Japanese Whaling Ships intercepted by Seashepherd vessel, Captain Paul Watson calls for action by Australia and New Zealand

The Steve Irwin and Bob Barker have succeeded again in stopping illegal Japanese whaling in Australian waters off Antarctica.

Please click the pic to visit & support Sea Shepherd work to protect whales

Steve Irwin’s skipper Paul Watson spoke with Tony Serve at 2300 w.s.t Feb 8

2 More here on the shameful Japanese prosecution of activists who revealed a blackmarket in whale meat, showing flesh from the Nisshin Maru to media in Tokyo last year – the United Nations  has now condemned the arrests

follow 6PR on twitter – Perth talkback radio

3 Earlier audio from the Steve Irwin broadcast on 6PR and online here

4 Greens call for an end to Japanese spy planes flying out of Perth to help whalers

Greens call for end to Aussie spy planes aiding Japanese whaling

Click the pic to visit and support the Sea Shepherd team

Greens call for end to Aussie spy planes aiding Japanese whaling

(click here for radio interview with 2nd officer of the Steve Irwin as she sailed south of australia on sunday )

The Australian Greens today introduced a private Senators Bill to ban any form of Australian assistance to Japanese whaling, such as the use of spy planes.

“My Bill creates a new offence making it unlawful to provide services, support or resources to an organisation engaged in whaling so the Australian government and local companies can no longer assist Japan’s brutal whaling regime,” said Australian Greens whaling spokesperson Senator Rachel Siewert.

“Many Australians were appalled when it was revealed that Australian air services were used by a company with connections to the whalers to assist in this summer’s slaughter.

“The assistance provided to the whalers was to track the main protest vessel of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society so that a ship from the whaling fleet could hinder the Sea Shepherd’s pursuit of the main fleet.

“Without the Sea Shepherd on its tail, the main whaling fleet could undertake its mission of killing whales more easily.

“In response to the information that the Japanese whaling fleet had hired Australian planes from Hobart and Albany to track the Sea Shepherd ships’ movements, Senator Bob Brown committed the Greens to act to ensure no such assistance could be provided in the future.

“Over 3500 people have signed an on-line petition supporting our position and we urge the Government to listen to the depth of public feeling and support the Bill.

“We want to go beyond the empty anti-whaling rhetoric of this federal government and ensure we don’t actually assist the illegal slaughter of whales in Australian waters,” Senator Siewert concluded.

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Prohibition of Support for Whaling) Bill 2010 (the Bill) amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) to create a new offence related to providing assistance for whaling.

Fernando de Freitas
Media Advisor

Australian Greens

Suite S1.36 Parliament House, Canberra ACT
P: 02 6277 3467

Fernando.defreitas
www.GreensMPs.org.au

audio – New tactics from anti whaling ship MV Steve Irwin as she sails into the Southern Ocean

After replenishing in Fremantle (the port city of Perth, West Australia) the Seashepherd.org vessel MV Steve Irwin is making good headway south to again protect whales being hunted by a Japanese “research” fleet.

The crew face increasingly violent opposition from the Japanese “research” ships illegally slaughtering whales.

They are there because the Australian Government has refused to do the right thing and force the whale killing to stop.

Click the blue link to hear the 8 minute interview on 6pr.com.au with

Pedro Montero on Jan 31st 0430 Perth time

pedro-montero-mv-steve-irwin.m4a

West Australia gets ready to DUCK & COVER to dance away the Uranium blues – Special Events Notice – You Don’t Want to Miss the Event of the Year!!!

*Please share this

DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY AT THE DUCK & COVER HOP
A fancy dress fundraiser for the campaign to stop uranium mining in WA
http://duckcoverhop.wordpress.com

WHEN: Friday 6 November 2009
WHERE: Fremantle Town Hall
TIME: 7.30pm-midnight
Fully licenced bar & supper available

Travel back in time, dust off your cool threads and get crazy for a cause at the Duck and Cover Hop – Fremantle’s first and finest retro radioactive ball.

Dance the night away to Harry Deluxe and DJ Atomic ‘Burn’, with special appearances by the radioactive ladies of Sugar Blue Burlesque and the Swing Academy.

TIckets: $30 unwaged / $40 waged / $60 solidarity *all tickets include supper
BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL! Book here

For more information:
Email: duckcoverhop
Web: http://duckcoverhop.wordpress.com

All money raised goes to the Anti-NuclearAlliance of Western Australia, Conservation Council of Western Australia & Fremantle Anti-Nuclear Group

Sponsors: Fremantle City Council, Fremantle Festival & Little Creatures

image0062

image0072

Kate Vallentine

ANAWA Campaigner

5 King William Street, Bayswater WA 6053

Ph/Fax: (08) 9271 8786

Email: kate

Website: www.anawa.org.au

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ANAWA

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/ANAWA/147771085564

Myspace: www.myspace.com/473370523

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/AntiNuclearWA

Being tough on refugees is pretty weak – article from “the Age”

Being tough on refugees is pretty weak – from “the Age”

Image via Wikipedia

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/being-tough-on-refugees-is-pretty-weak-20091017-h22b.html

“According to some, there are 10,000 refugees massing on foreign shores, just waiting for the right moment to sneak across the ocean. Putting aside the dubious evidence for that figure, yes: 10,000 people would be a lot to squeeze into a living room. But the Australian continent is quite large. The settler arrival figures increased by nearly that amount just this year – from 149,000 in 2007-08 to 158,000 in 2008-09 – and we hardly heard a peep from anybody.”

Chris Berg is a research fellow with the Institute of Public Affairs and editor of the IPA Review. His column appears in The Sunday Age every fortnight.

Australia NW Oil Spill, company links to Burma’s military dictatorship? Are we financing the Generals as we pick up the bill for their mess? OP/ED

Atlas West Oil Rig – we know where the oil-spill is going,

West Atlas Oil Spill 1

what about where the profits are going.

Are we helping finance repression in Burma - Myanmar?

The 2007 AP, SMH & Rigzone articles below pose some very disturbing questions about where the profits go from the badly leaking West Atlas Oil Rig.

<<|>>

Is it possible that our Governments are indirectly financing the illegal Military Junta in Burma/Myanmar and it’s brutal repression.

<<|>>

Aren’t we meant to be backing UN sanctions against the Generals’ brutal repression and imprisonment of elected leader Aung Saan Suu Kyi?

<<|>>

Meanwhile we can only wonder at the standards of corporate governance of the operators as “their” oil covers our NW waters, threatening island, reef and mainland ecosystems.

<<|>>

Excerpts and links to media exposing Burma links are below, including related interview & video from Senator Rachel Siewert.

Click the blue text to see the full story on each

A search of the website Rigzone shows these recent links between the WA Rig’s operator PTTEP and the Generals

PTTEP & CNOOC Ink Asset Swap Deal
NEWS ARTICLE: … of the Union of Myanmar. Under the agreement, the partners comprise PTTEP Myanmar
Limited, a subsidiary of PTTEP with 20% interest. CNOOC Ltd. as the operator …

PTTEP, CNOOC May Discuss Myanmar Gas Block Stake Swap
NEWS ARTICLE: … 24 hours with China National Offshore Oil Corp. about closer business ties that could
include swapping assets in Myanmar, PTTEP’s top executive said Thursday. …

PTTEP May Invest $25 Million in Myanmar Gas Fields
NEWS ARTICLE: Title: PTTEP May Invest $25 Million in Myanmar Gas Fields Date: 8/3/2004 Body: Thailand’s
PTT Exploration and Production PCL may invest $25 million to explore …

<<|>>

This  2007 AP article from the Star Via AP spells out the economic and political significance of the links

RANGOON’S CORPORATE FRIENDS

TheStar.com | Business | Oil companies fuelling Burma’s junta

Oil companies fuelling Burma’s junta

Foreign firms are fighting for access to untapped energy reserves that some say fund a repressive regime Oct 02, 2007 04:30 AM Thomas Hogue ASSOCIATED PRESS

<<|>>

From the Sydney Morning Herald, also in 2007 ( how has the structure changed we wonder )

While Burma’s military junta cracks down on pro-democracy protests, oil companies are busy jostling for access to the country’s largely untapped natural gas and oil fields.

