The past week has been exhausting for those actively concerned about radioactive trash dumping in Australia. By and large, the mainstream media has been pretty much silent about the issue of the Commonwealth government’s hunt for a dump site for the Lucas Heights processed nuclear wastes returning from France and England – the first lot, due soon. Meanwhile for 6 sites selected as suitable, the local communities have been very concerned, and overwhelmingly opposed to the dump.
Previously “non political” country people have converged on Canberra. They, and other concerned Australians, have sent in submissions (due by 11 March) opposing the plan. Organisations such as Australian Conservation Foundation argue persuasively for Lucas Heights as the appropriate site, for the time being. (Others like myself, argue also for the shutting down of the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor – stopping making this toxic radioactive trash). The coming week is also a stressful one. Again, the mainstream media ignores that second nuclear waste dump problem – the shonky South Australian Nuclear Fuel Chain Royal Commission. The Royal Commission announced its Tentative Findings – in a nutshell that it would be great for South Australia to become the global nuclear waste dump.
The Commission asks for responses, to be due in by 18 March. Not so hard to do. Guidelines for comments are up on my website, (thanks to Beyond Nuclear) at Action Australia.
The nuclear lobby continues, aided by the media, to portray this as solely a “South Australian” matter – just for this State supposedly to get filthy rich by inviting in the world’s radioactive trash. If it's gonna be such a bonanza, why hasn’t any other country thought of it?
INTERNATIONAL
11 March – the fifth anniversary of the Fukushima Nuclear Catastrophe. There’s a prevailing attitude in the general world of media, business, and government, that it’s all over – nearly fixed, back to nuclear business as usual. Not true. Indeed, the harrowing truth is otherwise. Dr Tilman Ruff is one of many who have set out the reality of the continuing health and environmental impacts of ionising radiation from Fukushima.
There is also a comprehensive new report , by Dr Ian Fairlea, on the continuing health effects of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.
The whole sorry nuclear story is brought up to date, in a new 15 part series Nuclear Power in Our World Today. Episode One focuses on the “front end” of the nuclear chain – the truly awful and continuing effects of the thousands of old abandoned uranium mines. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nK4t5K2DW8E
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Christina Macpherson
Antinuclear Australia
www.antinuclear.net
www.nuclear-news.net
https://nuclearinformation.wordpress.com/
@ChristinaMac1