The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
The Forum - On Line Opinion's article discussion area



Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Main Articles General

Sign In      Register

The Forum > Article Comments > Labor must accept nuclear fact rather than fiction > Comments

Labor must accept nuclear fact rather than fiction : Comments

By Tristan Prasser, published 6/3/2020

Nuclear energy remains an inconvenient truth for the Australian Labor Party, but such a policy position is becoming increasingly untenable, particularly as the party pushes for a net-zero emissions target.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. Page 5
  7. All
Nuclear would be great but for the catastrophic disasters every 20 years, eg. see The Diplomat (paysite): http://thediplomat.com/2020/03/japans-3-11-recovery-stalled-by-fukushima-decommissioning-delays/ 13 March 2020

"Japan’s 3/11 Recovery Stalled by Fukushima Decommissioning Delays
Delays in dismantling the disaster-stricken nuclear power complex cast doubt on whether recovery goals will move forward according to schedule

The ultimate goal of removing all debris is expected to take anywhere between 30 to 40 years, but progress has been slower than originally planned. So far just one-fourth of decommission work has been completed, drawing attention to work that has not yet begun.

...the latest timetable for debris removal has been pushed back five years, citing the need for additional safety precautions. Previously, the process of removing spent fuel was scheduled from 2021 to 2024. But work on reactor two looks more likely to start in 2025 and last until 2027, followed by reactor one work commencing sometime between March 2028 and March 2029.

...It’s estimated that reactor two alone contains 237 metric tons of debris while reactors one and three contain a combined 880 tons. The complexity of debris removal requires developing specialized technology that does not yet exist.

Also plaguing decommissioning efforts is the battle over how to safely dispose of 1 million tons of contaminated water that were used to cool nuclear fuel. Currently, huge tanks on the premises store the polluted runoff, which could fill 400 Olympic swimming pools, but space is expected to run out by mid-2022.

On average 170 tons of contaminated water is produced to cool fuel in nuclear reactors. Without constant cooling, nuclear fuel risks melting from its own heat in a process called decay heat. With two years needed to prepare a disposal method, time is running out for a final decision.

Government proposals to slowly release contaminated water into the ocean has sparked fierce backlash from locals and the agriculture and fishing industries, who argue traces of radioactive materials such as tritium still found in “treated” water could further harm a region still struggling to restore its international reputation..."
Posted by plantagenet, Saturday, 14 March 2020 8:57:08 AM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
VERY SIGNIFICANT NUCLEAR WASTE DUMP GO AHEAD RULING

The Canberra Times, March 13, 2020 reports http://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6677900/court-rules-against-bid-to-stop-nuke-dump/?cs=14231

"Court rules against bid to stop nuke dump"

Kimba [in South Australia] has been chosen to host a dump for Australia's low to medium-level nuclear waste.

Native title holders on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula have lost a court bid in their continuing fight to stop the federal government establishing a nuclear waste dump near Kimba.

The government recently named a site on a farming property as the location for the dump which will take Australia's low to medium-level nuclear waste material.

The government's decision was informed in part by a ballot of local residents which supported the proposal.

But the Barngarla Determination Aboriginal Corporation [BDAC], the native title holders of the region, argued that their 200-strong community had been unfairly excluded from the ballot on their basis of the Aborgininality.

They appealed to the Full Court of the Federal Court against a single judge's decision to uphold the District Council of Kimba's earlier move.

But the full court dismissed their appeal on Friday.

"It is not correct to say that BDAC's members were excluded from the ballot," the court ruled.

"Membership of BDAC was not a characteristic that disqualified any person from the franchise. Rather, the effect of the resolutions was that possession of native title rights and interests was not included among the various qualifying criteria."

MORE TO FOLLOW
Posted by plantagenet, Sunday, 15 March 2020 6:37:18 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
FROM ABOVE

The Canberra Times, March 13, 2020 reports http://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6677900/court-rules-against-bid-to-stop-nuke-dump/?cs=14231

"The court found the original decision by a single judge was correct in that it concluded that anyone who fulfilled one of 14 criteria could take part in the vote, irrespective of a person's race.

"Similarly, the classes of persons who were excluded from the franchise included persons who were Aboriginal and persons who were not," the appeal judges said.

In his argument, counsel for the Barngarla, Daniel O'Gorman SC, had told the court that their request to take part in the ballot should have been granted.

"This was a ballot of the community, the Kimba community. They are the native title holders of the land surrounding the sites in question," he said.

"Therefore, we submit, they clearly had an interest in the ballot, they clearly had an interest in the dump and whether it goes ahead or not.

"Their mere standing as native title holders, warranted them being included as part of the community."

The ballot ultimately returned about 62 per cent support for the dump, which then Resources Minister Matt Canavan accepted as broad community backing.

Those still opposed to the dump going ahead include some locals, environmental groups as well as indigenous communities.

Legislation to allow construction of the waste facility is before the federal parliament.

The underpinning laws allow for acquisition of land for the facility as well as a $20 million payment for the community to help establish and maintain the site, which is expected to operate for at least 100 years.

Australian Associated Press"

ENDS

PETE COMMENT:The Federal Court decision may possibly be appealed at the High Court.
Posted by plantagenet, Sunday, 15 March 2020 6:39:31 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. Page 5
  7. All

About Us :: Search :: Discuss :: Feedback :: Legals :: Privacy