Just last Sunday – as marches led by Buddhist monks drew thousands in the country’s biggest cities – Indian Oil Minister Murli Deora was in Burma’s capital Rangoon for the signing of contracts between state-controlled ONGC Videsh Ltd and Burma’s military rulers to explore three offshore blocks.

<<|>>

Meanwhile, the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Colin Barnett are yet to answer key questions on the lamentable response to the oil disaster by it’s operators, let alone address the issue of profits possibly going to the Generals.

See the link below for the 6PR interview, pictures of the spill taken by the Greens and an interview with Senator Rachel Siewert

Youtube slideshow of the oil slick – also, Kevin Rudd doesn’t even use the word “environment”in his brief spin on air at 6PR with Simon Beaumont (6pr.com.au )

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Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd ignores NW environment as he spins a major oil slick threatening offshore and manland ecosystems :(

Kevin Rudd escaped a grilling when interviewed on 6pr.com.au about the giant oil spill off our NW coast.

Clicke here for 3 minutes of shameful spin (what about the whales & turtles Kev, they don’t vote, but we do!)  PM Kevin Rudd

There is a major threat to our offshore and mainland ecosystems, whales, turtles, sensitive reefs, and no word on why the company involved has rejected offers of clean-up help from Woodside.  see interview with Greens (WA) Sen. Rachel Siewert who’s just back from overflying the huge slick.

call your local talkback to have your say +61 8 922 11882 is 6pr.com.au

visit Senator Siewert’s site to keep track, this oil will keep spilling for the next 2 months!

Major Oil Spill off NW Australia – pics and interview with Senator Rachel Siewert on her overflight of the West Atlas disaster

The Australian Greens today released pictures taken yesterday of the West Atlas Oil Spill indicating the extent to which the oil had spread from the oil rig, and called on the Government to intervene in a situation that is clearly worse than originally reported.

«««

“This spill is far more serious than both the company and the Government are saying. We were not prepared for the extent of what we saw,” said Senator Rachel Siewert, marine spokesperson for the Australian Greens.

«««

“The Government must urgently intervene, to stand up to the oil company and start immediate action to protect these precious waters and the whale, turtle, fish and other species that call them home.”

«««

The ABC is reporting here that Minister Ferguson says everything’s fine!!!

Well, if you stand on one leg and face NNE it DOES look smaller, but for the marine life it’s very very big and very very close

The Senator’s site will be updated with video and pecise co-ordinates of the oveflight soon, please visit and bookmark, share

Greens call for environmental repair fund in wake of West Australian oil spill

Senator Rachel Siewert

Australian Greens Senator for Western Australia

Sunday 23rd August 2009

Greens call for environmental repair fund in wake of WA oil spill

The Australian Greens today called for more information to be made available about the oil spill off the coast of Western Australia, and for the company responsible to set up an environmental fund to monitor and repair any environmental impacts the spill may have caused.

“The company needs to be more forthcoming with information,” Australian Greens marine spokesperson Senator Rachel Siewert said today.

“We have limited information on what is currently occurring out there, what actually happened out there, how did it happen, or when they expect to get it under control.”

“This area has been dubbed a ‘marine superhighway’. There are populations of baby turtles this time of year, and the area also serves as a migratory route for whales and other marine life. It’s also close to Ashmore Reef, so we need to be certain the spill is contained before any further damage is done.”

“We are deeply concerned that it has taken so long for clean-up operations to begin and we don’t know what the long-term impacts are going to be. We believe a fund needs to be set up by the company to fund ongoing monitoring and any further repair needed in the future.”

“Before any further development is undertaken closer to the Kimberley coast, we need to ensure that emergency response teams are situated closer than Victoria or the WA wheatbelt, as this instance has shown that the increased response time could potentially result in further environmental damage,” said Senator Siewert.

“I am also concerned by comments from Resources Minister Martin Ferguson over this spill where he is playing down the potential environmental impacts – we do not yet know if the environment is at risk. He is clearly demonstrating that resources come before the environment.”

The Greens are calling on PTTEP Australasia to set up a fund to monitor damage and repair the environment.

“We also need better processes than this, to ensure quick response times and adequate safeguards to protect the environment,” she concluded.

For more information or media enquiries please call Tim Norton on 0418 401 180

Tim Norton
Communications and Campaigns
Office of Rachel Siewert | Australian Greens Senator for Western Australia
Suite SG-113 Parliament House, Canberra ACT | P: 02 6277 3741 | F: 02 6277 5762

Tim.Norton@aph.gov.au |
www.RachelSiewert.org.au | www.GreensMPs.org.au

	PROTECTING THE CLIMATE IS A JOB FOR EVERYONE
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posted by tony serve in support of those working to save our environment

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tony serve blogs Big Pharma’s huge profits from human suffering features in brilliant doco and awesome new novel, listen to Producer Kevin Miller and author Pamela Glasner

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Australian anti terror campaign increasingly anti freedom – Senator Scott Ludlum Greens WA

Untangling the laws of terror Opinion Editorial | Spokesperson Scott Ludlam Wednesday 19th August 2009, 1:36pm in Peace & Security Terrorism Laws It’s rare to hear the phrase “war on terror” these days — it has been seemingly purged from the official lexicon as the superficial certainty of the Bush/Howard years gives way to darker and more ambiguous terrain.

“war on  freedom terror”

Image via Wikipedia

Australia is still a nation at war: one and a half thousand troops on the ground in Afghanistan, backing NATO’s installation of a brittle democracy in a violent failed state where the distinctions between friend and terrorist change by the day.

“war on  freedom terror”

But something is going on at home as well: a determined, coordinated expansion of the internal security estate that is permanently blurring the boundaries between institutions of defence, intelligence and policing.

“war on  freedom terror”

Some of the thinking is laid bare in the most recent defence white paper: a highly militarised Australia stepping up to meet the threats of nameless Asian aggressors, while an expanded web of domestic security agencies wage an unseen war against the enemy within.

“war on  freedom terror”

The forthcoming counter-terrorism white paper will no doubt provide a discrete glimpse into the workings of this secret war on terror that no longer has a name.

“war on  freedom terror”

But we have some flesh on the bones already.

We know that spy agency ASIO will have doubled in size over four years and has a half-billion dollar headquarters under construction next to the defence complex in Canberra.

“war on  freedom terror”

We know that Australians are, per capita, 23 times more likely to have their phone calls intercepted than United States citizens.

“war on  freedom terror”

We know that a tight feedback loop of mutual self interest binds Ministers, law enforcement agencies and favoured media outlets who somehow manage to have photographers and journalists in place as raids are occurring, or in a recent celebrated example have the story rolling off the presses before the doors have even been kicked in.

The most telling sign of the Rudd Government’s intentions are that every word of the Howard Government’s complex and unwieldy terror laws are still in place, nearly four years after they were forced through the Senate in one fevered afternoon.

“war on  freedom terror”

It has taken two years to get a look at the Governments’ proposed “reforms”, which arrived last week in the form of a 400 page discussion paper that looks very much as though it was rushed out the door in time to catch the aftershocks of the raids in Melbourne.

The debate since then has had a peculiarly unfocused character. The Australian editorialised that the Attorney General was softening the laws. The Fairfax media reported that the laws were being toughened up.

The Coalition accuses the Government of being “soft on terror” and “draconian” at the same time. In reality, the laws are being refined, tuned, the sharp edges knocked off and the subtle underpinnings embedded more deeply in the legal architecture that guides the work of the intelligence and law enforcement communities.

The Australian Federal Police will be able to declare an emergency and then enter premises without a warrant and conduct searches essentially free of judicial oversight. Terror offences will quietly expand to encompass racial violence and “psychological harm”.

The provisions in the Crimes Act that were used to detain Dr Mohammed Haneef for 11 days while the Government frantically worked out whether to prosecute or deport him will remain, although suspects will only be allowed to be held and interrogated without charge for an eight day week. The Government has said that this is about “achieving the right balance between strong laws that protect our safety whilst preserving the democratic rights that protect our freedoms.”

“war on  freedom terror“

It is here that the argument rests most uneasily. If these “strong laws” really were protecting our safety, they would be hard to argue with.

