Anti-nuclear activists replied to advocates of nuclear power with a comprehensive damning report 'Nuclear Power - No Solution to Climate Change'. Fifty people attended the launch held at Northcote Town Hall organised by Friends of the Earth. Speakers included report author, Dr Jim Green, physicist Dr Alan Roberts, and President of the Medical Association for the Prevention of War, Dr Tilmin Ruff.
Jim Green gave a comprehensive summary of the report, and bedunked the current pro-nuclear marketing that nuclear power is a necessary method of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The report says that a doubling of nuclear power output by 2050 would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by just five per cent,while increasing the hazards of potential nuclear accidents, terrorism, and nuclear proliferation, and the still unsolved problem of waste storage. The report outlines that the solutions to greenhouse gas emissions from power generation lie in energy efficiency and renewable energy generation such as in wind, bioenergy, solar, and tidal power.
Green made the point that only a third of greenhouse gas emissions come from power generation, with the majority caused by the burning of oil as petrol in automobiles.
Dr Alan Roberts is a retired physicist from Monash University who stated up front that he can't see the nuclear energy campaign succedding. "This bubble is going to burst" he said. He then proceeded to outline the background to the nuclear industry public relations campaign, which started with background briefings to the media in the United Kingdom in May 2004. This was a marketing campaign with several prominent Public Relations firms involved, including the involvement of a former British Minister for Energy. The campaign has stressed that nuclear energy is needed for diversification of energy supply, and that nuclear power generation does not contribute any green house gasses. Dr Roberts said that the marketing ignored the fact that substantial green house gas emissions are caused in the total nuclear cycle from mining and extration of uranium, transportation, building reactors, transport of waste, and decommissioning nuclear reactors.
Dr Roberts does not subscribe to neoliberalism, but he said competition and a true free market would kill nuclear power: "nuclear power is not able to compete without subsidies".
The nuclear industry does not want a full and open debate on nuclear power, according to Dr Roberts. He told an anecdote of a chance meeting with an official of the Uranium Information Bureau several years ago. When Alan Roberts asked why they had not debated the subject recently the official said "we decided we would not engage in any debates. We found it counterproductive."
The third speaker was Dr Tilman Ruff, President of the Medical Association for the Prevention of War. Dr Ruff outlined the dangers in radiation, in the threat of nuclear terrorism and nuclear war, and said "this is not a solution to global warming" and that it "delays us getting on with real solutions".
After the speakers several questions were asked. It was revealed that up to half the existing nuclear power reactors need decommissioning in the next 10 years. The British parliament has recently allocated 56 billion pounds just for decommissioning nuclear plants in the near future. The storage of waste was raised, with still no foolproof solution found. Even the Synroc solution trumpeted for the last fifteen years, is still not in use. Most high level waste is currently stored on site with the nuclear reactors. Dr Jim Green referred any detailed enquiries on nuclear waste to the website http://radwaste.org
With BHP taking over Western Mining Corporation and the Olympic Dam Mine at Roxby Downs, several ethical investment schemes have been reassessing opposition and investment in companies involved with uranium mining, a member of the audience said. The size of BHP means it is seven per cent of the Australian stock market, and many fund managers belief it is an important stock to have. The questioner posed that most people were members of superannuation funds and should pressure their funds not to invest in companies involved in uranium mining, or to choose ethical funds which explicitly opposed uranium mining.
The meeting was held in Northcote because the Federal member for the seat of Batman is Labor member Martin Ferguson, who has been pushing very strongly for the expansion of uranium mining and export of uranium to China. There were calls for Martin Ferguson, a shadow minister, should be speaking ALP policy, rather than pushing his own agenda. Members of the audience called for Martin Ferguson to publically debate uranium mining and nuclear power with his electors.
It was announced that Nuclear Free Australia is having an anti-nuclear tour of the city on Tuesday October 11, meeting at 12.30pm GPO Bourke Street Mall.
The meeting wound up with a spokesperson from the Friends of the Earth Anti-uranium Collective, Michaela Stubbs, outlining some grassroots activities that people coud do. The Anti-uranium Collective holds weekly meetings at FOE, 312 Smith Street, each Wednesday night at 6.30pm.
The chair of the meeting, Dimity Hawkins from MAPW, gave details of an intriguing invitation from the US Consulate to the MAPW to attend a briefing on how Iran is breaching non-proliferation conditions in their nuclear program. Something to ponder about in regard to preparing public relations for a possible US attack on Iran?
The report is available for download at:
http://www.melbourne.foe.org.au/documents.htm
Related:
By Age via Via via eas 8 October 05
A modern parable methinks in the Age 4th October via Crikey.com.au. I know I know, a bad case of co dependence.
And notice the postscript too. All good grist as Green Mayors in Waverley and Marrickville step up, and Lab Libs install a Lib in Leichhardt and Randwick too.
