Author Archive: robyn

Friends of the Earth Adelaide > Articles by: robyn

Tentative Nuclear Royal Commission findings & submissions

February 19, 2016

The Nuclear Royal Commission announced its tentative findings on Monday 15 February and Commissioner Scarce spoke at the Adelaide Town Hall that night. There were lots of nuclear critics in attendance and many made their displeasure known both outside and inside the meeting.

The report is available here http://nuclearrc.sa.gov.au/tentative-findings/

Responses to the findings are being accepted until 18 March 2016 – details at the above link. You will need a coversheet but no JP signature this time.

A summary of the tentative findings by Dr Jim Green is found here Jim G Tentative Findings Feb 2016

The report was positive about expanding uranium mining and importing international high level waste, but said enrichment and nuclear power were not economic.

We are concerned that the dangers of importing the world’s nuclear waste are being ignored and we are skeptical of the exorbitant claims of how much money this would bring into SA and how many jobs would be created. The dump proposal includes a new deepwater port, rail and airport as well as an interim storage facility.

Clean Futures, FoE

Congratulations Karina and Rose Lester – Jill Hudson Environment Awards winners

January 6, 2016

Friends of the Earth Adelaide congratulate the Lester sisters for their work on the Nuclear Royal Commission.

Jill Hudson Award

2015 Jill Hudson Award winners Karina and Rose Lester work tirelessly to highlight the risks presented to our environment by nuclear projects. The Yankunytjatjara women and sisters have championed the voice of Aboriginal communities for the environment and provided essential dialogue for Traditional Owners.

While there are many dimensions to Karina and Rose’s work, the 2015 Jill Hudson Award focuses on their involvement in the SA Royal Commission into the Nuclear Fuel Cycle that began earlier this year. Karina and Rose advocated for consultation with Aboriginal communities and brought attention to the barriers presented for people in the community by the Royal Commission process.

Karina and Rose undertake their advocacy work as un-paid volunteers, and see it as a responsibility to culture, country and family.

http://www.conservationsa.org.au/awards_2015

Nuclear, Old_Notes

Busting nuclear myths – flyer

December 26, 2015

Our campaigner Nectaria has created a flyer busting nuclear myths:

1. The new generation (Gen IV) of nuclear reactors supposedly designed to recycle nuclear waste don’t exist!

2. Nuclear is not the only alternative to coal for baseload power – a mix of renewable energy and demand management can provide continuous power.

3. There is no nuclear renaissance – nuclear power is in decline world wide.

4. An expansion of the nuclear industry would not be good for the economy – see flyer for reasons.

5. Nuclear energy is not zero carbon when it comes to climate change.

6. We can’t guarantee isolation of high level radioactive waste from the environment for 200,000 years – there is no operating dump for high level waste anywhere in the world.

Links to the PDF:

Nuclear Mythbuster Flyer

Nuclear Mythbuster Flyer with References

Nectaria has finished with us now and we would like to thank her for all her hard work and wish her all the best in the future especially with the Lizard’s Revenge Protestival next July.    

Articles, Nuclear

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Reprocessed nuclear waste returns to NSW from France

December 4, 2015

Reprocessed nuclear waste from Lucas Heights is due to return from France to Port Kembla in NSW on Saturday 5th December and a delegation will be there to witness it.

MEDIA RELEASE: Beyond Nuclear Initiative, ACF, Maritime Union, South Coast Labor Council

Friday 4 December 2015

Community and unions gather to protest arrival of nuclear shipment

Radioactive waste will be on the community’s radar on Saturday as trade unionists, environmentalists and local residents gather at Port Kembla to protest and monitor the first shipment of Australian radioactive waste returning from reprocessing in France.

After being unloaded the waste will be transported for storage in a new purpose built facility at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation’s Lucas Heights reactor site.

“Our members do not support the nuclear industry,” said Maritime Union of Australia’s Southern NSW Branch Secretary Garry Keane. “There is no totally safe way to transport or store waste which remains a danger and threatens communities for thousands of years.”

“Understandably no one else wants our nuclear waste – that is why it is coming back to Lucas Heights and we want to send a clear message that we won’t accept anyone else’s nuclear waste.”

The shipment comes as the federal government explores options for a national radioactive waste dump at one of six regional and remote sites across Australia. Civil society groups are calling for the waste to continue to be stored at Lucas Heights pending an expert and open examination of all future management options.

“Extended interim storage at Lucas Heights is the ‘least worst’ of the current waste management options,” said Australian Conservation Foundation campaigner Dave Sweeney.

“If this material can be made at there then it can be stored there until a full review takes place. ANSTO has a secured and actively managed facility with the highest concentration of nuclear expertise and response capacity in Australia.”

The groups organising the community presence at Port Kembla have been active in sustained and successful campaigns with NT Traditional Owners opposing a planned national radioactive waste dump on their lands.

“The federal government’s current plan to transport this waste to one of six short-listed sites is contested and unnecessary,” said Beyond Nuclear Initiative coordinator Natalie Wasley.

“Communities at all of the proposed locations have already expressed concern and opposition to this plan. There is no need to rush and Minister Frydenberg should use this time to initiate a public and independent review of both waste production and responsible management options.”

French political and environment groups, Greenpeace and the Maritime Union of Australia have all raised significant concerns over safety and capacity of the BBC Shanghai, the ship carrying the waste returning from France, and the nature of the waste.

“When a shipment of solar panels comes through the port you don’t see hundreds of cops blocking highways and a national security operation,” said Arthur Rorris from the South Coast Labour Council.

“Communities the world over want to see the back of the nuclear industry so we don’t have to endure these unnecessary risks to public health, the environment and our national security.”

 

Nuclear, Old_Notes