“war on  freedom terror“

The Australian Greens is a party founded on nonviolence. We condemn acts and threats of politically motivated violence without reservation.

“war on  freedom terror“

Image via Wikipedia

The question is whether the continued ratcheting up of the security state actually makes us safer, or whether we should be looking elsewhere for the kind of “security” that seems so fragile in this complicated age.

“war on  freedom terror“

Because they operate behind a firewall of operational secrecy, the Australian public has very little idea to what degree the rapidly proliferating acronym soup of intelligence, defence and law enforcement agencies are actually making us safer.

“war on  freedom terror“

When mistakes do spill into the public domain — as they did with Dr Haneef, Izhar Ul-Haque or Jack Thomas, they shake public confidence not just in the agencies concerned but in the whole assumption that larger and better resourced secret police are the key to a secure Australia.

“war on  your rights terror“

No doubt these agencies are staffed with talented and motivated individuals, some of them doing dangerous work to pre-empt violent crimes, their only reward the absence of some half-formed horror.

“war on  your rights terror“

But this is no reason for centuries of hard-fought legal protections drawn up to protect each of us from abuse of state power to be so casually eroded.

“war on  your rights terror“

The long-awaited reviewer of the terror laws looks like it will be a well qualified part-timer supported by two staffers in the PM’s office. I wish them well — they will barely have time to come to grips with the tangled legacy of Prime Minister Howard‘s war on terror before the next tranche from Prime Minister Rudd hits the table.

Who or what we’re at war with now is an open question.

your rights and freedom are at stake support the GREENS in lobbying for a balance between fear and freedom

First published in Crikey.

West Australian mining deal with China exposes Ex-Rocker’s KOW-TOW- Gorgon announcement relegates Garrett to ‘rubber stamp’ status

Senator Rachel Siewert Australian Greens Senator  WA

Image via Wikipedia

Gorgon announcement relegates Peter Garrett to ‘rubber stamp’ status

The Australian Greens today called on the Rudd Government to explain how it can announce its endorsement of a $50 Billion gas deal with China before the Gorgon project had received Commonwealth environmental approval.

“The message to us seems clear – threatened species will not be allowed to get in the way of development under Rudd, and environmental conditions are nothing more than a means of green-washing projects destined to go ahead regardless of their environmental impacts,” said Senator Rachel Siewert today.

“Today, the role of the Environment Minister has been relegated to the status of a rubber stamp of approval.”

“Barrow Island has been dubbed ‘Australia‘s Ark’ for its unique range of endangered species, with 24 species and sub-species preserved on the island, many of who are extinct or endangered on mainland Australia.”

Image via Wikipedia

“Endemic species such as the Barrow Island spectacled hare-wallaby, Barrow Island golden bandicoot, Barrow Island mouse and the Barrow Island burrowing bettong will face possible extinction if proper environmental restrictions and controls are not put in place,” said Senator Siewert.

“There is also the carbon footprint of this plant to consider. Gorgon’s gas has a high CO2 content, meaning its emissions will be at least 5.45 million tonnes-a-year if carbon geo-sequestration can be achieved (and 8.81 million tonnes-a-year without it).”

“This is a time when we should be actively reducing emissions,” concluded Senator Siewert.

The Greens are calling on the Prime Minister to explain whether he still considers that the Gorgon plant will only be able to proceed subject to environmental approval, or whether he now believes his Government should not be bound by the provisions of the Environmental Protection and Biodiver

Image via Wikipedia

sity Conservation Act to reject the project if it fails to secure approval.

Tim Norton
Communications and Campaigns
Office of Rachel Siewert | Australian Greens Senator for Western Australia
Suite SG-113 Parliament House, Canberra ACT | P: 02 6277 3741 | F: 02 6277 5762

Tim.Norton@aph.gov.au |
www.RachelSiewert.org.au | www.GreensMPs.org.au

posted here by tony serve in support of the Greens’ ongoing efforts to hold Govt & Big Business accountable

Skype: perthtones Google Talk: serve.tony@gmail.com
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Barnett Government rules out lead safety option despite the lessons of the deadly Esperance contamination

MINISTER REFUSES TO HEAR SAFE LEAD OPTION FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Greens MP Adele Carles says she is shocked that the Minister for Environment has rushed through Magellan’s approval today, when the Minister knew full well that a large public company, Griffin Mining Ltd was offering to get involved in an alternative means of transporting lead that is more consistent with public health and safety.

“The Minister has rushed this approval through, before Griffin could get a fair hearing. Griffin went on the public record 2 weeks ago when it said on ABC TV that it would be financially viable for a refinery in Wiluna to be built to enable the export of lead blocks.”

“This would remove the risk posed by the release of lead carbonate dust.”

“This is what Magellan initially received approval for several years ago a

Image via Wikipedia

nd this is exactly what the Minister should be requiring Magellan to do now, given that the health of potentially thousands of residents is at stake” says Ms Carles.

“Magellan has a shocking history, it contaminated Esperance with the same product. It should not be given a second chance.”

“Given the bullying tactics we have witnessed this week with Irvernia threatening Griffin for daring to offer us a safe option, we dread seeing how this is going to play out in Fremantle.”

blogged in the interests of a safe environment by
tony serve

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tony serve blogs West Australian Government continues plans to sell off the farm to a mining industry dominated by greed and exploitation – Greens (WA) alarmed at Dracula getting keys to the blood bank!
@ WiseStamp Signature. Get it now

West Australian Government continues plans to sell off the farm to a mining industry dominated by greed and exploitation – Greens (WA) alarmed at Dracula getting keys to the blood bank!

The West Australian Government continues plans to sell off the farm to a mining industry dominated by greed and exploitation

The Government of Colin Barnett has again moved to bypass or neutralize checks and balances on the rapacious mining industry. ( search Barnett/Moore on this site for related articles )
The tragedy is that mainstream ( corporate interests ) media reports are full of stories of approval delays and bureaucracy in W.A. allowing the Barnett Government to claim they “have to act”

Meanwhile our environment and world heritage are being scarred and decades of mining and Government promises of improving life for traditional landowners are a tragic joke…the life expectancy for a male aborigine is 37.

Image via Wikipedia

The answer to delays in approvals is not to remove the much needed scrutiny, but to spend a tiny bit of the billions in mining royalties on properly resourcing a totally independent review process.

What are you afraid of Mr Barnett – accountability on both bureau management and sustainability?
tony serve

Skype: perthtones Google Talk: serve.tony@gmail.com

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tony serve blogs Australia’s “Pyramids” need protection – Greens urge State Government to nominate Burrup for the World Heritage List

Media statement from  Robin Chapple MLC

for the Mining and Pastoral Region

13 August 2009

Norman Moore’s environmental reforms will put Dracula in charge of the blood bank, say Greens.

Norman Moore has proven himself an enemy of environmental accountability

, Greens (WA) MLC Robin Chapple said today.

“Mr. Moore’s industry-backed working group is seeking to reverse three decades of progress in environmental protection measures.” Mr Chapple said.

“This is completely unacceptable for a State which was one of the first places in the world to introduce an environmental protection agency.”

Mr. Chapple was commenting on the Jones Report released by Mr. Moore’s Industry Working Group yesterday.

He said that while he recognised the need for reform of the current approvals process, the diluting of environmental assessment was a retrograde step.

“Some of the report’s recommendations – namely the stripping of the EPA’s environmental impact assessment powers – make for frightening reading.”

“Handing environmental assessment powers to the Minister for Mines and Petroleum is like sending Kim Jong Il to inspect his own nuclear arsenal.”

The WA community and many miners want stronger, not weaker environmental protection measures, Mr. Chapple said.

“I welcome any move to grant the EPA departmental status, but without approvals power over mining proposals it will be a hollow department indeed.”

“What Western Australians deserve is an authority that delivers strong environmental protection and allows the mining sector to know where it stands regarding its environmental obligations.”

“These recommendations do neither.  They weaken environmental accountability and do nothing to sort out the under-resourced, confused approvals process.”

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Gorgon’s dirty secret: Western Australia’s biggest single polluter?

Barrow Island Wiki pic

Senator Rachel Siewert

Gorgon’s dirty secret: WA’s biggest

single polluter?  Bye Bye Barrow Is.

