AUSTRALIA « nuclear-news

About David Bradbury’s new film on uranium mining

The message from When the Dust Settles is simple and clear: Despite assurances from the mining companies, there is NO SAFE LEVEL of radiation exposure, below which there is no risk of cancer or birth defects occurring.

When the Dust Settles – new drama/doco outlines uranium mining risks When the Dust Settles is a 35-minute documentary film commissioned by the ETU Qld & NT for the purposes of this renewed campaign against the nuclear industry. It combines comedy and serious content to explain the dangers of uranium mining, the nuclear fuel cycle and the use of depleted nuclear materials – much of which originates in Australian uranium mines – in weapons production. Continue reading →

July 20, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA, Resources -audiovicual | antinuclear, AUSTRALIA, nuclear, nuclear spin, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive, uranium | 1 Comment

Australian union educating workers on dangers of uranium mining

the ETU has commissioned a 35-minute film, When the Dust Settles, which has been posted to every ETU member in Queensland and the NT.

ETU STATE COUNCIL BANS MEMBERS FROM WORKING IN NUCLEAR INDUSTRY | Coober Pedy Regional Times July 17, 2010

Uranium – the new asbestos

1. Major union bans members working in uranium mines, nuclear power stations, et al
2. ETU’s educational video launched in Brisbane

The debate over uranium mining and the role of nuclear energy in Australia has intensified with a major union launching a campaign against the nuclear industry by banning its members from working in uranium mines, nuclear power stations or any other part of the nuclear fuel cycle. Continue reading →

July 20, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA, spinbuster, Uranium | antinuclear, AUSTRALIA, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive, uranium | Leave a comment

Olympic Dam uranium mine a threat to Australia’s groundwater

“Not only is the expansion at Olympic Dam going ahead without the consent of traditional owners, but tens of thousands of gigalitres of water per day is being sucked out of the Artesian Basin on Arabunna land to service the mine,”

Protesters gather at mine site, Sydney Morning Herald, July 16, 2010 –An anti-nuclear protester has chained himself to a four-wheel-drive blocking the road to BHP Billiton’s Olympic Dam uranium mine in South Australia’s far north. Continue reading →

July 17, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA, opposition to nuclear, Uranium | antinuclear, AUSTRALIA, climate change, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive, uranium, water | Leave a comment

Uranium mining executive boasted on political upheaval in Australia

‘Policymakers around the world can learn a lesson when considering new taxes to plug a revenue gap or play to local politics,” he said.

Indeed they can, particularly if they note the ousting of a sitting prime minister by his own party.

Big-talking giants may come down with a thud, Sydney Morning Herald, Ian Verrender, July 13, 2010 If the European Union had reservations about the iron ore tie-up between the mining giants BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto, it no doubt would have been stunned by Tom Albanese’s extraordinary remarks in London last week…….. Continue reading →

July 14, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA, politics | antinuclear, AUSTRALIA, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear technology, uranium | Leave a comment

Unprecedented heavy rains made Ranger uranium pit wall unstable

The company said access to higher-grade ore in the lower levels of the open pit had been reduced, due mainly to instability on one of the pit walls and record rainfall at the mine in April.

Uranium output to fall 18 per cent: ERA | The Australian, 14 July 2010, ENERGY Resources of Australia (ERA) has flagged a drop in uranium oxide production of up to 18 per cent a year after its first-half output slumped, due largely to record rainfall affecting operations. Continue reading →

July 14, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA, climate change | antinuclear, AUSTRALIA, climate change, uranium | Leave a comment

World’s planned biggest uranium mine getting too costly

The recent softening prices for Olympic Dam’s key minerals, especially uranium, and a significant increase in the required capital is also understood to be weighing on BHP,

BHP’s Olympic Dam expansion under pressure, Business Spectator 12 Jul 2010 BHP Billiton Ltd’s $US20 billion Olympic Dam expansion in Australia may be delayed by a protracted environmental assessment and cost, Continue reading →

July 12, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA, business and costs | antinuclear, AUSTRALIA, nuclear costs, uranium | Leave a comment

Australia’s strategy to get Aboriginal land for mining and nuclear industry

Through the intervention, the government is weakening land rights. It is clear who [uranium miners] will benefit as Aboriginal people move off their land, settle in larger towns and lose connection with country.

