Author Archive: robyn

Report back: Port Augusta nuclear exposure weekend conference

Exposure 2016 saw communities from all over South Australia travel to Port Augusta to join with locals and talk nuclear waste. Over 100 people passed through the registration desk to engage in sessions and workshops, share ideas and for a yarn, get inspired and work together for future action against state and federal government’s plans to build nuclear waste dumps in SA.

Full reportback here: pt-augusta-nuclear-exposure-report-back

Members of Friends of the Earth Adelaide’s Clean Futures Collective travelled to Port Augusta to support the conference.

Forum: How Climate Change will Hurt Australia’s Poor 21 Oct

How Climate Change will Hurt Australia’s Poor

Friday 21 October
3pm-4:30pm
Clayton Wesley Uniting Church
The Parade
Norwood

This forum, part of Power To The Poor – Silent No More (Anti-Poverty Week Conference), will explore the impacts of change change on Australia’s poor, including the unemployed, pensioners, sole parents, the homeless, and others on low incomes.

Speakers will include Dr. Scott Hanson-Easy and Dr. Danielle Every, from the Vulnerable Communities Network of the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility.

These impacts, including major health issues, more severe weather, rising energy costs, and others effects, will make life even harder for those already living in poverty, and out of work.

So what can we do? What does climate change mean for our fight for a more egalitarian, just society?

INFO: E: antipovertynetwork.sa@gmail.com P: 0411 587 663
W: antipovertynetworksa.org/conference

Hosted by ANTI-POVERTY NETWORK SA and WOMEN IN POVERTY, and supported by UNITING COMMUNITIES.

Facebook Event

Forum: South Australia’s power system: a crisis or a canary? Oct 10

Members of FOE’s Clean Futures Collective – Campaign to Use Renewable Energy will be attending this forum.

South Australia’s power system: a crisis or a canary?

by Grattan Institute and Melbourne Energy Institute

6pm Monday 10 October
State Library
North Terrace

Book free tickets

In recent months, South Australia has witnessed some remarkable changes in the electricity system. Already S.A. is the state with the highest per capita penetration of wind and solar technologies. With Northern Power Station shutting down, S.A. Becomes the first mainland state to become coal free. Combined with Pelican Point out of operation and the main interconnector to Victoria being constrained with upgrade maintenance, S.A. saw market volatility and high price events not seen for many years. S.A. is a world leader in terms of integrating renewable energy into the grid, but these recent events have put a spotlight on the challenges that come with this transition. What needs to happen next in S.A.? Will storage technologies smooth the system or will solar thermal find a place? Perhaps the link to Victoria’s stable brown coal generators will keep the system secure, but does that negate the green credentials?

Speakers

Dr Don Russell was appointed as Chief Executive of the Department of State Development on 1 July 2014. From 2011 to 2013, Dr Russell was the Secretary of the Commonwealth Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education. Dr Russell was previously Independent Chairperson of State Super, a role that he held from January 2008. State Super is a $38 billion fund that manages public service defined benefit schemes for the NSW State Government. Until March 2010, Dr Russell was the Global Investment Strategist at BNY Mellon Asset Management Australia. BNY Mellon is a global investments company. He has a PhD from the London School of Economics, a MEc from ANU and a BEc (Hons) (First) from Flinders University.… Read more >>

“Unclear or Nuclear Future for SA” forum 28 Sept

Another forum for people to attend to ask the hard questions of former Commissioner Kevin Scarce.

UNCLEAR OR NUCLEAR FUTURE FOR SA?

A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION ON THE PROPOSED WASTE REPOSITORY IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Wednesday September 28th 2016
7:00 PM followed by supper
Brougham Place Uniting Church
193 Brougham Place
North Adelaide SA 5006

Keynote Speaker:
– Rear Admiral the Honourable Kevin Scarce AC CSC RAN (Rtd); Royal Commissioner for the Nuclear Fuel Cycle

Panel includes:
– Frank H Lampard OAM, Commissioner for Aboriginal Engagement
– Dr Deidre Palmer, Moderator of the Uniting Church in South Australia
– Craig Wilkins, Conservation SA Chief Executive

Important: Talk to your MP about nuclear waste dumps

One of the most important things you can do to prevent nuclear waste dumps in SA is to talk to your MP. MPs are saying their constituents are not contacting them opposing the dump proposals and silence is either seen as consent, or that its not a big issue for constituents.

You don’t need to be an expert, just talk to your MP about your own perspective and speak from the heart. Its a good idea to ask them for their position and opinion and which way they would vote. Its particularly important to speak up about the international dump during October and November.

State MPs

Talk to them about your opposition to SA becoming the world’s nuclear waste dump. Let them know your environmental concerns, worker and public safety concerns, future generations, lack of respect for Traditional Owners and transport and terrorism risks. Tell them you want to keep the legislation that currently bans nuclear waste dumps.
More information here and here.

To find your State MP look up your suburb to find your electorate here then find which MP represents your electorate here.

Federal MPs

Talk to them about the federal government’s plan to put a waste dump at Wallerbedina, near Barndioota, near Hawker in the Flinders Ranges.
Talk to them about the need to keep federal legislation that bans the establishment of nuclear waste dumps in Australia. Ask them how they would vote if a bill to change the legislation was introduced.
If your MP is Labor, ask them to keep strong to the Labor platform of banning nuclear waste dumps and ask them how they would vote if a proposal to overturn the ban were introduced.
More information here.

To find your Federal electorate and Federal MP search here.

Any questions? Contact us at adelaide.office@foe.org.au