respect and give them a decent chance to have a say in their future,” he said.

Climate Action Summit unites new environment movement Green Left Simon Butler, Canberra7 February 2009 We live in peculiar, troubling times, where the world’s climate scientists are all but screaming from the rooftops for governments to listenand take urgent action to avert climate change.“Act without delay to end carbon emissions and work to draw carbon down from the atmosphere”, they say, “because the lives of literally billions of human beings are at risk if we fail.”.......................At a time when our government refuses to take the steps to secure the health and safety of our children and grandchildren, only one option really remains.

People need to reach out, organise and campaign for a safe climate future. It’s because they know that the government and the market won’t fix the climate crisis in time that more and more people are taking action themselves.

Australia’s Climate Action Summit, held in Canberra over four days from January 31 to February 3, brought together many people from across Australia, who were inspired to make a difference. ........In summary, the Climate Action Summit adopted three unifying objectives:

1) To prevent the Rudd government’s proposed CPRS from becoming law.

2) To launch a campaign for 100% renewable energy in Australia within 10 years — drawing upon the example of Al Gore’s Repowering America campaign, which is backed by research from renewable energy experts from Stanford University among others.

3) To campaign for a long-term target of stabilising atmospheric CO2 at 300ppm. This corresponds with the most recent research conducted by the world’s leading climate scientist, James Hansen, and his team. Green Left - Climate Action Summit unites new environment movement

Silence of the Greens by Nigel Carney 5 Feb 09

It is highly surprising and perplexing that a quick search of the national Greens website "Roxby" and "Olympic Dam" returns no results.

Why is the highest risk uranium mine in Australia threatening the health of all Australians and squandering water apparently not an issue?

Meanwhile unfolding events surround the Olympic Dam Mine in SA: - these include:

Governor General off to Mid-East green summit Tenterfield Star Jan 2009

GOVERNOR-GENERAL Quentin Bryce is travelling to the Middle East to address a conference on renewable energy.

in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, Ms Bryce will speak on Australia's advances in clean energy at the World Future Energy Summit.

Some 15,000 people are expected to attend the event, which will focus on issues such as clean energy policy, solar and wind power, and green buildings.

Among leading international figures on climate change and green energy attending are British climate adviser Lord Stern, former British prime minister Tony Blair and Rajendra Pachauri, head of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

It is not the first time Ms Bryce has been involved in green issues. She raised a few eyebrows last year when she launched the report by climate adviser Ross Garnaut on Australia's response to climate change.

Conservation Council calls for referendum on uranium mining Perth Now 2 Feb 09 by Hayley Bolton

WA’S PEAK environment body has called for a referendum on uranium mining after the Barnett Government announced it would become a reality within four years…………………….the Conservation Council of Western Australia wants the issue decided by public ballot.

“If Minister Moore is so adamant that the people of WA support uranium mining, we would challenge him to put that to a referendum,” director Piers Verstegen said.

Opposition backbencher talks up nuclear

Sydney Morning Herald Cathy Alexander January 28, 2009 The federal opposition is flirting with nuclear power once again, with an outspoken backbencher saying it's the way forward for Australia

.There have been growing calls to go nuclear, partly as a way to slash greenhouse gas emissions. Liberal MP Dennis Jensen has added his support.

"Nuclear energy is the way forward for Australia," the West Australian MP said.

"Modern nuclear plants are efficient, safe, clean and have minimal impact on the environment." Dr Jensen, who is known for being sceptical about human-induced climate change, said nuclear power would help the environment.........

He called on Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull to say if he supported Dr Jensen "flying his nuclear fantasies again".

Mr Garrett said the government opposed nuclear power.

Climate change could be tackled by other means like energy efficiency, renewable energy and emissions trading, he said.

Liberals on the nuclear bandwagon?...

Young Libs reject web censorship The Age  Dan Harrison * January 26, 2009 QUEENSLAND ...................on the final day of a national Young Liberals convention yesterday..............motions calling for compulsory national service, a purge of left wingers from education departments, and for Australia to become a nuclear power, were not debated...

..Over the weekend, the convention heard from several senior party figures including Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull and from Tony Abbot

Young Libs reject web censorship | theage.com.au

Flaws within the Native Title Act with consequent risks to public health and land sustainability.? - Nigel Carney 21 Jan 09 What are we seeing in recent national media? Certainly not any information dwelling upon the accrued costs to the environment and people of these corporations that are "suffering" under the global squeeze.

The Canberra Times did report on the terrific costs of the Indenture Act and questioned its wisdom within a western democracy. [Indenture Act overrides aboriginal heritage and environmental legislation in South Australia for the benefit of BHP Billiton & other uranium miners- CM]

Governments should not be setting up as business partners and then wiping out legislation which might otherwise interfere with plans. Thats a clear and present danger to any open democracy.

Gillian Marsh of Adnyamathana ancestry is taking Atomic and Quasar (Heathgate/Beverley Uranium) to court on their mis-representation of what Native Title is, and the application of it to cite approval where in fact there was none. The abuse of Native Title as a mine site area clearance tool is a matter of serious consideration for the nation. Across Australia this mis-use has contributed to manufactured dis-unity within community as a result of the selective approach of individuals who may represent a claimant group.

Kokatha as a group and members of Adnyamthana are rejecting as valid through their experience, the process which is enabling the approval of many controversial mine sites and developments across Australia. This may not be 'news' but it needs to be recognised by governments and by Australians, otherwise decisions will continue to be made on the basis of flawed and corrupted processes and that is'nt good for the environment, economy or any thoughtful Australian.?

The implications arising from this new awareness include that of reparations and repairs to the areas damaged and those still posing risks on account of the removal of oversight and prudence (BHP Indenture Act amendments ......And radon gas quoted again by the Kokatha as another 'invisible' effect that can be forgotten when we consider it safe and democratic to consider legal or lawful the passing and acceptance of such acts. Leading us to the constitutional questions of why some have special privelige and connection in the formulation of important public policy. Where is the sense in poisoning the population, raiding the water supplies and in all measure conducting economic activities which weigh heavily and dangerously on the Australian people and rest of the planet, in terms of the onerous external (non accounted for) costs.

Read more about this issue at KOKATHA REFUSE BHP EXPANSION AND DENOUNCE NATIVE TITLE “MINING COMPANY AGENTS” «

Australian PM coming on January 27, terror not Nuke on agenda Press Times of India New Delhi, Jan 20 (PTI) Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will undertake his first visit here on January 27 during which terrorism in the backdrop of Mumbai attacks is expected to figure prominently in discussions.Rudd, who will be the fourth head of government to travel here after the Mumbai attacks, will hold talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and meet President Pratibha Patil.........................

......... British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Afghan President Hamid Karzai have already visited while Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev will be here on January 23.

The two countries will sign a few agreements during Rudd's visit.

The nuclear issue, particularly cooperation in this field, will not figure in the discussions, the sources said.

The Labour government, headed by Rudd, has a pronounced policy of not having any cooperation in nuclear field with a country that has not signed NPT.

Since India is not a signatory to the NPT, there is nothing to discuss on the issue, the sources said.

The previous John Howard government had expressed willingness to have civil nuclear cooperation with India but the present dispensation overturned it. Australian PM coming on January 27, terror not Nuke on agenda

Don't let's get too excited about renewable energy news and public announcements from Australia's Energy Minister Martin Ferguson, (see below - solar), and also the USA's new Energy boss, Stephen Ch, (also below - Stephen Chu ).

Both are nuclear power enthusiasts, and beholden to their corporate backers. - Christina Macpherson

Govt rejects call to use nuclear power Business Spectator 16 Jan 09 Australia would not resort to nuclear power to tackle climate change, despite a report urging the government to consider it, federal Energy Minister Martin Ferguson said....................Mr Ferguson said the government was committed to meeting its greenhouse gas reduction targets without turning to nuclear power.

"It is the government's view that nuclear power is not needed as part of Australia's energy mix given our country's abundance and diversity of low-cost renewable energy sources," he said.

"The government has a clear policy of prohibiting the development of an Australian nuclear power industry." Business Spectator - Govt rejects call to use nuclear power

Aussie PM to visit India, uranium high on agenda Thaindian News January  16th, 2009 - by IANS New Delhi, Jan 16 (IANS) Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd undertakes a three-day trip to India this month - his first after assuming office - during which New Delhi is expected to make a renewed push for uranium from Down Under.