MEDIA RELEASE, Tuesday 11 August 2009

The Gorgon LNG proposal for Barrow Island, if it goes ahead, will massively increase WA’s greenhouse gas emissions, representing a disastrous decision for the climate, Greens Senator for WA Rachel Siewert has warned.

“While the old parties in Canberra this week are debating various flawed forms of an emissions trading scheme – all aimed at donating billions of dollars to the nation’s biggest polluters to compensate them for the cost of the pollution they are causing – the State Government is quietly progressing a project that will single-handedly boost WA’s greenhouse gas emissions by between eight to 12 per cent,” Senator Siewert said.

“Gorgon’s emissions will be 5.45 million tonnes-a-year if carbon geo-sequestration is achieved and 8.81 million tonnes-a-year without the greenhouse gas sequestered.

“This represents either an eight or 12 per cent increase on the State’s total annual carbon footprint now.

“Meanwhile, there are plans to more than double the number of coal-fired power stations in Collie from four to nine by 2013, plus allow the highly polluting Perdaman urea plant.

“If the WA and Federal governments are relying on public apathy to get away with taking us down the opposite path that we need to go on climate change, then they are wrong.

“This issue was a vote-decider at the last Federal election and we saw it again with the Fremantle by-election. People care about climate change and they can see that neither the Liberal nor the Labor party are showing leadership on this issue.”

For more information or media inquiries, please call Eloise Dortch on 0415 507 763

Image via Wikipedia

BACKGROUND:

Even with carbon geosequestration, Gorgon proponents plan to add 5.45million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually: (ref: page 30, http://www.epa.wa.gov.au/docs/2937_Rep1323GorgonRevPer30409.pdf).

The amount Gorgon proponents Chevron, Shell and Exxon Mobile plan to geo-sequester from the expanded, three-LNG train proposal is 3.36 million tonnes annually (ref: page 31 http://www.gorgon.com.au/review/FromClient/Gorgon_Revised_Proposal_PER_Final_Main_Report_20080909.pdf. To quote: “The addition of a third LNG processing train and a Domestic Gas supply will potentially increase the annual volume of reservoir CO2 to be injected from approximately 2.72 MTPA as a result of the Approved Development, to a total of approximately

3.36 MTPA (Table 2.2) as a result of the Revised Proposal.”

This compares to WA’s total annual CO2 emissions of 70.4mtpa (ref: http://www.climatechange.gov.au/inventory/stateinv/index.html)

· 5.45mtpa therefore represents an eight per cent increase on WA’s current annual greenhouse gas emissions (assuming carbon geo-sequestration is achieved)

· If carbon sequestration is not achieved, annual greenhouse emission from Gorgon will be 8.81mtpa (5.45mtpa + 3.36mtpa), equivalent to a 12.5 per cent increase on WA’s current annual emissions.

posted in support of those working to protect the environment by tony serve

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tony serve blogs Really useful info for west australians from WACOSS – WACOSS Update – 7th August

Proposed BHP Billiton Olympic Dam Uranium Mine Expansion opposed on a series of logical, economic, environmental and ethical points – former Senator Jo Valentine’s letter to the”authorities”

The letter below is from the Chair of the Anti Nuclear Alliance of Western Australia, former Senaor Jo Vallentine.

There are details here that Government and the mining/uranium industry have yet to address, read on and ask your own questions of those in charge of our future.

The Manager

Assessment Branch,

Department of Planning and Local Government,

GPO Box 1815, Adelaide, SA 5001.

Re: Proposed BHP Billiton Olympic Dam Uranium Mine Expansion

Dear Manager,

On behalf of the Anti-Nuclear Alliance of Western Australia, I make this submission: there should be no expansion of the uranium mining operations of BHP Billiton at Olympic Dam.

Our organization, working to challenge the nuclear industry in all its forms, has been operating since 1997. We are comprised of twelve determined community based, not-for-profit groups.

There are four parts to my argument:

1. Warming

2. Waste

3. Water

4. Weapons

1. WARMING: Since around 2003 -4 the global nuclear industry has positioned itself as part of the solution to climate change. In what has been an unprecedented attempt to fool governments and the public about its merits, and to minimise its dangers, the nuclear industry has been cavalier with the truth, to say the very least.

It claims that it is greenhouse friendly, and therefore should be a sought-after energy source for the future. The only part of the nuclear industry’s operations which is not a heavy greenhouse gas emitter is the boiling of the water in the reactor. At every other stage in the chain, from uranium mining, to milling, to transport, to enrichment, to construction of reactors, to re-processing, to storage of waste (probably requiring more transport), to making of weapons, to de-commissioning of reactors, greenhouse gases are emitted. Just take the reactor construction and deconstruction as an example of what is never referred to by the industry’s proponents. The making of cement is widely acknowledged as a huge contributor to CO2 emissions, and there is a massive amount of cement used in both operations ….. especially in de-commissioning of ageing reactors, which will become a common, but likely unacknowledged feature of the industry in the coming decade. So, concrete and steel manufacturing emissions should be included in any assessment of the carbon footprint of this industry.

Likewise, transport components are also huge …… uranium ore to ports, across the seas to clients, to enrichment, then reactor plants and so on. Going one step further back …… consider the diesel used in the gigantic trucks and other machinery required to dig the rocks out of the ground, and to mill those large pieces into powder. Most of the fuels used to generate nuclear power in all its stages, comes from the consumption of fossil fuels. Why are those greenhouse (and monetary costs) not accounted for in either the greenhouse or financial costs of nuclear power production? (Ref.: Jan Storm van Leeuwen and Philip Smith, “Can Nuclear Power Provide Energy for the Future? Would it solve the CO2 Emission Problem? ” , October 12, 2004.)

Another component, often overlooked in this consideration of the dirty, rather than “clean” industry is the production of CFC’s in the enrichment process. Going against the trend to limit the production of chlorofluorocarbons according to the Montreal Protocol of 1987, as the U. S Department of Energy acknowledges, the nuclear industry’s enrichment plants emit most of the 114 gas still produced in the United States, which is an ozone layer destroyer (James Bruggers, “Uranium Plants Harm Ozxone Layer, Kentucky, Ohio Facilities Top List of Polluters …. The Courier Journal, May 29, 2001).

Various studies show that CO2 emissions depend on the grade or uranium ore ….. high grade ore, requiring less energy input than low grade ore. In most cases a nuclear power station must operate for three years to generate the amount of energy it costs to install and get the reactor operating (by comparison, wind power requires only about six months of generation of energy, in order to “pay” for its installation in energy terms(Danish wind Industry Association 1997 “The Energy Balance of Wind turbines).

However, with low-grade ore, containing less than 0.01% yellowcake, at least 10 tonnes of ore has to be mined in order to obtain 1 kg. of yellowcake, entailing a huge increase in the fossil energy required for mining and milling. Consumption of fossil fuels then becomes so large that nuclear energy emits total quantities of CO2 comparable with those from an equivalent combined cycle gas-fired power station (van Leewen & Smith, 2005 “Can nuclear power provide energy for the future; would it solve the CO2 emission problem?”)

The vast majority of the world’s uranium reserves are low-grade. With the current contribution by nuclear energy of 16% of the world’s energy production, the high grade reserves would only last several decades if nuclear energy were to be expanded, as the industry hopes.

Far from being any part of the answer to global warming, I submit that the nuclear industry is a major contributor to greenhouse emissions. As Storm van Leewen argues: “The Nuclear Industry should commit itself to publish a thorough analysis of the emissions of carbon dioxide and all other greenhouses gases in all processes of the fuel chain before claiming that nuclear energy is carbon free or greenhouse gas free.” (J.W. Storm van Leewen. “Uranium and Greenhouse Gases” August 13, 2005, as quoted by Helen Caldicott in “Nuclear Power is Not the Answer to Global Warming or Anything Else” – Melbourne University Press, 2006)

Specific to the Olympic Dam expansion, it is incongruous for the government to allow a $350 million subsidy in diesel fuel rebates, and for the company to plan for an increase in greenhouse gas emissions from 1.2 million tones of CO2 per year, up to 5.9 million tonnes per year by 2020. This would increase South Australia’s current total emissions of 33 million tonnes a year by up to 14% by 2020, and severely compromise the potential for urgent action on deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions overall. There is no sense in that. It is a license for the big polluters to continue with business as usual, and is totally unacceptable when communities, small businesses and households are expected to (and in most cases are keen to) reduce their emissions.

