Nuclear

Nuclear Royal commission is a snow job

An excellent article in Renew Economy by Friends of the Earth Australia’s anti-nuclear campaigner Dr Jim Green.

SA nuclear Royal Commission is a snow job

“Nuclear Royal Commission is a Snow Job

The South Australian Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission (RC) will release its final report on May 6. It was established to investigate opportunities for SA to expand its role in the nuclear industry beyond uranium mining.

Before his appointment as the Royal Commissioner, Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce said little about nuclear issues but what he did say should have excluded him from consideration. Speaking in November 2014 at a Flinders University guest lecture, Scarce acknowledged being an “an advocate for a nuclear industry”. Just four months later, after his appointment as the Royal Commissioner, he said the exact opposite: “I have not been an advocate and never have been an advocate of the nuclear industry.”

Other than generalisations, and his acknowledgement that he is a nuclear advocate, Scarce’s only comment of substance on nuclear issues in his 2014 lecture was to claim that work is “well underway” on a compact fusion reactor “small enough to fit in a truck”, that it “may be less than a decade away” and could produce power “without the risk of Fukushima-style meltdowns.” Had he done just a little research, Scarce would have learnt that Lockheed Martin’s claims about its proposed compact fusion reactor were met with universal scepticism and ridicule by scientists and even by nuclear industry bodies.

So the SA government appointed Scarce as Royal Commissioner despite knowing that he is a nuclear advocate who has uncritically promoted discredited claims by the nuclear industry. Scarce appointed an Expert Advisory Committee. Despite claiming that he was conducting a “balanced” RC, he appointed three nuclear advocates to the Committee and just one critic. The bias is all too apparent and Scarce’s claim to be conducting a balanced inquiry is demonstrably false.… Read more >>

Antinuclear contingent at the May Day march Sat 30th April

The May Day march is on Saturday 30th April (the closest Saturday to May Day) – meet 10am at the Torrens Parade Ground to march to Light Square for stalls, speeches and entertainment.

There will be an anti nuclear banner to march behind and a stall at the Square asking people to sign our postcards to the Premier.

All welcome

Facebook event here

Contact adelaide.office@foe.org.au for more information.

Hip Hop fundraiser April 29th

Join in the fun at a Hip Hop “Distaste for Nuclear Waste” and Beyonce Booty party to fundraise for the Nuclear Free SA Coalition!

Friday April 29th 7pm at the Adelaide Bike Kitchen 22 Gibson St, Bowden (enter off Third Av.)

See the poster or Facebook event for a list of bands.

FOE Adelaide are a member group of the Nuclear Free SA Coalition.

hip hop