This will be Rudd’s first visit to India since he became the prime minister of Australia over a year ago. He will be accompanied by senior ministers, including foreign minister Stephen Smith, and top business honchos..............Rudd will come to India a couple of days after India and Kazakhstan sign a civil nuclear deal revolving around uranium supply during Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s visit that ends Jan 26.

Armed with an NSG waiver and four bilateral nuclear deals with the US, France, Russia and Kazakhstan, India will make a fresh pitch to persuade Australia, a member of the NSG, to sell uranium to India. Canberra currently doesn’t allow this for countries which have not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

With a strong domestic anti-nuclear constituency in mind, the Labour government of Kevin Rudd has adopted a hawkish posture on non-proliferation issues and is reluctant to sell uranium to India.Aussie PM to visit India, uranium high on agenda

.....we await the Rudd government's decision on this - CM

Giving up on climate change? OnLine Opinion, by Mike Pope, 14 Jan 09 - ".... Imagine then the effects on businesses and the economy of repeated and prolonged failures in Australia of agriculture, fisheries and

tourism and associated industries. These would include falling exports, contraction of the manufacturing sector, a shrinking economy and all that goes with it. Add to this climate change producing tidal surges and coastal flooding with property losses and our present economic woes will pale into insignificance

These are the very real threats to the Australian economy posed by climate change.

Knowing this, government response has been to set an Australian emissions target at a mere 5 per cent below 1990 levels, encouraging the worlds’ major emitters to do no more than this, thereby increasing the risk of long lasting economic damage.........................

................“Irresponsible and foolhardy”, are epithets which spring to mind, but are they fair? Or is Rudd merely protecting our coal exports while recognising the realpolitik of a hostile Senate. There, the National Party has declared itself the party of denial where climate change is concerned. It has vowed opposition to even the weakest government proposals being applied to primary industry. They are supported by equally sceptical Liberal Senators, at least one independent and (surprise, surprise) the largest emitters in the private sector.............

...........Has Rudd thrown in the towel on climate control when it comes to displaying leadership to the international community?................

..................Research and development of technology to improve and extend electricity generation from renewable sources with funding from the proceeds of emission licence sales was recommended by Garnaut. It has been totally rejected by Rudd.................

..................Government must review its position.

Rann plans full steam ahead Adelaide Now GREG KELTON,January 01, 2009 Premier Mike Rann says he has no plans for following the example of other states in slamming the brakes on economic development in this end of year interview............

Question: ARE YOU STILL CONFIDENT THE ROXBY DOWNS EXPANSION AND AIR WARFARE DESTROYER CONTRACT WILL NOT BE AFFECTED BY THE GLOBAL SITUATION?.

Rann: A giant project, a multi-billion -dollar project, which takes over

four years of shifting dirt and rock to get to the ore body, is not going to be affected by a one-year downturn.........................

Question: THE OPPOSITION SAYS WATER IS THE NUMBER ONE, TWO AND THREE ISSUE IN STATE POLITICS. DO YOU AGREE?

Rann........................We have also managed to get $686 million out of the Federal Government to re-engineer the River Murray and the Lower Lakes to take those communities of dependence on the Lower Lakes

....................... We are concentrating on the real things, better hospitals and more nurses, tougher laws taking on the bikies and a whole range of things. We are concentrating on getting the fundamentals right for our state.

Marathon Resources quest a green test for Mike Rann's Government THE AUSTRALIAN Gavin Lower | December 31, 2008 THE Rann Government faces a New Year's test of its green credentials as uranium explorer Marathon Resources prepares to seek a return to drilling after cleaning up exploration waste it illegally dumped in the state's largest wilderness sanctuary.

The company is expected to apply for a new drilling program in the environmentally sensitive Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, 700km north of Adelaide, if the clean-up is approved by the Government, which could be as soon as next month.

The move will force the Government to find a balance between its desire to welcome new mining and protect the environment. Conservationists and tourist operators want Marathon barred from the sanctuary and its drill sites at Mount Gee, a listed geological monument.

The South Australian Greens have called on Mineral Resources Development Minister Paul Holloway to bar the company from further work.

"The Government makes a lot of its green credentials but, increasingly, people are seeing a lot of spin rather than real protection," Greens upper house member Mark Parnell said yesterday.........................

Earlier this year, senior Liberal Nick Minchin, a regular visitor to Arkaroola, said many South Australians would consider the sanctuary was not an appropriate place for exploration or mining.

The company's drilling program was suspended in February after the discovery of 22,800 core samples and rubbish in trenches at drilling sites in the sanctuary. Marathon Resources quest a green test for Mike Rann's Government | The Australian

Australia government backs forced land buy for LNG CANBERRA, Dec 24 (Reuters)

- Australia's government has backed the forced purchase of Aboriginal lands needed for an liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in a sensitive region,............... Woodside Petroleum Ltd (WPL.AX) aims to build a large coastal LNG plant costing up to A$20 billion in the environmentally fragile Kimberley area of Western Australia to liquify natural gas pumped from the Browse Basin, about 200 kilometres (125 miles) off the coast...........

... Traditional Aborigine land owners this month put the project in doubt after negotiations with Woodside over a A$500 million compensation package broke down. The region is one of Australia's last great wilderness areas, environmentalists say............................

Kimberley Land Council Chief Executive Wayne Bergmann, who represents indigenous owners, said the national government and state conservatives had aligned to place local Aborigines under enormous pressure to concede on hard-won land rights.

"It's sort of like negotiating with a gun to your head. These sorts of things and these sorts of processes happened in the old (colonial) days, when aboriginal people were marginalised and bulldozed for the sake of business," he said...............................

Under Australian laws for compulsory purchase of native lands, national government approval would be needed if negotiations conducted a state level fail to strike agreement.

But Prime Minister Kevin Rudd this month unveiled a A$4.7 billion
plan to back infrastructure development and would be unlikely to block a major development..................

Australia's Greens, who hold balance of power in the upper house Senate, called on Rudd to override Ferguson's backing for compulsory acquisition of Kimberley land.

"When making the apology to Aboriginal Australians early this year, the Prime Minister said we should never repeat the mistakes of the past. His government is about to do just that," Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said.
"The federal government is adopting the Western Australian government's development-at-any-cost mentality," she said.RPT-Australia government backs forced land buy for LNG | Reuters

Energy Minister Martin Ferguson

Rudd government dumping election commitments ONLINE Opinion by Jim Green 23 Dec 08 With a Senate Committee report last Thursday calling for the repeal of draconian laws allowing the imposition of a radioactive waste dump in the absence of any consultation with or consent from Aboriginal Traditional Owners, it is time for resources and energy minister Martin Ferguson to come clean on his plans for managing this contentious issue.

Labor voted against the Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Act in 2005-06 with senior Labor MPs describing it as “extreme”, “arrogant”, “draconian”, “sorry”, “sordid”, and “profoundly shameful”. At its 2007 national conference, the ALP voted unanimously to repeal the legislation.

More than a year later and Martin Ferguson has not budged while Prime Minister Kevin Rudd - for all his boasting about keeping election promises - has conspicuously failed to ensure that this commitment is kept.

The Labor Government will most likely repeal the Radioactive Waste Management Act in the new year but the controversy over radioactive waste management will continue. The waste in question ranges from the relatively innocuous - such as lightly-contaminated lab-coats - to the far more hazardous and long-lived wastes arising from the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel rods from reactors at Lucas Heights.

If the Labor Government intends to pursue the Howard government's plan to establish a dump in the Northern Territory, it will need to override NT laws - and thereby break its pre-election pledge to respect state/territory laws which outlaw the imposition of radioactive waste dumps.

Four sites in the NT are under consideration. None of the four sites were short-listed when a national site selection study was undertaken in the 1990s, informed by scientific, environmental and social criteria.

The NT sites were short-listed under the Howard government simply because the NT was seen as a soft political target. Thus Labor's commitment to handle the issue in a scientific manner will go out the window if the NT sites are pursued.

Early in the new year, Mr Ferguson is expected to wave around a consultant's report purporting to demonstrate that his favoured site is ideal for a radioactive dump - just as his predecessor, Senator Peter McGauran, paraded a consultant's report in 2002 purporting to demonstrate that a site immediately adjacent to a missile and rocket testing range in South Australia was the safest place in the nation for a radioactive waste dump..........................

Labor's election commitment to handle the issue transparently went out the window long ago. In April, Mr Ferguson refused to provide substantive answers to questions on his radioactive waste plans, simply asserting that all matters raised were "under consideration". The secrecy was such that even a question about what specific matters were under consideration was also said to be under consideration!