Why I just had to resign from the Labor Party October 4, 2005
The ALP has become a branch office of the Liberals. It's sickening, writes Denise Allen.
Last Tuesday I resigned as a member of the Labor Party. I could no longer sit by and watch as the party I have loved since a child becomes a faction of the Howard Government.
My grandfather started the first local Alexandra branch of the Labor Party in my home town more than 80 years ago. From the age of five, I was allowed to sit on a chair in the kitchen and listen (as long as I was quiet) to the many Labor Party meetings that were held at our house because my father was secretary of the local branch for many years. I listened and learned. I grew up to be as passionate about the Labor Party as my grandfather, father, uncles and myriad relatives.
We were dedicated to social issues and a fair go for everyone. During the 1983 election, as I handed out how-to-vote cards, I wore a white T-shirt on which I had written on the front "J. C. for Victoria!" and on the back "God for Canberra!" (Referring to John Cain and Bob Hawke, of course.) Gosh, those were the passionate days when Labor was at its best.
I was a Labor devotee, a true believer, and anyone who knew me knew that politics was my subject of the day, every day.
In May 2000, I became the first Labor person and the first woman to win the state seat of Benalla after 97 years of conservative rule. It was the proudest moment of my life.
For the 21/2 years I was an MP it was the greatest honour as well as the greatest roller coaster ride of my life. It was exciting, rewarding, frustrating, depressing. I was heartbroken when, in 2002, the Nationals won the seat back. After working my butt off for two-and-a-half years and delivering more than $50 million in projects to the electorate, the majority of the voters went back to the party they said had deserted them. Go figure.
But over the past few years, I have sat back and watched the party I grew up passionate about, that was so much a part of our everyday thinking, move progressively further and further to the right and simply become another faction of the Howard Government with its me-too, me-too attitude.
In the past week, I have heard Kim Beazley talk about counter-terrorism laws that not only mirror, but seem to go further than, John Howard's. I have seen all the Labor premiers sign up to more of Howard's draconian anti-terrorism laws.
OK, you may say, it has to be done. We now live in dangerous times as we are constantly reminded every day with brainwashing anti-terror television and radio ads and silly fridge magnets.
But it is only so because the Howard Government's fear agenda has been allowed to flourish as the Labor Party has sat back like the little kid at school who gets sand kicked in his face and who is too frightened to upset the big boys.
The Labor Party I know would have fought tooth and nail against Australians' involvement in Iraq without UN sanctions. They would have protected Australia from terrorism by simply not being party to an illegal war. Their voices would have been loud and would have clearly defined what they stood for. The Labor Party I know would have countered Howard's fear agenda with one of peace.
This climate of fear is Howard's creation and instead of counteracting it with an alternative, forceful, intelligent debate, the Labor Party blindly accepts it and helps promote it.
Then there are the domestic issues on which Labor is so quiet.
Over the past week we have seen the plight of citrus growers across Australia. Not once have I heard anyone from the Labor Party calling on Mark Vaile, Minister for Trade, leader of the Nationals and Deputy Prime Minister, to explain where the Nationals are on this issue.
After all, aren't the Nationals the farmers' party? Why isn't the Labor Party making a mockery of the Nationals?
We are consistently losing Australian industry to cheap overseas suppliers, but where is Labor on this and every other contentious issue?
I'll tell you - in the shadows of the conservatives saying me-too, me-too.
Now we have Bob Hawke calling on Australia to be the garbage tip for nuclear waste. Money, money, money - that's what it is all about. Great idea Bob, not! Someone who was once part of my Labor Party dreamscape is now a bloody nightmare and just another apologist for conservative politics. The Silver Bodgie should go back to his million-dollar home in Vaucluse.
It frustrates the hell out of me - I can't stand it any more and I bet I'm not the only one.
Until more of the original Labor Party devotees stand up to be counted and go as far as resigning from the party, the party hacks and faceless factional men will continue to drag our party into the cesspool of conservative right-wing politics that is so alien to the traditional Labor Party true believers.
There are many good people in the Labor Party - where is their voice, why don't they stand up for their beliefs?
I want to scream it from the rooftops: "Where is my beloved Labor Party?" .. the one that was powerful and forthright, the one that took the fight up to the conservatives and gave them a run for their money.
For crying out loud .. this country desperately wants an effective Labor Party that will stand up for the rights of its people instead of being party to the denigration of our freedoms.
Where the hell are you? Why aren't you answering us? Why aren't you there for us?
This is not the Labor Party I grew up with, nor is it the Labor Party I want to be part of and, I have to tell you, it breaks my heart.
My father died last year - buried with his Labor Party life membership badge pinned to the lapel of his suit next to his war medals that he won fighting for the freedom of this country.
Now there was a proud Labor man and a true battler - a man who passionately stood up for everything he believed in.
I am sure he would turn in his grave if he knew his beloved Labor Party members are now simply sycophants of the Howard Government.
Denise Allen is a former state Labor member for Benalla.