What’s behind the NT intervention? | Green Left Weekly. July 3, 2010 By Peter Robson, Continue reading →

July 9, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA, indigenous issues | antinuclear, AUSTRALIA, nuclear, nuclear weapons, uranium | Leave a comment

Australia’s Aborigines, students, community, rally against nuclear industry

Today (7 July 2010), hundreds of students from across Australia will take to the streets of Adelaide on The ‘Nuclear Scumbags Tour’. This will be a creative and informative demonstration by Traditional Owners, students, and community members speaking out against the coercion and exploitation of Aboriginal communities by Government and nuclear industry alike. The irresponsible industry practices combined with the lack of ethical government policy shows complete disregard for the environment, water and indigenous rights. Under the protection of the Roxby Indenture Act BHP Billiton 37 millions of litres of water from the Great Artesian Basin for free daily, at the expense of traditional sacred sites and precious unique ecosystems. The Indenture Act wavers BHP’s obligations regarding Aboriginal Heritage, public accountability, environmental protection, water, and mining safety. Continue reading →

July 7, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA, politics | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear weapons, radiation, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

The (carbon free) power of energy efficiency

Energy Efficiency: Twice the Impact of Renewables, Nuclear and Clean Coal. Combined. : TreeHugger, by Warren McLaren, Bundanoon, Australia 07. 6.10 “The International Energy Agency estimates that energy efficiency will deliver 65 per cent of worldwide carbon cuts in the energy sector by 2020, and 54 per cent by 2030. This means that in 2020 energy efficiency could have almost twice the impact of renewable energy, nuclear power and clean coal combined Continue reading →

July 7, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA, ENERGY | antinuclear, AUSTRALIA, climate change, energy efficiency, global warming, renewable energy, renewables | Leave a comment

New Australian govt tax panders to uranium miner BHP Billiton

Most importantly, the new tax will not affect BHP Billiton’s $23 billion plan to expand the massive Olympic Dam mine, the world’s biggest uranium deposit

A dog’s breakfast * Robin Bromby The Australian * July 02, So let’s get this right about the new mining resources rent tax. BHP Billiton will pay the new tax on the coal …….. but not on what it rips out of the ground at Olympic Dam in South Australia (the world’s largest uranium deposit, and another non-replaceable asset) …. Continue reading →

July 2, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA, politics | antinuclear, AUSTRALIA, nuclear, uranium | Leave a comment

Court ruling in facour of anti uranium protestors

Anti-uranium protesters win legal costs from SA Government , ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), 30 June 2010, A court has ordered the South Australian Government to pay the legal bills of nine people who were assaulted and unlawfully detained during an anti-uranium protest. Continue reading →

June 30, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA, Legal | antinuclear, AUSTRALIA, nuclear, nuclear costs, uranium | Leave a comment

Land grab from Australian Aboriginals for the nuclear industry

Uranium mining has to go, along with the racist government policies used to justify and continue the theft of Aboriginal land.

Youth candidates to witness NT intervention , Zane Alcorn, candidate for Newcastle , Green Left Weekly, 26 June 2010, We need to stand behind the first people of this country and fight for their land and cultural rights. The government’s so-called concern for Aboriginal welfare and living conditions is nothing but a cloak for a blatant land grab.

The uranium-rich land of central Australia is coveted by government and private mining corporations alike. Aboriginal land rights are a direct threat to this potential source of huge wealth. Continue reading →

June 28, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA, indigenous issues | antinuclear, AUSTRALIA, indigenous, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive, uranium | 1 Comment

Australia’s new Prime Minister will fight for a carbon tax

Gillard to fight for carbon tax, ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), Jun 27, 2010 Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she wants Australia to have a carbon tax and is prepared to fight for it.
Ms Gillard told the Nine Network this morning she had doubts about the emissions trading scheme because there was no lasting and deep community consensus for it….
Ms Gillard says she will work to get a price on carbon.”I believe in climate change. I believe it’s caused by human activity and I believe we have an obligation to act,” she said.

Gillard to fight for carbon tax – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

June 28, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA, climate change | AUSTRALIA, climate change, global warming | Leave a comment

Australia’s Northern Territory asks new Prime Minister to stop nuclear waste dump plan

Former Prime Minister John Howard planned to build the dump on Muckaty Station, in Central Australia, because the Northern Territory did not have the constitutional strength to block the move.

Hendo urges Gillard to dump Muckaty, Northern Territory News, NICK CALACOURAS June 26th, 2010 AUSTRALIA’S new Prime Minister Julia Gillard should rethink her predecessor’s decision to build a nuclear waste dump in the Northern Territory, Chief Minister Paul Henderson said. Continue reading →

June 26, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA, wastes | antinuclear, AUSTRALIA, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, radioactive, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

Australia’s new Prime Minister urged to focus on Climate Change

New Australian PM ‘should focus on cutting emissions’, Low Carbon Economy, 6/25/2010 There are hopes that Australia’s new prime minister could help improve the country’s environmental record………..In her first speech as prime minister Ms Gillard said she believes in climate change and that humans are contributing to the problem……Greenpeace Australia Pacific said that the first steps Ms Gillard should take would be to move subsidies from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, introduce a carbon levy and limit emissions from new power stations.