Mr Ferguson is likely to try to impose a radioactive waste dump in an area in the Muckaty Land Trust, 120km north of Tennant Creek. This site was nominated by the Northern Land Council despite vocal opposition from a number of Traditional Owners whose country will be affected by the proposal.

This site was nominated by the Northern Land Council despite vocal opposition from a number of Traditional Owners whose country will be affected by the proposal.Rudd Government dumping election commitments - On Line Opinion - 23/12/2008

Why did we bother voting for Kevin Rudd?

Kevin Rudd and John Howard - it's all about staying in power with the help of big polluters

Government's 5% target an utter failure - Australian Conservation Foundation 18 Dec 08 Ignoring calls for strong action on climate change, the Federal Government this week announced its plan to cut carbon pollution by just 5% (rising to 15% only if other major polluters commit to a global agreement).

A weak target of just 5 -15% does not place Australia in a position to save the Murray-Darling Basin, the Great Barrier Reef or Australian Alps. Instead, it will hold back progress towards an effective international agreement.

The Government has disregarded the advice of the IPCC – which states that developed countries, as a group, must reduce their carbon pollution by 25–40% – and community support for greater action on climate change.

What’s more, billions of taxpayers’ dollars will be handed directly to big polluters.Let the Government know that this decision is unacceptable and must be revisited.

MP vows to stand against Northern Territory nuclear dump ABC News 20 Dec 08 A Federal MP says he does not want to see a nuclear waste dump in the Northern Territory.

This week a Senate committee report recommended the Radioactive Waste Management Act be repealed.

Damian Hale says he is pleased with the outcome and he will continue his opposition to any nuclear waste dump in the NT.The Northern Territory-based politician says he does not see any obstacle to the Act being repealed early next year.

"Our election commitment was always to repeal the legislation, and we were elected on November the 24th along with a mandate to do that," he said.

"I'd expect it to go through both houses of the Parliament."
MP vows to stand against NT nuclear dump - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Bob Brown

The Government has announced it will cut emissions by between 5 and 15 per cent by 2020.

But the maximum 15 per cent cut is conditional on the world signing up to an effective pact to fight climate change. If no pact is agreed, Australia will go with an unconditional 5 per cent cut..............

"He's obviously come under the same pressures that John Howard was under."

Senator Brown said Mr Rudd was under the thumb of big business, and had sold out the Great Barrier Reef, Kakadu, the Murray-Darling Basin, the Australian Alps and the entire eastern seaboard.................

Greens climate change spokeswoman Christine Milne said Mr Rudd had favoured big polluters over the planet.

"Today the Prime Minister gave a huge handout, a massive wealth transfer to the big polluters," Senator Milne said.

"Today it was not polluters pay, it was polluters get paid.

"Fifty per cent of the money will go to the big emitters."

The Government had failed to start a renewable energy revolution and create a low-carbon economy that would create new jobs, Senator Milne said, and called on Australian scientists to speak out.

"They know the consequences of this Rudd decision and today is the day they need to come forward. It is going to be too late in five years' time."

This is Obama's chance to leave the world a lasting legacy The Canberra Times HELEN CALDICOTT AND TIM WRIGHT 12/12/2008 US President-elect Barack Obama has shown he has the power to change hearts and minds. Soon he'll also have the power to render the planet dead and uninhabitable for the rest of time with just the press of a button.

Despite the end of the Cold War, the United States still maintains a supersized arsenal of 10,000 nuclear warheads, more than half of them deployed, and about a quarter of them on hair-trigger alert. They come at a whopping cost of $US50 billion ($A76 billion) a year, roughly the amount needed to pay for universal health care for every US citizen.

Most of America's nuclear weapons are hundreds of times more powerful than the two atom bombs that obliterated the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. Each of them directly threatens global security and human survival.

No doubt Barack Obama will find it more than a tad discomforting when, come January, he's granted this incredible power. Unlike the last three Oval Office occupants, he believes that the world would be better off without nuclear weapons.............

..........Commendably, the Australian Labor Party promised before last year's federal election that in government it would ''drive the international agenda for a nuclear weapons convention''. But it hasn't followed through, choosing instead to continue the usual mantra of countries with powerful nuclear-armed allies like the US: it's too soon to be thinking about an abolition treaty........

.......This October, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon lauded the idea of a new treaty in his UN Day speech, and the Dalai Lama had earlier said that a nuclear weapons convention is ''feasible, necessary and increasingly urgent''. Indeed, if we're to stop the spread of nuclear weapons and avert nuclear catastrophe elimination through a binding treaty is our only option. Now is the time to pursue it.

All countries have a legal obligation, under the Non-Proliferation Treaty and customary international law, to achieve nuclear disarmament. It cannot be postponed indefinitely. This is the ruling of the world's highest court, the International Court of Justice...................

..............History will judge Barack Obama, the next American leader, by his success or failure on this crucial issue. Ridding the planet of nuclear weapons the ultimate instruments of terror could be his single most important legacy.

Lax mining laws Advertiser Dr. Jim Green29/11 AT its annual general meeting on Thursday, BHP Billiton CEO Marius Kloppers said the company will not relinquish legal privileges contained in the Roxby Downs Indenture Act.

This 1982 legislation exempts the Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam) uranium/copper mine from South Australian environmental and Aboriginal heritage protection laws and also curtails the Freedom of Information Act..........................

....................no excuse for ultra-lite environmental standards. BHP Billiton proposes digging a pit of about 20 cu km, increasing uranium production to 19,000 tonnes per year, increasing water consumption to 150 million litres daily, and increasing radioactive tailings production to 70 million tonnes per year.

Yet the company wants to retain its exemptions from the SA Environment Protection Act and the Natural Resources Act.Haven't events in recent months taught us about the perils of lax corporate regulation?

Olympic Dam Legal Privileges A Disgrace
Scoop 27 November 2008, Michaela Stubbs “………………………..Friends of the Earth national nuclear campaigner Dr Jim Green said: “For all of BHP Billiton’s hollow rhetoric about corporate social responsibility, the company operates the Olympic Dam uranium/copper mine in SA under an outdated Indenture Act which exempts the mine from key environmental and Aboriginal heritage laws that apply everywhere else in SA.

“The Aboriginal Heritage Act is the key law aimed at protecting Indigenous heritage in South Australia. However, under the Indenture Act, BHP Billiton decides the level of protection that Aboriginal heritage sites receive and which sites are recognised. Ironically, BHP Billiton has provided over $2 million to Reconciliation Australia, yet will not relinquish its exemptions from the Aboriginal Heritage Act. The company’s attitude appears to be ‘do as I say not as I do’.”

Dr Green concluded: “The legal privileges enshrined in the Indenture Act were highly contentious when they were introduced in 1982 and are completely inappropriate as the legislative framework for the proposed expansion of the Roxby Downs mine.”

Premier Colin Barnett announced the ban had been formally lifted last week, and that mining leases would no longer contain a clause excluding uranium mining.

Greens MP Giz Watson says the Government does not have a mandate for its position, given that the Liberal Party only won 24 seats in the Lower House, compared with Labor's 28.

They didn't win the election, let's get this clear.," she said.

"They formed a minority Government with the Nationals".

Does Australia's Prime Minister speak with forked tongue? See the two articles below: Australia pledges to unblock Russian nuclear deal - Lavrov LIMA, November 24 (RIA Novosti) and Rudd's vague replies about uranium to Russia

Australia pledges to unblock Russian nuclear deal - Lavrov LIMA, November 24 (RIA Novosti) - Australia has assured Russia that it will do everything possible to ratify a nuclear cooperation deal with Russia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday.

Australia announced on September 18 that it could abstain from the ratification of a deal for the supply of nuclear fuel to Russia over fears that Moscow may refuse to honor commitments under the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty. The announcement came after the Australian parliament's international treaties committee had recommended that the government abstain from the ratification of the deal.

"Australia assured us that measures would be taken for a successful ratification," Lavrov said after talks between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

In September 2007, the Russian nuclear power chief, Sergei Kiriyenko, and the then Australian foreign minister, Alexander Downer, signed in Sydney a peaceful nuclear cooperation agreement. Australia, the global leader in uranium production, agreed to supply fuel to Russia for conversion and use in its nuclear reactors.

The deal enables nuclear companies in both countries to sign direct contracts. A possibility is also envisaged for companies in third countries (like, say Iran?) to place orders with Russia for the handling of Australian uranium, including conversion, enrichment and the production of fuel for nuclear power plants.

