Author Archive: roman

Friends of the Earth Adelaide > Articles by: roman

Victoria joins NSW in saying no to “Coalkeeper”

September 23, 2021

Federal energy minister Angus Taylor’s plans to introduce a new capacity market mechanism that would favour legacy coal generators appears in tatters after Victoria joined New South Wales in rejecting the idea dubbed “Coalkeeper.”

The opposition from the two key states – and the two biggest state grids in the country – comes ahead of a key meeting of federal and state energy ministers next Friday, and leaves the market unsure what, if any, new rules will be agreed in the Post2025 design being co-ordinated by the Energy Security Board.

The proposals for the “physical retail reliability option” have been described as “technology neutral” by Taylor and the ESB, but the market is convinced that they would effectively pay coal and gas generators paid to remain open, and Victorian energy minister Lily D’Ambrosio said she would have none of that.

“Victoria wants to reassure investors in wind and solar farms and storage such as giant batteries that it will not adopt any mechanism within the NEM that undermines the state’s ambition to cut carbon emissions,” D’Ambrosio said in a statement.
— Michael Mazengarb & Giles Parkinson, reneweconomy, Sept 17th for the full story

Clean Futures, Old_Notes, Renewables

Nuclear Submarines: answers to common questions

September 20, 2021

Following secret deliberations, this week, the Morrison government has announced that Australia will acquire nuclear-powered submarines. Anti-nuclear movement stalwart, and Friends of the Earth National Nuclear campaigner, Dr. Jim Green, had these comments to common questions about the decision.

Shrugging person over a submarine - Text in box: Nuclear Submarines: Answers to common questions - Friends of the Earth logo and anti nuclear logo

Are there alternatives?

Apart from the French built, fossil fuel diesel options already on the table,  because the process has been entirely secret, we have no way of knowing whether alternative options have been properly considered. These include the options of building fewer submarines (or none at all), and advanced lithium-ion battery technology to power submarines (South Korea’s choice after 30 months of comprehensive evaluation).

What about nuclear weapons and security?

Nuclear powered submarines typically use highly-enriched uranium (HEU) fuel. This would undermine global efforts to phase out the use of HEU because of WMD proliferation and security concerns.

The Nobel Peace Prize-winning International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons notes: “Military nuclear reactors in Australia would present a clear nuclear weapons proliferation risk and become potential sites for nuclear accidents and radiological contamination long into the future.”

Sign our petition to say no to nuclear subs

Take Action

The government wants to build nuclear submarines in suburban Adelaide. Does that put a target on our back? Is it prudent to build nuclear submarines in a city of 1.3 million people? What alternative locations have been considered, if any?

Does the government secretly want to bring Australia closer to a nuclear weapons capability with a nuclear submarine program? Do such deliberations explain why the Morrison government refuses to sign the UN’s Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and has actively undermined the Treaty at every step? (In the late 1960s, John Gorton’s government actively pursued a nuclear power program and Gorton later acknowledged a hidden weapons agenda. Gorton actively opposed Australia signing the UN’s Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.) … Read more >>

Nuclear, Old_Notes

Premier Marshall should stand up for our State

July 5, 2021

David Noonan, a Voice of the No Dump Alliance writes:

Premier Marshall should stand up for our State:

Reject the federal Liberal’s unlawful, unfair, unsafe and unnecessary nuclear waste dump plan for SA

Premier Stephen Marshall must stand up for South Australia’s interests and push back on federal Liberal government imposition of an unlawful nuclear waste dump in our State.

The Premier has a duty to respect and uphold the law in SA that prohibits the import, transport, storage and disposal of nuclear waste in our State. 

The NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE FACILITY (PROHIBITION) ACT 2000 was passed by the SA Parliament under the leadership of Liberal Premier John Olsen and strengthened by Labor Premier Mike Rann:

The objects of this Act are to protect the health, safety and welfare of the people of South Australia and to protect the environment in which they live by prohibiting the establishment of certain nuclear waste storage facilities in this State.

As Premier you should give all South Australian’s a Say and take action to instigate a required public inquiry into the impacts of a nuclear waste storage facility on the environmental and socio-economic wellbeing of this State. 

The NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE FACILITY (PROHIBITION) ACT 2000, Section 14 states:

If a licence, exemption or other authority to construct or operate a nuclear waste storage facility in this State is granted under a law of the Commonwealth, the Environment, Resources and Development Committee of Parliament must inquire into, consider and report on the likely impact of that facility on the environment and socio-economic wellbeing of this State.

The Port of Whyalla is targeted for shipments of ANSTO nuclear fuel waste and communities along proposed nuclear waste transport routes across our State all have a right to have a Say.

Nuclear waste dumping is a Human Rights issue for our fellow Indigenous South Australian’s. As… Read more >>

Clean Futures, Nuclear

Stop the nuclear dump! Don’t dump on SA!

July 1, 2021

 
Please join us this Friday,  July 2 to voice opposition to the Morrison government’s plan to impose a national nuclear waste dump near Kimba in SA.
The nuclear dump is unwanted, unnecessary and unsafe.
It is unanimously opposed by Barngarla Traditional Owners and many other South Australians.
When: Friday July 2, 1 pm for 1.30 start to 3pm
Where: Steps of Parliament House on North Terrace
Some things you can do to help stop the imposition of the proposed nuclear dump:
* Donate to the Barngarla crowdfunder to fund a legal challenge (judicial review).
* Sign the Barngarla petition
* Sign the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) petition
* Join the Adelaide-based ‘Don’t Dump on SA’ group, we meet on zoom every Tuesday (or sometimes every second Tuesday). Contact: jim.green@foe.org.au, 0417 318368

Actions, Nuclear, Old_Notes