ANAWA is clear that BHP Billeton’s plans for expansion of the Olympic Dam operation should be disallowed on the grounds that there will be a significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions from the plant.

2. WASTE

The nuclear industry has had sixty four years to figure out waste disposal. It has failed, utterly and universally. This isn’t just any toxic waste disposal, which might damage waterways, or pollute the air, or contaminate the soil, although it does all of those things. This is radioactive waste with the capability of altering the gene pools of all living things on the face of the earth. It is a very serious charge: the possibility of affecting the reproductive organisms, interfering with the DNA of every facet of life on earth.

Yet this industry continues to promote itself as some sort of “saviour” when the global community is faced with the challenge of climate change. It is a big challenge, but not ne which will be assisted in any way by introducing more nuclear waste on the scene. There are already mountains of waste to be disposed of securely, safely, for the unforeseeable future. This is a shameful legacy to be leaving future generations – they will have to deal with the folly of this twentieth century failed experiment.

The problem of nuclear waste begins with the uranium mining process. Huge volumes of lower level radioactive wastes are left behind at abandoned minesites, as much as 680 parts of finely ground rock for every part uranium oxide extracted. At Ranger mine in the Northern Territory, there are constantly overflows from the tailings dams during a heavy wet season. At Olympic Dam, it’s a different problem (usually) of high winds sending the tailings blowing in the wind. The proposed expansion would add a further mountain of tailings, which could not be guaranteed against leakages, seepages, windstorms.

BHP Billiton’s proposal to spend at least five years digging the world’s largest open pit, to be 3 kms. by 3 kms. at the surface, and 350 metres deep, just to reach the ore body, will leave not only a huge hole in the ground, because there are no plans to rehabilitate, or to fill in that pit, but also, the storage proposed would cover an area of up to 44 square kms. to a height of up to 65 metres. This toxic mountain will probably leak as all tailings dams/pits do, for the duration of the open pit mine’s life, which is predicted to be until 2050. From ANAWA’s perspective, this scenario is totally unacceptable. We call on the government to reject the BHP Billiton proposal for expansion.

Because whatever happens at an Australian uranium mine is directly linked to the wider international nuclear picture, because we sell uranium to overseas clients for use in nuclear power plants, and indirectly for making bombs, and producing waste elsewhere, we make further comment on other situations regarding waste.

There have been numerous international scientific attempts to find a solution to the storage of spent fuel from reactors, like synroc, once touted as the magic answer. Still not proven. But no company, either involved in uranium mining, or nuclear power generation, or weapons production, is taking the ultimate responsibility of dealing with its contaminated waste until the radioactive e materials are no longer dangerous. This responsibility will have to be borne by governments and communities long after the companies involved now have made their profits, and cut and run.

A very serious attempt was made in the United States to establish one single waste depository for high-level waste at Yucca Mountain in Nevada. Opponents said for years that it was not a suitable site for many reasons (earthquake zone, porous rocks included). The industry persisted against the wishes of the people and against scientific data, and after twenty years and the expenditure of more than eleven billion dollars (mostly taxpayers’ dollars), President Obama has called it quits. Yucca Mountain is not going ahead. So, the United Sates nuclear industry is back to square one in its search for a suitable site, or for new technology to deal with the waste.

There is one possibly viable project underway in Olkiluto in Finalnd, where the government is paying billions of dollars constructing a deep depository to take the spent fuel rods from its four reactors. It is way behind schedule. It remains to be seen whether the technology is deemed safe for the long term (how can that be proved with material that is radioactive for 250.ooo years?) before a license would be granted for it to continue operation.

Here in Western Australia, we experienced the push from an international consortium seeking a permanent waste depository, deep underground in the desert, which was considered expendable. The Pangea company wooed the government and offered massive financial inducements. But the people sent Pangea packing, even finally gaining the support of the conservative Court Government, which passed legislation outlawing the dumping of international nuclear waste in Western Australia. That legislation still stands, and is supported by current Liberal Premier Colin Barnett, despite his enthusiasm for uranium mining. This is neither an ethical nor a consistent policy. The rationale for excluding international waste would b e a lot stronger if no uranium mining was exported from this state. This is a position towards which ANAWA continues to work.

South Australia successfully challenged Prime Minister John Howard’s plan for a national waste depository in that state. Aboriginal people and their land had already suffered contamination from British nuclear testing in the 1950’s and sixties, and they were not going to let that kind of contamination occur again. Fortunately, they were supported by the people and Government in their strong stand.

Now the Northern Territory is experiencing the pressure to make way for a national nuclear waste dump (and Australia’s stored nuclear waste is miniscule, compared with countries which have major nuclear programmes) – Labor’s promises to reverse the Howard government’s plans remain unfulfilled. A real concern is that once a national repository is confirmed, the international nuclear industry will be lining up, again (new name, same crowd, Arius?), with huge inducements for Australia to take the waste from many countries desperately trying to get rid of the material which is mounting up exponentially in all countries with nuclear power stations.

Why on earth would we want to add to that dangerous stockpile by further increasing uranium mining operations in this country?

Most of the worlds 440 plus nuclear reactors are ageing, and due for de-commissioning. The industry keeps on trying to get them re-licensed to continue for a few more years. Finally they become too radioactive to continue. The mothballing required to segregate the large buildings, requiring massive amounts of concrete, leaves monuments dotted around the countryside as testament to this failed technology.

Then there’s the question of so-called “depleted” uranium. This is highly toxic material, used by the United States military wherever it has been fighting wars, since 1990. Depleted of U235, it is still highly radioactive as U238, which is very dense – an ideal anti-tank weapon which can penetrate heavy metals, like a hot knife cutting through butter. It ignites on impact, disintegrating into a fine powder which is blown by the wind …. this radioactive mist has half-life of 4.5 billion years. The Pentagon admitted to using 360 tons of DU in the anti-tank shells in Kuwait, Iraq and Saudi Arabia in the 1991 gulf War. Probably more was used in the second Gulf War , beginning in 2003. ‘Since 1991, there has been a sevenfold increase in both childhood cancers and gross congenital abnormalities in the Basra region of Iraq’ (Helen Caldicott, “Nuclear Power is Not the Answer to Global Warming or Anything Else,” op. cit., p. 52).

It is also important to recognize the international global Nuclear Energy Program devised by President Bush, and signed on to by Prime Minister John Howard, which could be interpreted as an obligation by a uranium exporting country to accept the radioactive waste generated by its primary product overseas. This is yet to be tested.

ANAWA considers the production of more nuclear waste a gross violation of the human rights of future generations, and a gross violation of the integrity of our global environment into the unforeseeable future. This is not a right of this generation, but we have a responsibility not to add to the enormous problem which already exists, and to which there is no answer on the horizon. That argument alone, our organization to strongly resists any moves by the Government of South Australia to consider expansion of the Olympic Dam uranium mining operation.

3. WATER

In the driest state of the driest continent on earth, it is unwise, to put it mildly, to consider expanding the Olympic Dam operations. Already a huge water guzzler, taking 35 million litres of water daily from the great Artesian Basin, this is an industry out of control, and out of line with the thinking of most Australians who are increasingly realizing that water is our most precious resource, and that we shouldn’t be squandering it on any unnecessary projects. The Olympic Dam expansion is an unnecessary project. It is a gross waste of water, whether that water is sourced from the Great Artesian Basin, at considerable cost to the unique and fragile Mound Springs, listed as an endangered ecological community, or from a specially commissioned de-salination plant, 500 expensive kilometers away. The fact that the water currently taken from GAB is free of charge, adds insult to the injury of water wastage. BHP Billiton plans to increase that water usage to at least 42 million litres per day – this must be rejected outright. ANAWA calls on the S.A. Government to phase out all water extraction from the GAB’s Borefield A as soon as possible.