Rudd's vague repliesabout uranium to Russia from Transcript of Press Conference Lima, 24 Nov 08 Peru JOURNALIST: There seems to be some umming and erring ... ................... did you discuss the sale of uranium with the Russian leader?

Kevin Rudd - yes those matters were discussed with the Russian President and I indicated to the Russian President the reservations which have already been raised by the joint committee on treaties of the Australian Parliament and that still has some ways to work its way through, and that we would be responding in due course as a Government to the recommendations of the treaty committee..........

What I think is really important is honouring what we told the Australian people we would do..................it is part of maintaining trust with the Australian people and trust is really important in what is going to be a very hard year ahead.

There will be tough decisions, and tough decisions are made possible if a relationship of trust exists between Government and people

Labor's very right wing spruiks on Western Australia - Paul Howes

Commenting on the WA Liberal government's pro-uranium decision, Paul Howes, AWU National Secretary said "there is no need for ideological opposition to uranium mining"

Howe, agrees with Martin Ferguson that Western Australian Labor leader, Eric Ripper should stop opposing uranium mining.

Martin Ferguson accused the labor leader of “patently false” and irresponsible scaremongering. Ferguson said that uranium mining would not add to risks of terrorism and that nuclear power stations were inevitable in Australia

(Source VexNews.com By Dee Phat November 20, 2008) VEXNEWS | AWU: WA Labor’s ideological opposition to uranium is anti-worker says union

Martin Ferguson, Federal Resources Minister

Nuclear Waste Dump Act will be Repealed, Chief Minister EPOCH TIMES 16 Nov 08 DARWIN—Chief Minister Paul Henderson says he's confident the Federal Government will repeal legislation which paves the way for a nuclear waste dump in the Northern Territory.
But environmentalists and Aborigines remain sceptical Labor will make good its election promise after almost 12 months in power and no action.

A Senate committee is holding hearings for two days this week in Alice Springs on the future of the Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Act. The controversial law was passed by the Howard Government in 2006 amid challenges from the NT Government, indigenous owners and green groups..................Speaking in Darwin on Monday, Mr Henderson said he had every confidence his federal colleagues would live up to their promise to repeal the Act.

"That was an election commitment from the Prime Minister and I expect them to honour that commitment," he told reporters....................here remains opposition from Aboriginal landowners.A separate submission from Muckaty Station described the matter as having "an unfortunate, divisive, lengthy history".

"Many members of the small indigenous community at Muckaty have deep concerns over, and are strongly opposed to, the Commonwealth's waste facility," it said.

Mr Henderson was reluctant to comment on the stance taken by the NLC, which offered the site in exchange for $12 million from the Howard Government, saying: "I think this is an issue that needs to be worked through".

Australians against uranium expansion Australian Mining 10 Nov 08 Paul Hayes A Newspoll survey conducted by the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) has revealed that 40% of Australians are against the export of Australian uranium to any country for use in nuclear power plants for electricity generation

A further 22% were found to be against the export of uranium to countries that possess nuclear weapons, even if those countries have signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

“These polling results show how deeply concerned and uneasy Australians are about uranium exports and the possibility that Australian uranium may contribute to nuclear weapons programs, even where those countries have signed the NPT,” ACF campaigner David Noonan said.

“Australia should not export uranium to any country that is not fully meeting its nuclear NPT obligations.

“Russia, China, the USA, the UK and France are all failing to meet their NPT nuclear disarmament obligations.”

Australians against uranium expansion

Prams attempt uranium jam ABC News 15 Nov 08 Prams rolled down the streets of Alice Springs today in a peaceful protest against the exploration at the Angela Pamela site 25kms south of town. More than 50 mothers and their kids gathered on the Alice Springs Town Council before making their way to the various politicians' offices throughout the CBD.
Maybe they don't feel confident in doing a political protests but this is an easy way to make our presence felt on the streets," says Tanya Howard, Families for a Nuclear Free Future.

"A lot of the women here are long term residents of the town, they've got family connections here and they feel very disturbed about this issue.

Many would consider leaving town if the uranium mine went ahead."

One of Tanya's biggest concerns is suppressing dusts effectively.

"When you start mining or even exploring you release radiation into the atmosphere and I think it's naive to assume a company can meet all the environmental challenges of the desert to make this a safe proposal."

Nuke law must go: activists NORTHERN TERRITORY NEWS TARA RAVENS November 15th, 2008 LEGISLATION that paves the way for a nuclear waste dump in the Territory is "anti-democratic" and should be immediately scrapped, activists say.

Their views will be heard by a Senate committee which will hold public hearings on Monday and Tuesday at Alice Springs on the future of the Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Act.

The controversial law was passed by the Howard Government, which had short-listed Harts Range, Fishers Ridge and Mount Everard.

Muckaty Station, 120km north of Tennant Creek, is now also on the list after being nominated by the Northern Land Council.

In September this year, the Greens introduced a Bill into the Senate which would overturn the 2005 act.

Federal Labor made an election promise to repeal the laws but has yet to do so.............

Australia defends banning uranium sale to India ABC News 7 Nov 08 Australia's resources minister, Martin Ferguson, has met his Indian counterpart in New Delhi........................ Mr Ferguson says Australia will not sell uranium to India, which has refused to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty

There is a question: why haven’t we spent this money in the long term on green infrastructure such as public transport and renewable energy? The economic crisis represents an opportunity to move the economy away from dependence on consumption and into solutions to global warming.

It seems that creating better public transport, investment in energy efficiency measures, and renewable energy infrastructure will stimulate the economy as much as encouraging spending on plasma TVs………………………..The head of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Rajendra Pachuari, says that if we continue with business as usual, we will head towards economic and environmental disaster…………

…………..We need a new economic driver. In their book Climate Code Red, David Spratt and Phillip Sutton argue that the greatest hope for the planet in the “climate emergency” is for government to make large investments in energy efficiency technology, renewable energy production, zero-emissions transport and carbon-capture technology such as biochar……………

……………..A comprehensive government program to improve the energy efficiency of houses or government incentives provided for the home owner to do it would significantly reduce energy consumption and greeenhouse gas production.

Other measures include biodiversity finance, including ecological relations in accounting practices as in carbon credits and payments directly valuing ecosystem preservation.

has pledged to scrap ministers' power to block freedom of information requests, end the abuse of question time and require parties to report weekly on donations during election campaigns.The reforms are among dozens of commitments made by ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope on Friday in return for the four Greens MPs committing themselves to support a new minority Labor government...........

............A 16-page agreement signed by Mr Stanhope and ACT Greens leader Meredith Hunter commits to a host of reforms to deliver open government, reduce energy demand, build a sizeable renewable energy plant and require new homes to adopt state-of-the-art environmental building design. Green deal in ACT could herald new era in parliamentary reforms | theage.com.au

Nationals leader says WA should take nuclear waste Perth Now 18 Oct 08 Joe Spagnolo, political reporter NATIONALS leader Brendon Grylls says WA should accept nuclear waste from around the world, setting his party on a collision course with its Liberal partner.
In the first real test of the relationship between Mr Grylls and Liberal leader Colin Barnett, the two clashed over the controversial issue, with the Premier slamming the Nationals' position on nuclear waste..................

........Mr Grylls said WA would miss out on big dollars by not accepting nuclear waste, which included spent fuel rods from nuclear reactors............

.......Opposition environment spokeswoman Sally Talbot said Mr Grylls' comments raised serious concerns about what the Government's real agenda was on nuclear power.

"There is no solution to dealing with nuclear waste in other countries. Why bring it here?'' she said. Nationals leader says WA should take nuclear waste | PerthNow

Objections over ruled Centralian Advocate Dan Moss 7 Oct 08 FURIOUS protest, concern and interest surround the announcement of an exploration license at the Angela-Pamela uranium deposit.

Green lobbyists protested the licence over the weekend as the Cameco-Paladin joint venture and the Government began their efforts to soothe the public debate.

The Government received more than 200 objections to the exploration licence.

A statement from the Cameco-Paladin joint venture said it would take six years to bring the site to a point where it can be mined, if the necessary approvals were given. The Government said the company must meet environmental, heritage and sacred site regulations during drilling……………

Both mining companies are suffering from a massive downturn: Paladin’s stocks have fallen from a top of about $6.50 in mid-July 2008 to about $3.50 yesterday. Cameco’s share price has also fallen from about US$41 in mid-July to $27.The spot price of uranium has almost halved recently to about US$50/lb.

Natalie Wasley from the Beyond Nuclear initiative said “It’s hard to say at this stage what will happen, but I think there will be a stronger community response if a mine were approved.

