AUSTRALIA

Olympic Dam uranium mine expansion. Justice Besanko will hand down his ruling this Friday 20th April on legal challenge against Federal Environment Minister’s approval for this. Meanwhile, also on 20th April, a Supreme Court first directions hearing of challenge against the South Australian govt’s approval.

? Radiation incident, NSW: New South Wales Pacific Highway road workers’ mysterious illness. Affected by DDT or radiation from a 1980 radioactive transport spill? Inquiry to be held.

Northern Territory govt to allow uranium exploration in water catchment area for planned new dam.

Carbon tax compensation to start in May. Clean Energy Finance Corporation ready to go, and Tony Abbott, no matter how much twisting and turning he does, won’t be able to stop it. Review by expert panel gives the CEFC a good rap.

Federal Politics. Australian Greens. Sudden and gracious resignation of Greens leader Bob Brown. Christine Milne takes over, with a plan for working with rural and regional Australia for sustainable energy. Council of Australian Governments being pressured by BHP and others, especially the South Australian Government, to remove Federal Government environmental jurisdiction over projects. (E.g - it would be so much nicer for Olympic Dam expansion to not have to worry about what the rest of Australia thinks about its water use, or radioactive dust clouds).

Western Australia’s big solar farm due to be operational within months.

Uranium miners ERA and Paladin put on a bold face, but their debts and share price decline tells a different story. Ranger uranium mine may well close down.

INTERNATIONAL

Japan will have no functioning nuclear power after May 5. Discussion and dispute going on about when to restart the 2 Oi nuclear reactors. Japanese government fearful of effect on global nuclear industry, unless they can restart very soon. Govt has very hastily declared those 2 reactors ’safe’. Meanwhile Fukushima nuclear plant by no means safe. especially reactor No 4 with perilous radioactive cooling pond at risk.

India wants to join ’non weapons proliferation States, but just doesn’t want to sign the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty. Meanwhile, India launches nuclear weapons capable missile ’China Killer’ .

UK in a pickle as 2 firms pull out of new nuclear construction, and French firms demand subsidies to build reactors at Hinkley Point and at Sizewell . French firm EDF demands more financial incentives if it is to proceed with new nuclear plant in Cumbria,

Russia’s top nuclear reactor designer arrested for fraud.

USA. Vermont rallying to keep its power to veto building of nuclear reactors. Georgia - court appeal against licensing of 2 new nuclear power plants.

France. Sarkozy in an election embarrassment, forced to admit that he did try for nuclear reactor sale to Gaddafi.

Medical radiation in the news, with concerns over new breast cancer treatment brachytherapy. Also with medical over-radiation scandal in Trinidad.

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Christina Macpherson
Antinuclear Australia
www.antinuclear.net
www.nuclear-news.net

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