The nuclear industry generally is a heavy water user. As Tim Flannery says “Coal fired power plants have large water requirements for cooling and steam generation, but these are dwarfed by the water needs of nuclear power.” (Friends of the Earth and the Medical Association for the Prevention of War, 2008).

Water for nuclear power stations can be sourced from a river, lake, dam, or the ocean. It has two uses: it is converted to steam to drive a turbine, and cooling water then converts the steam back to water. Per megawatt, existing nuclear power stations use and consume more water than power stations using other fuel sources. Depending on the cooling technology utilised, the water requirements for a nuclear power station can vary between 20 to 83% more than for other power stations. Water outflows expel relatively warm water which can have adverse local impacts in bays and gulfs. In recent very hot summers in Europe, some French nuclear reactors had to be switched off, because the cooling water became not only too hot to be effective in the reactors, but too dangerous for the outflows.

Water pollutants, such as heavy metals and salts, build up in the water used in the nuclear power plant systems. A U.S. report ‘Licensed to Kill: How the Nuclear Power Industry Destroys Endangered Marine Wildlife and Ocean Habitat to Save Money’ (Greenpeace, 2007), details the nuclear industry’s destruction of delicate marine ecosystems and large numbers of animals, including endangered species. Water shortages, driven by climate change, drought or heat waves have caused reactors to be taken off line periodically, reducing their effectiveness in being reliable producers of baseload power.

ANAWA therefore believes that adding to the myth that nuclear energy can assist with the global warming climate crisis is grossly irresponsible because of the industry’s voracious appetite for water. Therefore the Olympic Dam’s expansion would not only add to Australia’s water usage pressures, but add to global water issues as well. ANAWA strongly recommends that the Olympic Dam expansion be rejected because of its extraordinarily high usage of our most precious and scarce resource, water.

1. WEAPONS

This is another vexed area of deep concern, and one which no doubt BHP
Billiton does not want to address. But the bald facts are undeniable: nuclear weapons cannot be produced without the raw material of uranium being mined, and secondly, that every country which has acquired nuclear weapons, has done so by association with the nuclear power programme within their country.

By exporting uranium, despite safeguards galore, Australian uranium at very least, frees up uranium from other sources to be used in bomb-making programmes, and at worst, Australian uranium could be used directly in the manufacture of nuclear weapons. There is no way to prove that Australian uranium oxide, once it leaves Australia’s shores, does not end up in other countries’ nuclear weapons programmes. A case in point is the Tricastin plant in France, which is owned and operated by the French government, which serves both the military and civilian sectors. Atom by atom, Australian uranium cannot be separated from uranium sourced from other countries once it enters the nuclear fuel chain. And what country would want to admit that its uranium has been diverted for use in the North Korean nuclear weapons programme? Every exporter claims innocence!

It was Al gore, former U.S. Vice President who said “In the eight years I served in the White House, every weapons proliferation issue we faced was linked with a civilian reactor program.” (Guardian Weekly 9-15 June, 2006)

The International Energy Agency, like a fox in charge of the chicken house, has a dual role: to promote “peaceful” application of nuclear energy, and to guard against nuclear ;weapons proliferation. Despite the attempts of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, with its five yearly Review conferences, nuclear weapons have proliferated, but probably not as much as they would have without that treaty being in existence. However, as recent former head of the IAEA, Dr. Mohamed El Baradei has said: “the IAEA’s Illicit Trafficking Database has, in the past decade, recorded more than 650 cases that involve efforts to smuggle nuclear and radioactive materials” and “IAEA verification today operates on an annual budget of about $100 million – a budget comparable to that of a local police department. With these resources, we oversee approximately 900 nuclear facilities in 71 countries. When you consider our growing responsibilities – as well as the need to stay ahead of the game – we are clearly operating on a shoestring budget.” And “we are only as effective as we are allowed to be.” And “If a country with a full nuclear fuel cycle decides to break away from is non-proliferation commitments, a nuclear weapons could b e only months away.” And “the IAEA’s legal authority to investigate possible parallel weaponisation activity is limited.” (from “An Illusion of Protection” Australian Conservation Foundation and Medical Association for the Prevention of War – 2006).

Australia has in place various safeguard agreements with its client states, but ANAWA has little confidence in such measures. In June 2006, The Weapons of Terror report by the Mass Destruction Commission chaired by Dr. Hans Blix had this to say: “The Commission rejects the suggestion that nuclear weapons in the hands f some pose no threat, while in the hands of others they palace the world in mortal jeopardy. The three major challenges the world now confronts – existing weapons, further proliferation and terrorism – are interlinked politically and also practically: the larger the existing stocks, the greater the danger of leakage and misuse.” (from “An Illusion of Protection” Australian Conservation foundation and Medical Association for the Prevention of War – 2006).

Under article VI of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, nuclear weapons states are obliged to disarm their nuclear weapons. The recognized five nuclear weapons states (at the time of the NPT’s inception in 1970) were Britain, France, the Soviet Union, China and the United States of America. It’s no accident that they are also the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council with the power of veto. They have not fulfilled their obligations. Yet we still sell uranium to some of those states. Other countries have acquired nuclear weapons since that time, including Israel (undeclared, but a real threat to peace in the Middle East) and India, which previous and present Government toys with as a potential client state.

ANAWA believes that Australia has a moral responsibility not to add to the stockpiles of weapons-available material on the world market, whether such materials are available by legal or illegal means.

ANAWA calls on the Australian and South Australian Governments to reject the Olympic Downs uranium mine expansion on the ground that it adds to the availability of material for manufacture, testing, storage of nuclear weapons – a big problem from any perspective, and one to which Australia need not, and should not contribute.

CONCLUSION:

As well as the four headings above, and the recommendations to scrap plans for Olympic Dam expansion due to outstanding problems in the areas of global warming, water usage, waste disposal and weapons proliferation, ANAWA could site many more reasons for denying BHP Billeton’s request for expansion. These grounds include, but are not limited to

1. the scant regard for the rights of indigenous people in the area (people whose rights have already been trampled upon by the nuclear industry with the history going back to British nuclear testing, to despoilation of their water supplies) and

2. b) the outrageously unfair Roxby Downs Indenture Act of 1982, which allowed the then owner of the mine, Western Mining, to totally disregard any other legislation which might have bearing n that land, or their operations. ANAWA considers this extraordinary financial assistance, and exemption from Aboriginal Heritage and environmental considerations to be totally inappropriate, and calls for the abandonment of the aforesaid legislation: the Roxby Downs Indenture Act, 1982.

We believe that the grab for uranium by BHP Billiton and other uranium mining companies is a cynical grab for the grubby dollar while there is some vestige of hope for this ailing industry. It must be seen in light of the fact that this is a declining industry, with less nuclear power being generated each year (mostly due to ageing reactors being de-commissioned, or reactors with major problems being shut down “temporarily”) and the fact that more reactors are shutting down each year than opening, despite all the industry hype. The industry’s projections look rosy, but the new generation IV reactors are still only promises and the facts reveal that, on the other hand, renewable energies are growing at exponential rates, and would be proceeding even faster, if more research and development dollars were put their way, instead of propping up a filthy, failing industry.

Neither is it any argument whatsoever to claim that because coal is finally being recognized as a filthy power source (but without the radioactive legacy offered by the nuclear industry), and being mindful of the fact that there is no such thing as “clean coal”, that the world is forced to make a choice between the two. Both are bad. Both need to be phased out, as soon as possible. Why on earth would any sane nation think of jumping out of the coal-fired frying pan into the nuclear fire? It just doesn’t make sense.

What does make sense is for Australian governments both Federal and South Australian, to invest strongly in the renewable energy sector, to stop bailing out old technology industries, to stop allowing the polluters to continue polluting, and to back up the community desire for transformation into the new technologies which we have to have to prevent runaway climate change occurring.

ANAWA re-iterates its profound concern for a multiplicity of reasons, if the Olympic Dam expansion is allowed to proceed. We call for the proposal to be rejected, and for a total phase out of uranium mining at the Olympic Dam minesite.