“You can never guarantee that there won’t be a problem.

“I think if you weigh up short-term potential economic gains against long-term environmental effects it’s not worth it.”

She also cast doubt on Cameco’s safety record.

uranium exploration licence it has granted near the town. Last Friday, the NT Government granted an exploration licence for the Angela Pamela deposits 25 kilometres from Alice Springs.

The motion, obtained by the ABC, argues that it cannot be guaranteed the town's water supply will not be contaminated and says there was no consultation with the people of central Australia over the decision to grant the licence.

The branch is calling on the Chief Minister and the Mines Minister to appear at a public meeting in Alice Springs.

Nuclear power 'not an option' Herald Sun October 07, 2008 RENEWABLE energy is a better option for power generation than nuclear plants, Climate Change Minister Penny Wong says.

Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) head Ziggy Switkowski today said nuclear power was needed to help reduce Australia's greenhouse emissions to acceptable levels.

But Ms Wong said Australians made their position on nuclear power clear before the election and the Government's priorities lay in investing in new renewable energy technology and finding a low-emission solution to coal.

She said any global climate-change solution that did not tackle dependence on coal was no solution.

"There are a range of other energy sources which are more important for Australia to consider (than nuclear)," she said.

"We are abundantly blessed with renewable resources and we believe it is far more appropriate, far better for us, to be investing in developing the technology to utilise and commercialise our renewable energy rather than going down the nuclear path."

Ziggy Spinowski

Govt stands firm on green energy promise Sydney Morning Herald October 7, 2008 The federal government has rejected calls to dump its promise to have 20 per cent of electricity generated from renewable sources by 2020.............................federal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson says the RET is here to stay.

"The government's got a commitment to introduce a renewable energy target of 20 per cent by 2020 and we will remain committed to it," he told reporters in the NSW city of Queanbeyan."We have work underway to actually put the system in place."................................The Australian Industry Group on Monday called for the RET to be scrapped.

Mr Ferguson, who was visiting Queanbeyan's new Dyesol factory which manufactures parts for solar panels, was less convinced about the need for a premium feed-in tariff for renewable energy than he was about the RET.......................

Mr Ferguson is seen in some quarters as a staunch defender of the coal industry rather than a convert to renewable energy

.His unequivocal commitment to the RET may have recast that perception a little, but the green tinge was only partial.

Dyesol managing director Gavin Tulloch says Australia's future lay in renewable energy.
Govt stands firm on green energy promise - Breaking News - National - Breaking News

Angela Pamela Exploration: NT Government says yes,
Alice Springs says NO! On Sunday October 5, over 300 people gathered in the Todd Mall, Alice Springs to oppose uranium exploration at the Angela and Pamela deposits just 25 km away. The NT Government granted Cameco-Paladin license to explore last Friday afternoon, despite widespread community opposition to this proposal.

"In the last six months, hundreds of Alice Springs and Central Australian residents have written to the NT government and attended public events to voice their opposition, but it seems the government has its ears in its pockets", said Natalie Wasley, Beyond Nuclear campaigner and member of the Alice Springs Angela Pamela (ASAP) collective that organised today's rally.

Jimmy Cocking, Arid Lands Environment Centre coordinator and ASAP collective member added, "These companies applied for an exploration license with a view to mine uranium for company and shareholder profits. The community does not factor into their equations, except for the hiring of a PR agent to sell the unpopular project".

"Both public events held since the announcement clearly demonstrate continued opposition from local residents. The deposits lie within the Alice Springs water catchment, in areas noted for national conservation and biodiversity significance and the risk is simply too high to allow a uranium project to go ahead".

Northern Territory 'ignored community over uranium project' ABC News Oct 3, 2008 (- below - Alice Speings residents rally Oct 3rd at news of uranium exploration licence- more protest rallies today Oct 4)

An Alice Springs environment group say the Northern Territory Government has ignored community opposition to uranium exploration south of the town.

The Government has granted a mining joint venture an exploration licence for the Angela and Pamela deposits 25 kilometres from the town.The companies plan to begin drilling next year once they get the necessary sacred sites and environmental approvals.

But Natalie Wasley, from the Arid Lands Environment Centre, says the Government should have blocked the application on behalf of the community."The Territory Government seems to have completely disregarded the opposition they've hit at every stage of this process so far," she said.........................

Ms Wasley says that process will involve risks to the area's ecosystem.

"At exploration stage there is still potential for contamination because we are dealing with a radioactive substance," she said.

.NT 'ignored community over uranium project' - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Pakistan demands rights to nuclear power after India deal is sealed

Pakistan has demanded access to international nuclear technology to power its energy-starved economy after a landmark agreement between India and America gained Congressional approval. Telegraph.co.uk by Damien McElroy and Rahul Bedi in New Dehli

By testing nuclear weapons in defiance of non-proliferation treaties, the sub-continental neighbours were atomic pariahs until India struck a safeguard agreement with the international community. In a move predicted by critics of the deal, Pakistan is now demanding its own exemptions....................

......The US-India pact enables nuclear-related exports from the West to a market forecast to exceed £15 billion by 2025.

France has already emerged as a leading beneficiary after signing a separate agreement that paves the way for it to sell advanced electricity reactors to India.

Once it relaxes its ban on exports to India, Australia is expected to emerge as a leading supplier of uranium to the country..................Pakistan demands rights to nuclear power after India deal is sealed - Telegraph

Courageous decision on Russian nuclear deal ABC News By Jim Green Sep 19, 2008 - ""............the Federal Parliament's Joint Standing Committee on Treaties had the courage to recommend against ratification of the uranium export agreement signed by John Howard and Vladimir Putin last September.......................

............The claim by the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office (ASNO) that "strict" safeguards conditions will "ensure" that uranium remains in peaceful use has been exposed for the lie that it is.

The Safeguards Office conspicuously failed to provide any information to the Joint Standing Committee on the reality of safeguards in Russia. It was left to Friends of the Earth to do the research, the conclusion being that there have been no International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards inspections in Russia since 2001, and there is no reason to believe that this pattern of non-inspection will change in the future.

..........................................Russia's arsenal of over 14,000 nuclear weapons has an explosive yield equivalent to 200,000 Hiroshima bombs.................Ratifying a uranium export agreement with a belligerent nuclear weapons states would shred the Rudd government's credibility ahead of the formal launch of its International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament in October.Courageous decision on Russian nuclear deal - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Nuclear deal with Russia put on ice

Herald Sun Ben Packham September 19, 2008 AUSTRALIA might not go ahead with a $1 billion uranium sale to Russia, with Kevin Rudd fearing the former communist super-power was at a "turning point".

A parliamentary committee warned yesterday the sale should be put on hold until there was proof it would not be misused or allowed to fall into the wrong hands.

Former prime minister John Howard signed the uranium deal with then-Russian president Vladimir Putin at last year's APEC Summit.

Australia stands by position to not sell uranium to India
ABC News September 12, 2008 Australia's foreign minister, Stephen Smith, has reiterated his country's policy of not selling uranium to India despite being given clearance for nuclear trade by the Nuclear Supplier's Group last week.

Speaking at the Indian Council for World affairs, Mr Smith said it was Australia's policy not to export uranium to a country which has not signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

"This is not a policy which is aimed at India," he said.

"This is a policy where long-standing, domestic, party political approach has been that we don't export uranium to a country that's not a party to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty." Australia stands by position to not sell uranium to India

Senate tide turns against N-deal with Putin's Russia
Canberra Times BY ANDREW FRASER 3 September 08 Bipartisan political resolve stiffened yesterday for Australia not to be rushed into ratifying an agreement with Russia for the use of Australian uranium.

Labor's head of the joint parliamentary committee on treaties, Kelvin Thomson, maintained that Australia should delay agreeing to the deal and Liberal committee member Julian McGauran said he remained unconvinced about immediate ratification.

Mr Thomson and Senator McGauran were speaking after the intervention of the Russian ambassador led many committee colleagues to duck for cover.

Ambassador Alexander Blokhin bluntly warned Australia that any delay in ratification would be regarded by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as ''an obviously politically biased decision''.....................

Senator McGauran echoed Mr Thomson's concerns about the lack of International Atomic Energy Agency inspections of Russian nuclear facilities over the past seven years. He said many committee members were ''suspicious'' about the reasons for this.

The committee should continue to consider the matter and shouldn't have any plans for a quick decision,'' he said. ''For
''myself, I'm unconvinced at the moment ... 'Russia's a bully-boy nation and I just wonder what's behind the IAEA's decision not to inspect.''.....................

The Greens called for the uranium deal to be torn up, WA senator Scott Ludlam saying Mr Smith had an opportunity to ''draw a line under this reckless foreign policy gamble of the Howard era''.

Senator Ludlam said, ''Russia is actively modernising its nuclear weapons stockpile, transferring nuclear fuel and reactor technology to Iran, and in January this year the Russian chief of the armed forces claimed the right to use nuclear weapons 'preventively'.'' Senate tide turns against N-deal with Putin's Russia - Local News - News - General - The Canberra Times

Garrett sells out on Beverley
Green Left Liah Lazarou30 August 2008 On August 28, federal environment minister Peter Garrett announced the expansion of the Beverley uranium mine, situated in South Australia’s far north-east.

Heathgate Resources, a subsidiary of US company General Atomics, will now expand the area of land mined, while the already approved production rate of 1500 tonnes of uranium oxide a year will remain the same

.In effect, this allows for a greater area of land — and groundwater — to be threatened by acid leach for the same production and profit rate.................

........Greens senator Scott Ludlam told the media on August 28: “It is incredibly disappointing to see Peter Garrett of all people allowing such a thing to take place, given the current state of water in Australia and South Australia in particular.”

..........Beverley’s unique system includes kilometres of pipes both above and below ground.

....................This method is more controversial than regular uranium processing and the Conservation Council of South Australia says it “has the potential for the accidental release of tens of thousands of litres of radioactive solution”. This has already occurred: January, 2002 a burst pipe at Beverley leaked 62,000 litres of radioactive liquid in four minutes......................Senaror Ludlum - “What [Heathgate Resources] have put to the minister is very sketchy and he has given them a blank cheque in return” Green Left - AUSTRALIA: Garrett sells out on Beverley

people from the Alice Springs Angela Pamela (ASAP) Alliance went to Cameco's shopfront to voice their protest against the proposed uranium mine, which would sit 25 kilometres south of the town.

The joint venture of Paladin and the Canadian resources giant Cameco is yet to be granted the full exploration rights to the deposits.
Anti-nuclear campaigner Nat Wasley says a broad section of the local community still strongly opposes the mine proposal.

"It is extremely arrogant of Cameco to open an office in Alice Springs prior to being granted a licence to explore.

Peru: APEC, ‘free trade’ and Australia’s mining agenda
Green Left David T. Rowlands On November 22 this year, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ meeting will convene in Lima, Peru…………………………Major miners, including BHP Billiton (operating an infamously contaminating copper mine, Tintaya), Newmont and Barrick (both operating gold mines) are active in Peru.

Late last year, Peru entered into a grotesquely one-sided “free trade agreement” with the US. Similar agreements with other wealthy nations are reportedly in the pipeline, and it is possible that an Australia-Peru FTA will be brokered at APEC this year.

Perth-based Contact Uranium, which has initiated two Peruvian projects, is one player that is set to benefit from the projected carve-up. Contact’s largest uranium deposit is located at Corachapi, near Qosco in south-eastern Peru………………………

………………..Given the disastrous environmental record of the uranium industry in Australia, it is tragically clear that the expansion of Corachapi will lead to immense suffering in Peru, where mining consortiums can do as they please without even a semblance of public scrutiny to impede their operations.

How long before the mountain rivers flow with even more radioactive pollution, spreading deformaties, cancer and the annihilation of ancient communities?

Trashing nuclear promises
ON LINE opinion By Tilman Ruff 21 August 2008 In Singapore last week Mr Rudd announced that Australia would not stand in the way of the controversial India-US nuclear deal, and that this decision had been communicated to Washington and Delhi. He offered no explanation publicly.

The timing is important - on August 21-22 (today and tomorrow) the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) meets in Vienna to consider the Bush administration’s proposal to exempt India from longstanding guidelines that require comprehensive IAEA safeguards as a condition of supply for nuclear materials and technology. It is also important because the NSG operates by consensus..................

.......In 1974, India detonated a nuclear bomb made from plutonium produced from a heavy water reactor supplied by Canada and fuelled by the US, in violation of its agreements. It was the shock waves around the world from India’s flagrant use of nuclear technology and fuel supplied for “peaceful purposes” to build nuclear weapons which led to the formation of the NSG, aiming to prevent such diversion in future...................

.It would be bitter irony indeed ............to make an exception and reward the state which initiated the nuclear arms race in South Asia by trashing its nuclear promises.

A driving reason India wants access to nuclear trade is precisely to further the nuclear proliferation the NSG was established to prevent. Senior Indian military leaders have publicly said so.

................India will be able to divert more of its own uranium to weapons. The net result of the deal will be to boost India’s capability to produce fissile material for weapons.....

...................It is important to remind ourselves just how much is at stake. Any use of nuclear weapons in South Asia, or anywhere, would be a global catastrophe, and Australia would not be spared.

..........Mr Rudd should assert a consistent policy on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation which is unequivocal, which walks the talk with integrity and courage. He should reject the dishonourable India-US nuclear deal. He might even find that he is not alone......" Trashing nuclear promises - On Line Opinion - 21/8/2008

Nuclear power on Nelson's agenda Sydney Morning Herald Phillip Coorey August 20, 2008 THE Opposition Leader, Brendan Nelson, has shifted gear over nuclear energy by urging the Government to work with the Coalition to make the power source part of Australia's clean energy future.

Only six months after the Coalition apparently dropped ts support for nuclear power following its election defeat, Dr Nelson said there was a need for nuclear power but it would require bipartisan political support.............................Dr Nelson was an early advocate of nuclear power in the Howard government. After the last election, support for the energy source was quietly dropped as Coalition policy and, in February, Dr Nelson said "we cannot envisage any circumstances under which Australia will have a nuclear power industry..." Sydney Morning Herald: national, world, business, entertainment, sport and technology news from Australia's leading newspaper

Climate Change Minister Penny Wong said the Government remained opposed to nuclear power, saying Australia had an abundance of renewable energy resources.

Climate Change Minister Penny Wong

Wong stands by renewable energy target ABC News 19 August 08 - "Climate Change Minister Penny Wong has vowed the Federal Government will bring in a renewable energy target despite mounting pressure to scrap it.

The Government wants 20 per cent of Australia's energy to come from renewable sources by 2020..............................Senator Wong says there will be consultation but the target will not be scrapped.

"It's a commitment we will be meeting," she said.

"We're very happy to consult with industry about the technicalities.

"We put out a consultation paper last month and we look forward to continuing to consult with the industries about the shape of that renewable energy target.

"But we do remain committed."...." Wong stands by renewable energy target - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Greens fight to keep renewable energy targets ABC News 18 August 08 "The Greens are urging the Federal Government to resist growing calls for it to dump its renewable energy target.......................Greens Senator Christine Milne says the target is needed to drive investment in renewables.

"The greenhouse mafia in Australia are in Canberra and in full flight," she said.

"What they're trying to do is protect Australia's coal exports whilst at the same time denying the potential to develop sophisticated exports in manufacturing renewable energy."................" Greens fight to keep renewable energy targets - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Arkaroola 'too precious' to mine: Minchin ABC News Aug 14, 2008 Liberal Senator Nick Minchin says his visit this week to the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary in South Australia's far north has made him more determined to oppose uranium exploration there.....

....Arkaroola is far too precious......and valuable a site in South Australia for any state government to contemplate allowing a uranium mine to proceed there," he said. Arkaroola 'too precious' to mine: Minchin - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

KEEP DARWIN HARBOUR NUCLEAR FREE 14 August 08 A local anti-nuclear group has written to the federal environment minister urging him to reject a proposal for a new mine near TiTree.

Mr Justin Tutty, of the No Waste Alliance, has called upon the Minister, Peter Garrett, to reject a referral by Arafura Resources for the Nolans Bore project.

According to Mr Tutty, the rare earths deposits include a significant commercial quantity of uranium, that could be processed at a plant on Darwin Harbour if the mine goes ahead.

'The company have told the minister that the mine is not a nuclear action, but clearly it involves processing and selling uranium,' said Mr Tutty.

'But more importantly, they've asked the minister to approve the mine without considering the resulting radioactive waste dumps, for the enriched thorium and uranium tailings they plan to bring back to the site.'

'Similarly, they expect approval independent of their plans to build a large processing plant on Darwin Harbour.'

'The company can't be allowed to pursue a hap-hazard piecemeal assessment of what is obviously a significant proposal, any more than they should be allowed to side step the nuclear implications of their project.'