******************************************************************

Document prepared by Jo Vallentine

Chairperson, ANAWA.

admin@anawa. org.au

www: anawa.org

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tony serve blogs Perth People – have your say TODAY on Local Government’s “Green” efforts where you live

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Perth People – have your say TODAY on Local Government’s “Green” efforts where you live

Hi, if you have an interest in your local council’s ‘green’ activities, please read the following plea from the director of the WA Conservatiion Council, on behalf of the people at Environment House. Thanks! Eloise Some of you may be aware that Environment House in Maylands has launched a new website – How Green is my Council? http://www.howgreen.net.au They have secured some good media coverage in Community Newspapers however they are looking for people in different council areas for the journos to get local comments from on the performance of those councils. If you are prepared to provide brief comments to a journo about your council please email piers.verstgen@conservationwa.asn.au by the end of today with your preferred contact details and your council area. This is an opportunity to provide comment in your own right,(not representing the Conservation council of WA). They have people lined up in the following areas already (but I am sure they could do with more for diversity of comment) Vincent Bayswater Stirling Wanneroo Joondalup Cambridge blogged for and on behalf of those working to save the planet

Uranium Industry meets to plan new mines AND nuclear power, whether you want it in Western Australia or not! join the *ACTION* Wednesday 22 July, 8am, Freo

speaking on July 4

Defend Fremantle‘s Nuclear Free Zone

Wednesday 22 July 8.00am – 9.30am
Esplanade Hotel, Fremantle

Fremantle’s nuclear free zone is being undermined once again by a global uranium forum being held at the Esplanade Hotel.

Join us for muffins and music as we defend Fremantle’s stance against the nuclear industry.

We want to give a powerful message that the forum and the uranium mining industry is not welcome anywhere in Western Australia.

For more information contact Kerrie-Ann Garlick Fremantle Anti Nuclear Group 0402 180 737

Iconic Activist, former Senator Jo Vallentine

July 4 appeal to the US

More nuclear accidents, dangerous leaks, waste risk and mismanagement won’t stop the RUDD Government’s approval of a huge new Uranium mine

‘Environment Minister Peter Garrett has formally approved the new Four Mile uranium mine in South Australia, saying it poses no environmental risks’.

Peter Garrett via last.fm

The premier of South Australian, Mike Rann, welcomed the decision saying operations at the state’s nearby Beverley mine ‘show that uranium c

an be mined without damaging the surrounding environment’.

Which means neither man can have read the South Australian governments own figures into spills at the Beverley mine. Here are just a few [http://www.wise-uranium.org/umopaus.html]…

Apr. 22, 2006: spill of 14,400 litres of solution containing approx. 0.5% uranium

Oct. 31, 2005: spill of 23,700 litres of mining solution, containing approx. 0.06% uranium
Aug. 8, 2005: spill of 13,500 litres of extraction fluid containing approx. 0.01% uranium

Mar. 7, 2005: spill of 50,000 – 60,000 litres of injection fluid

Dec. 8, 2004: spill of approx. 2,300 litres of mining solution, containing 0.028% uranium

June 13, 2002: spill of 1,750 litres of brine solution

June 7, 2002: spill of 1,500 litres of injection fluid in the well field

May 5, 2002: spill of 14,900 litres of water containing 0.0018% uranium

May 1, 2002: spill of almost 7,000 litres of brine solution containing some uranium

January 11, 2002: spill of 60,000 liters of groundwater containing acid and uranium, after pipe rupture

Fancy the premier of South Australia being so ignorant of such worrying safety violations going on in his own state. Scandalous.

In fact, that’s the word to sum up the whole Four Mile story: scandalous. Peter Garrett is a former campaigning rock star who fought doggedly against nuclear power before entering politics (‘Why would Australians support an industry that produces radioactive waste, toxic waste?’ he said just three years ago), And with the local Aboriginal communitie

s being (yet again) left out of the negotiations and decision-making over Four Mile, this all has a horribly familiar ring to it.

from Greenpeace…Full Story here – please share

http://weblog.greenpeace.org/nuclear-reaction/2009/07/the_history_of_uranium_mining.html

Meanwhile back in Germany the Uranium lobby is on the rise despite the following revelations of safety and management fiascos
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/277622,damaged-rod-found-at-crippled-german-nuclear-site.html

excerpt;
Berlin- A damaged fuel rod sought since last week has been located inside one of Germany’s 12 nuclear power stations, regulators said Wednesday.

The jinxed plant at Kruemmel near Hamburg was shut down for two years by a transformer fire.

It was crippled again July 4 by a short circuit and was then reported to have a problem in one or more of its 80,000 fuel rods. Engineers took the lid off the reactor to find the damaged uranium rod.

The problems at Kruemmel have led to calls to retire the station and re-ignited debate in Germany about nuclear power as an election approaches. Anti-nuclear activists are also highlighting mismanagement of nuclear waste dumps in old salt mines.

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tony serve blogs Tsunami warning issued for SE Australia & ABC News Article link.

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Uranium and Nuclear Industry swings big club, claims opposition are “cavemen” leaves major questions UNANSWERED

How are we to believe that people who make huge amounts of money digging up and selling uranium are “experts?”

The article below seems to take the claim at face value and totally ignores ALL of the unanswered questions.

It’s time for nuclear power: “experts”

Cathy Alexander  July 15, 2009 – 4:49PM

Australia should drop the “caveman” approach to electricity and build some nuclear power stations, experts say.

The uranium industry is booming, with the federal government approving a new mine for South Australia on Tuesday. Full article here  http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-national/its-time-for-nuclear-power-experts-20090715-dlac.html

Meanwhile, real experts who have no VESTED interests are not mentioned! See the lionk below for some counterbalance.

See here for stories on Uranium Mining and Nuclear Power plants from Greens (WA) Senator Scott Ludlum, former Senator Jo Vallentine and video/audio from other sources such as Greenpeace

Click here for information from BUMP, ( Ban Uranium Mining Permanently )

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tony serve blogs Uranium mine given not-so-green light by fallen activist Peter Garrett, Greens say his Beverley decision is ‘delusional’

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Western Australia’s planned Uranium mines under scrutiny

Rockingham media pick up on the debate that Colin Barnettt doesn’t want.

So many questions on Uranium Colin Barnett has to answer

Thanks to Mark Winter  (frostyfae.wordpress.com ) for the heads-up nd his ongoing activism. Also see nouranium.wordpress.com for more info,  YouTube video and ways to have your say about the mine that will start at Wiluna next year

Please visit WA’s peak anti-uranium group  http://www.anawa.org.au/ and get involved

ANALYSIS-In big green push, Australia thinks too small on solar | Reuters

SOLEL make 300MW solar thermal plants for base load, AUSRA is close behind  -why aren’t they being used?                                    Image -  jdlasica via Flickr

* New laws promise boost for solar investment

* Complex rules limit size of installations

* Little incentive for commercial solar projects

By Leonora Walet and Bruce Hextall

Related articles by Zemanta

• More Stimulus for Renewables? (greenlight.greentechmedia.com)
• Residential solar thermal systems get huge incentive boost (lightbulbs.org)
• Solar Tax Credit Hooks Another Major Utility (industry.bnet.com)
• A Solar Dream From Israeli Kibbutzim (businessweek.com)

US Beats Australia To The Punch Again! Climate change, clean energy, carbon issues.

Sen. Milne Wikipedia

From; Mark Winter Speaks out

US Beats Australia To The Punch Again!.

America last week publicly announced their draft of the “American Clean Energy and Security Bill”

In response, Greens Senator Christine Milne said

“The world is moving on and leaving Australia behind. It is time the Rudd Government opened itself to the prospect of real domestic and global action to prevent climate catastrophe.”

The Draft Bill is a great leap ahead in comparison to the much debated deeply flawed schemes which the Rudd-Wong collaboration has “laboured” to produce. more from Mark by clicking the blue links above

West Australian Govt lies about cutting scrutiny of Uranium & other projects – Greens WA’s MLC elect Robin Chapple speaks out – we all need to speak out or suffer the consequences

Robin Chapple Greens MLC elect speaks on uranium & other projects by stealth

Click the above link for short interview. Phone numbers, SMS and email for talkback to follow.

Premier Colin Barnett hijacks mining approvals – now confirmed a

►

From Perth’s Sunday Times ( supporting documents to be posted soon.)