'On these grounds, we're calling on the minister to reject the referral as it stands.'

Opposition to Alice uranium mine strengthens Green vote Thewest.com.au 11th August 2008, A strong Green vote in the heart of Australia shows the people of Alice Springs don't want a uranium mine in their backyard, environmentalists claim.

The Greens have never had a member in the NT Legislative Assembly, which was formed in 1974 and dominated by the CLP until Labor's shock win in 2001.

But the party says the election result showed support is growing for the marginal party despite the inherently conservative outlook of Territorians. It will be at least another week before final figures on the political makeup of the NT are known but the Greens say although they have not won a seat they have recorded their best ever result. ..................Natalie Wasley, coordinator of the Beyond Nuclear Initiative, said there was a strong Green vote because people were opposed to the idea of a uranium project at Angela and Pamela. ....................... In the seat of Braitling, covering the north-west corner of Alice Springs, the party polled higher than Labor.

Jimmy Cocking, from the Arid Lands Environment Centre, said people were “frustrated and outraged” by the proposal.

“The waste from a uranium operation would remain here long after the companies have packed up and left town,” he said.

The new member for Braitling, the CLP's Adam Giles, said he would make a stand on the mine following the results of a review. .........................

Senator Brown said the Green vote increased despite the party reducing its number of candidates - down from 11 at the 2005 election. “We actually stood in half as many seats and our vote overall has gone up,” he said.

“We're moving closer and closer to not just influencing elections but winning seats.”
Opposition to Alice uranium mine strengthens Green vote : thewest.com.au

Northern Territory: Henderson writes to Rudd and says no dump for territory DARWIN, Aug 7 AAPBy Tara Ravens Northern Territory Chief Minister Paul Henderson has written to

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, urging him to make good on an election promise to repeal legislation paving the way for a nuclear waste dump in the Territory.

In the lead-up to last November's federal election, the Labor Party committed to overturn the Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Act, which was passed in 2006 and enables the facility to go ahead.

As the clock ticks down to the NT poll on Saturday, it has emerged that Mr Henderson sent a letter last month urging Mr Rudd to act urgently on his commitment.
The letter says the NT government has "openly and consistently" opposed the Howard government's decision to build a waste facility at one of four sites in the Territory. These include Muckaty Station, about 120km north of Tennant Creek, and Commonwealth defence land at Harts Range, Mount Everard and Fishers Ridge.

Barry Utley's property, 40 kilometres south of Katherine, surrounds one of four Northern Territory defence sites nominated by the previous Federal Government to be tested as a location for a nuclear waste repository.

Mr Utley, who is on the property by himself, has written to the Federal Government but the replies have given him no certainty about his future.
"I was looking at selling land further up [that] we don't use and also this other block ... I can't see that anybody will want to buy a block of land with this hanging over their head." Pastoralist pushes Canberra for answers on nuclear dump - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

No nuclear, ETS maybe Latrobe Valley Express BY SHAUN MALLIA 4/08/2008 - "A NUCLEAR power plant will not be part of the Latrobe Valley's industrial landscape if the new Nationals MHR for Gippsland has his way.

Darren Chester ruled out nuclear energy as an alternative to the region's brown coal power industry in the wake of comments by deputy Liberal leader, Julie Bishop.

Ms Bishop said nuclear energy should be considered if Australia is serious about tackling climate change...." No nuclear, ETS maybe - Local News - News - General - Latrobe Valley Express

Muckaty Station

Outgoing member for Barkly Elliot McAdam has slammed his federal colleagues for failing to act on an election promise to repeal legislation that paves the way for the dump to be built in the territory.

He also has accused them of failing to consult with people affected by the four sites nominated by the Howard government, including three defence sites and Muckaty Station, about

120km north of Tennant Creek.
Mr McAdam said there are a number of traditional owners (TOs) who oppose the nomination of Muckaty and he has called on federal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson to visit the region.

"The whole process has been flawed. Very clearly, TOs haven't been involved," he told ABC Radio in Darwin. "Other sectors of the community haven't been involved. And until such time as a repeal of the Nuclear Waste Management Act, then effectively this doesn't allow anyone to have a real say in the Barkly in respect to the proposed site.".......................he wanted an independent inquiry into the nomination of Muckaty.

"People like Martin Ferguson and others just can't use this jackboot approach all the time," he said. "I mean, we put up with it from the Howard Government, we shouldn't have to put up with it from our colleagues in Canberra.".....................NT Labor Senator Trish Crossin told the ABC that the Rudd government would repeal the NT Waste Management Act after it had received the report on the sites....."

.

No Cabinet discussions on US nuclear partnership: Crean - ( Yes - that's the one that the US Congress has vetoed funds for - the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership)

ABC News Jul 15, 2008 A Federal Government frontbencher says Cabinet has not been discussing whether Australia will continue its involvement with a nuclear partnership with the United States, which could mean nuclear waste is brought back into the country.

Minister for Trade, Simon Crean, has told the ABC there has not been a "collective discussion" about Australia's future membership of the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership and would not discuss the matter further.

 .........However, ABC's AM program was told this morning that Cabinet has decided to continue the country's involvement in the program.........

...........The partnership enables member countries which also include Russia, France and Japan to ship nuclear fuel into energy hungry countries.

In return the spent fuel is sent back to the supplier...................The then government argued that did not mean Australia would be used as an international nuclear waste dump.

In August last year, the now Minister for Infrastructure, Anthony Albanese, described the partnership as a Bush administration program which would see Australia become the world's nuclear waste dump and further engage the nation in the nuclear fuel cycle.................................". No Cabinet discussions on US nuclear partnership: Crean - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Is Australia still in the GNEP, but maybe America isn't? - Christina Macpherson

saying 'the initiative to reprocess spent nuclear fuel... undermines our nation's nuclear non-proliferation policy.'

Last year, a panel of the US National Academy of Sciences suggested that the commercial-scale reprocessing facilities envisaged under GNEP were not economically justifiable..........".

Australia won't accept nuclear waste, says Government Herald Sun By Julian Drape July 15, 2008 - "THE Rudd Government has ruled out accepting nuclear waste from other countries following reports Cabinet will review Australia's involvement in an international nuclear forum.

A Cabinet paper is being prepared for Resources Minister Martin Ferguson and Industry Minister Kim Carr on Australia's ongoing role in the US-led Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP), it has been reported.

The former Howard government signed Australia up to the GNEP in September last year. It also started pursuing membership of the 13-member Generation IV International Forum (GIF). .......................................

Australia has continued to participate in GNEP meetings since Labor won power in last November's election.

Mr Marr said it was 'astounding'' the Rudd Government had refused to distance itself from Mr Howard's nuclear legacy, given the ALP was so critical of the forums when in opposition...". Australia won&squo;t accept nuclear waste, says Government | Herald Sun

-Beverly and Roxby Downs uranium mines

Ongoing scandal as Government fails Roxby workers over radiation risk .Coober Pedy Regional Times 2 July 08"Greens MLC Mark Parnell has accused the Rann Government of failing to adequately protect workers exposed to dangerous radiation levels at Olympic Dam.

Documents obtained under freedom of information show a poor level of monitoring of radioactive polonium airborne dust. polonium, a particularly toxic and dangerous radioactive substance, was dramatically used to assassinate Russian defector Ivan Litvinenko in London in Nov 2006.

Despite the significant risk to workers of exposure to polonium, the Radiation Protection branch of the Environment Protection Authority agreed to reduce BHP Billiton's reporting requirements in 2006.

Since then the number odf reports of workers exposed to unsafe levels of radiation has plumetted, despite no change occurring to production processes at the plant, raising serious questions about the level and type of testing currently undertaken by the company..........

..... ' for example: sampling of airborne radiation levels is not done when workers are at greatest risk, and personal radiation monitoring devices, that often record readings above the allowable level, are only worn part of the time by some, not all, exposed workers..'....................................".

Coober Pedy Regional Times

Bid to lock out uranium miner Northern Territory News 4 June 08 - "THE Koongarra uranium deposit inside Kakadu National Park could be locked up forever if a push by environmentalists is successful.

The 14,000-tonne deposit, 3km from the Nourlangie Rock art site in the west of the park, has been in the sights of French nuclear energy giant Areva.
The site is surrounded by the World Heritage-listed Kakadu but not included in the park's boundaries.

Traditional owner Jeffrey Lee has said he does not want mining on his country and under Commonwealth law the company cannot mine without his permission.