More leaked documents add to drama

Article from:
Narelle Towie, environment reporter

March 28, 2009 04:28pm

MORE leaked documents have cast doubt on statements made this week by the State Government about proposed changes to mining approvals.

Last weekend The Sunday Times reported that a government-appointed industry working group (IWG) – tasked with devising a plan to streamline and speed-up mining approvals – favoured moves to dilute the power and role of the Environment Minister among other far-reaching changes.
The next day the Minister for Mines and Petroleum Norman Moore stated that a leaked document referred to in the newspaper report was not produced by the IWG.

He said the document, marked confidential, was a submission to the IWG by industry associations.

He said it had not yet been properly considered by the IWG or the government.

The Sunday Times has ascertained that the document was the end product of a workshop involving key members of the WA Chamber of Minerals and Energy (CME) and the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA).

The workshop, which also included at least one IWG member, took place in January and the document has been the focus of much attention by the IWG.

Moreover, further leaked documents show recommendations in the confidential report have been adopted by the IWG – in some parts, word-for-word – and are at odds with the Minister’s statement.

- See both group’s recommendations
- See more recommendations
- See the lead agency model submitted to the industry working group

Up until yesterday Mr Moore and his media advisor were insisting there was “no draft report or draft recommendations.”

The Sunday Times has obtained a copy of the IWG’s “working draft report” dated March 6, which includes an executive summary and eight key recommendations.

The incomplete report proposes similar sweeping changes to how mining applications are processed, though no specific mention is made about the role of the Environment Minister.

Parts of the document’s recommendations appear to be copied almost verbatim from the workshop report the Minister insisted on Friday had not yet been “properly considered or endorsed” by the IGW.

A spokesman for Mr Moore yesterday confirmed the existence of the draft – after a week of denials. He said the Minister was relying on advice from the IWG.

IWG chairman Peter Jones said there are working drafts within the group but the Minister doesn’t know anything about them.

Shadow Environment Minister Sally Talbot last night hit-out: “Last week Minister Moore denied that this report existed and now we have had it confirmed.

“We have a real fear that there is going to be a watering down of the authority for the Minister for the Environment,” she said.

Ms Talbot is calling on the government to come clean on what plans are being put together by the industry working group.

Mr Moore, who is due to receive the IWG’s recommendations in May, said there were several hurdles to be surmounted before any recommendations were implemented.

They would first be considered by him and a cabinet sub-committee before full Cabinet. And any legislative amendments would need the approval of parliament.

Mr Moore said he was aware IWG were considering transferring large parts of the Department of Environment and Conservation’s role to the independent Environment Protection Agency, which is currently an advisory body.

“I’m not sure that that is a good thing if you want the approvals process to move quickly,” Mr Moore said.

Mr Moore said he could not guarantee that the powers and the responsibilities of the Minister of Environment, when dealing with approvals processes, will not be diminished at all by the reforms being considered.

“It is not within my power to provide cast-iron guarantees about issues of this nature. The granting or relinquishing of Ministerial power is a matter for Cabinet and Parliament. That said, the aim of this exercise is not to diminish the level of scrutiny applying to the environmental conditions related to mining approvals,” he said.

MLC member for mining and pastoral region Robin Chapple said the IWG’s intentions were quite clear.

“The community at large must be very seriously concerned that the environmental controls and parameters that have been established over the years are going to done away with,” he said.

Robin Chapple Greens WA MLC elect warns on hijack of approvals

West Australian Mining Town says NO to URANIUM – go figure! Maybe it ISN’T safe!!!!!

Thanks to eco warrior Robin Chapple for the newstip.

Thanks to WIN television for covering it – this is a good yarn, and I’m not sure mainstream media will cover it or understand it’s significance

West Australian Mining Town says NO to URANIUM – go figure! Kudo

►

Please share this news as a wake up call that BigNuke is on the move, thrashing around like a dying dinosaur.

Ziggy Switkowski says you want Nuclear Power Plants – did he ask? thanks to ABC for covering it.

Aussies will accept nuclear power, conference told – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).

not even Barry Obama has a plan for nuclear waste,where's Ziggy's

Is he TELLING us we will accept nuclear power?

Who is he talking to?

He admits a new Nuke plant would take 15 years – by then the cost of clean renewables will be less than dirty atom splitting.

Notice how various professors and community ” leaders” are suddenly speaking up, almost spookily singing the same words.

It’s also scary that some of my colleagues in mainstream media leave some crazy claims unchallenged and out of context. Question everything!

IF WE DON’T RAISE OUR VOICES the only ones heard will be the heavily backed and resourced Uranium and Mining complex.

contact me for info on using talkback and new media to have YOUR voice heard ( even if you disagree with me – it’s a hippie thing )

West Aussie voters please see copy and use the letter in the right column to send a message to Colin Barnett, but cc ALL MP’s – their ears are full of slick-helled lobbyist noise and they need yours for balance

Meanwhile

This article may be from 2007 but it’s so relevant for us in WA right now

The Barnett Government plans to give miners the “green” light to dig up, process and transport uranium.

Politically there is clear evidence the mighty nuclear industry is taking advantage of the fear of global warming and the global recession.

See the Greenpeace UK story & video by clicking

uranium | Greenpeace UK.

See how a Greenpeace co-founder has been drafted in to push for nuke power here, is he right, if not who’s speaking up?

http://tinyurl.com/co7k38

20+ More videos here http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=648207BCB5C42D37

Uranium waste to be dumped in Western Australia? say it ain’t so!

IT APPEARS SO – see http://nouranium.wordpress.com/ for the gory details. and Speak out radio 6PR talkback 24/7 922 11 882 ( producer )

For excellent videos on yuranium and nuclear waste – visit http://www.youtube.com/user/SocialJusticePerth

YouTube post on Pangea’s plans to store nuclear waste in Australia

The safety dealbreaker for uranium mining has again been highlighted  with the news of new radioactive leaks in the world heritage listed Kakadu National Park.

Then there’s what to do with the long lasting toxic waste ( see post on US nuclear waste plans in disarray earlier in this blog )

This accidentally released video shows Pangea spending good money to promote storing nuclear waste in Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

Please subscribe to this blog ( above right ) and keep in touch with the no-uranium movement ( google ANAWA and hang in for new website, blogs and activism ) that has been stung back into action by Colin Barnett’s mad plans to ship yellowcake on our roads and through our ports when we can’t even transport lead ore safely!

Uranium mine water leaking into Kakadu – ABC News

Uranium mine water leaking into Kakadu – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).

Please let Colin Barnett know his plans have sprung a leak – see post and video below

No to uranium mining in West Australia – Premier Colin Barnett’s legacy could last 25,000 years

Colin Barnett Premier of WA - plans to mine uranium - CLICK THE PIC FOR A SHORT YouTube Vid ;*)

The Premier is a decent man.

I’ve come to know him a little through decades of interviews while he was in government and opposition, backbench and front.

W.A. children are still suffering from lead poisoning from an ore  transport safety debacle in Esperance port. We are still paying for the safety and maintenance failure in the Veranus gas disaster. And the barnett Government says it wants to move yellowcake – please.

Then there’s the problem of nuclear waste and proliferation, of depleted uranium.

Barack Obama has acknowledged the US can’t store it’s own waste, Pangea is on record as  naming W.A. and the Northern territory as its preferred dumping grounds for nuclear waste – and there’s more.

We have economical and totaly renewable energy sources in abundance – we do not need and will not stand for uranium mining in W.A.

Note to Colin: sorry mate but you’re badly informed.

It’s uranium NO, canal/pipeline YES, and don’t get me started on you abandoning the Burrup Rock Art even though you feel it’s wrong.

India and Pakistan are at “swords drawn,” North Korea has renewed it’s threat to attack the south, Iran’s playing funny buggers, Iraqi kids are deformed by depleted uranium, terrorsts are stashing stolen isotopes – and you want to dig the stuff up and sell it to anyone who says they’ll be nice.

I am actively helping the anti-nuclear group ANAWA and all allied groups and individuals to do whatever it takes to overturn this madness. Please watch this space and subscribe/comment/contribute to the blog and youtube posts.

Pro uranium people are welcome to comment/refute/debate or whatever.

Bring it on.

please share and link to this article and video