Australian Conservation Foundation campaigner Adele Pedder called for the area to be incorporated into Kakadu National Park, a move that would lock up the site against mining.

"The senior traditional owner has stated his opposition to the uranium development, the NT Government has stated its opposition, the World Heritage Commission opposes it and the Federal Government has a policy prohibiting uranium mining within national parks,'' she said.

MARTIN FERGUSON:

BREACHING LABOR POLICY AND THREATENING TO BREAK LABOR ELECTION PROMISES Friends of the Earth Jim Green 3 May 08 Australia Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has prided himself on his commitment to keep promises made before the November 2007 federal election. He will need to haul energy and resources minister Martin Ferguson into line. Mr Ferguson is stalling on the implementation of pre-election promises regarding nuclear waste management.

The Howard government used its numbers to push through the Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Act 2005, and 2006 amendments, through Parliament. Labor opposed the Act and the amendments and promised to repeal the legislation if elected to government. However last month (15/4/08), Mr Ferguson responded to written Senate questions by stating that repeal of the legislation is "under consideration". Therefore it must also be true that another option "under consideration" is to maintain the Act and therefore break an unequivocal pre-election promise.

Mr Ferguson is also in breach of Labor's commitment to address radioactive waste management issues in a manner which is "scientific, transparent, accountable, fair and allows access to appeal mechanisms" and to "ensure full community consultation in radioactive waste decision-making processes".

In addition to his breaches of Labor policy commitments, Mr Ferguson has made patronising comments about Aboriginal people, and he has made numerous demonstrably false statements on issues relating directly to his energy and resources portfolio, calling into question the wisdom of Mr Rudd's decision to appoint Mr Ferguson to the portfolio.

Nuclear & uranium spin getting underway in Australia. After a brief honeymoon period - the new government's environmental credentials are just as shaky as the old - when it comes to nuclear spin

- and hey, let's bribe the aborigines, too - Christina Macpherson

below - Martin Ferguson ALP pusher for the uranium lobby

Labor resurrects Howard's uranium plan The Age Katharine Murphy April 2, 2008 - "THE Federal Government has quietly resurrected John Howard's plan to expand uranium mining in Australia.

Resources Minister Martin Ferguson, an enthusiastic industry advocate, has reconvened the Uranium Industry Framework, a hand-picked advisory group appointed by the previous government.

Policies on its agenda include a forthcoming information campaign, paid for by the uranium industry, to address public concern about uranium mining........

There is a separate strategy to use uranium mining to improve the economic fortunes of indigenous communities and to improve "engagement" between traditional owners and mining companies..............."

BHP to use half of state's electricity THE AUSTRALIAN Jeremy Roberts | March 27, 2008 - "BHP Billiton will need nearly half of South Australia's current electricity supply to power its vastly expanded Olympic Dam copper and uranium mine......

............An industry insider yesterday described as 'staggering' BHP's new power needs, which exceed previous forecasts by 170mW.

It would require the building of new power stations in the state at a time when incentives for business to invest in traditional power generation are clouded by efforts to combat global warming.

The new BHP forecast comes a week after the Rudd Government's Garnaut report on greenhouse emissions recommended power generators not be compensated in a carbon trading scheme...........................................

The South Australian Government has not imposed any mandatory requirements on BHP to source renewable energy.

South Australian Greens MP Mark Parnell said the lack of renewable energy sources for Olympic Dam would make the state a 'greenhouse pariah'.

'Our state risks being left with a huge carbon black hole as we become the greenhouse dump for one of the world's richest companies,' Mr Parnell said...".

Downer denied Indian scientists visas Richard Baker and Sarah Smiles The Age 17 March 08 - "TWO Indian nuclear officials were last year barred from Australia on "health and character" grounds and for fear they would learn information to assist "India's weapons of mass destruction program", documents reveal.

The documents show that former foreign affairs minister Alexander Downer refused visas for the Indian Department of Atomic Energy scientists in April, at the same time that his department was negotiating the sale of uranium to India, which is not a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

.In August, the Coalition controversially agreed to export uranium to India although it was not a signatory to the treaty.Then prime minister John Howard argued the uranium was intended only for power generation and would not contribute to nuclear proliferation. The decision has since been overturned by the Rudd Government. …………………

………letter written on Mr Downer's behalf by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's assistant secretary for arms control and counter proliferation, John Sullivan, argued that the Indian scientists worked for an organisation that played "a leading role in India's nuclear weapons research". ……………………………….GBC Scientific founder and managing director Ron Grey told The Age the former government was being hypocritical by barring his Indian customers while it was negotiating to sell uranium to India outside the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Atomic-test veterans to sue Government THE AUSTRALIAN 7 March - "AUSTRALIAN nuclear-test veterans are closely monitoring a mass compensation claim in Britain as they prepare to launch a class action of their own.
A total of 800 former servicemen from the UK, New Zealand and Fiji are included in a multi-million-dollar lawsuit against the British Ministry of Defence (MoD)..........

.....Australian Nuclear Veterans Association (ANVA) president Ric Johnstone confirmed his organisation was sharing information with those involved in the case and would "shortly commence litigation" on home soil.But there is a sense that time is running out. .There's not all that many of us left and those of us that are left aren't in very good health,. Johnstone said......"

Analysis of the Draft Report of the Uranium Mining, Processing and Nuclear Energy Review (the Switkowski Report) Dr. Mark Diesendorf Prepared by the EnergyScience Coalition www.energyscience.org.au

The Switkowski report acknowledges that nuclear power would be 20-50% more costly than (dirty) coal power and that it would require "low to moderate pricing of carbon dioxide emissions" in order to compete.

However, the report obtained this result by making questionable assumptions that are highly favorable to nuclear power In reality, nuclear power is likely to cost more than double dirty coal power and hence even more than wind power.The report's very low estimates of the costs of nuclear electricity are achieved by means of a magician's trick.

The report's Figure 4.6 shows that the cost estimates depend critically upon the interest rates and that, at the high interest rates prevailing in a competitive market (10% real or more), nuclear electricity is likely to cost about 10 cents per kilowatt-hour (c/kWh).

However, in the comparison with the costs of competing technologies in Figure 4.7, the report selects lower interest rates for nuclear power, in effect halving the costs of nuclear electricity.

These carefully selected results are then reproduced in the executive summary, without any explanation that low interest rates were assumed

.In other parts of its report, the report recognises implicitly that it has underestimated the costs of nuclear electricity and the size of the subsidy needed. In the summary (p.1), it says: "Even then [that is, after implementing carbon pricing], private investment in the first-built nuclear reactors may require some form of government support or directive."Furthermore, on p.46, it admits that "If investor perceptions of risk were greater [than for other baseload technologies], ... higher carbon prices or other policies [that is, subsidies] would be required to stimulate investment in nuclear power.

On p.45, thereport confirms that this situation is likely, by stating that "In practice, investors may consider nuclear power to be more commercially risky." [my parentheses]

Uranium 'double standards', says ACF ABC News 15 Feb 08 - "The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) has accused the South Australian Government of double standards on uranium mining.

There are plans to extend the Beverley uranium mine in outback SA, but David Noonan from the ACF says it would lead to radioactive liquid being pumped into ground water in the Flinders Ranges.

He says the Government seems set to approve the proposal, despite having banned another company Marathon Resources from uranium mining exploration at Arkaroola because of contamination concerns there.

'The State Government has got a clear contradiction in ... their so-called standards, you can't on one side of the fence order people to take away inappropriately-buried radioactive waste, and on the other side of the fence deliberately arrange for a US nuclear corporation to dump liquid waste in ground water,' he said....".

A new right-wing guru on the block The Guardian 6 February, 2008

It did not take Paul Howes, the new National Secretary of the Australian Workers' Union, long to show his right-wing credentials and to be given a tick of approval by the media with publicity in various daily papers and by an address to the National Press Club. At 26 years of age he would only have been appointed to that position if his patrons were thoroughly convinced of the reliability of his right-wing convictions.

At a conference of trade union leaders held last week Mr Howes took the floor early to tell the gathering that Australia should 'consider' use of nuclear power - Howard's preferred option - to deal with global warming. Given the strong opposition in Australia to nuclear power, not to mention nuclear weapons, are those who actually want to get a nuclear power industry going to limit themselves to a 'discussion' ?

No one should be fooled about their real objective, which is to change public opinion and garner support for the nuclear option. Paul Howes does not seem to have made any strong representations for renewable energy sources as a better way to combat global warming.

The meeting of trade union leaders did not support his nuclear gambit...................................................."