----- Original Message -----
From: JP Ross
Friends-
Happy New Year wishes from all of us at Vote Solar. 2006 was a banner year
(we'll get you an annual report soon), and 2007 is starting out auspiciously.
To wit: we'd like to point your attention to an article in today's New York
Times on the California solar market. We think the article is important not
just because it quotes Vote Solar's Policy Director JP Ross, but because it does
an excellent job of explaining the factors behind solar's explosive growth in
California.
Much of the article investigates the diverse reasons that motivate people to
invest in solar-from environmental concerns to energy's role in foreign policy,
solar's got something for everyone.
Even more importantly, a strong subtext of the article is the role of policy in
creating effective markets. We've yet to see a better explanation in the press
of why longer term incentive programs are exponentially more effective than
year-to-year incentives, or a more elegant description of net metering. There's
even mention of California's tiered rate structure. JP spent many hours with
the reporter getting the details right, and it is worthy of a read.
As we celebrate our 2006 successes in California and Arizona, we are working
hard to leverage the momentum and have an ambitious agenda for 2007. Look for
more, much more, in the days ahead.
Read it here:http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/04/garden/04solar.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JP Ross
Adam Browning
Gwen Rose
The Vote Solar Initiative
182 2nd Street, Suite 400
San Francisco, CA 94105
www.votesolar.org
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Response to: "Call for a New Energy Revolution" by Brian O'Leary, Ph.D.
31st December, 2006.
What a fabulous article! Please, fellow listmembers, try to distribute it as
widely (and as quickly) as you can!
I would only like to add my 1 cent's worth - oh, no, correct that - maybe my 2
cent's worth! :^)
At the same time as Professor O'Leary's push for research, we humans need to be
implementing (both locally and world-wide) a few simple, quickly-achievable
steps towards lessening the damage and the threat.
Things we can do IMMEDIATELY include:
- Reduce our consumption of energy.
- Replace incandescent light globes with the far-more efficient energy-saving
fluoros (helpful hint: "warm white" ones produce a much nicer light for general
living conditions that the "cool white" or "daylight balanced" ones). Perhaps a
tax could be placed on all incandescent light globes to make the fluoros more
attractive.
- Install solar water heaters on all new buildings. Water heating is a major
consumer of electricity.
- Revise National and State building and zoning regulations to encourage
positioning and designs which promote maximum energy efficiency for all new
buildings so they take the best advantage of the block of land they are on and
need the least amount of energy to heat, cool and light them.
- Plan big public campaigns until really efficient and non-polluting vehicles
are readily available and competitively priced - if we need to subsidise changes
in the automobile and aircraft industries to get this process rolling NOW - so
be it! (But it would be wise to take the opportunity to extract more public
control over operations from the companies in return for receiving such support
from the public purse.)
- Plan NOW for maximum decentralisation of electric power production including
the reduction and ultimately, the dismantling, of our very expensive, ugly and
inefficient power grids. Immense quantities of electricity are wasted each year
just heating power distribution lines.
More decentralisation would also limit massive blackouts after natural
disasters, and provide far less attractive targets to terrorists, besides saving
untold billions of dollars constructing and maintaining power grids and the
massive waste of electrical power they represent.
- Stop building new coal or nuclear plants in Australia unless and until ways
can be found to prevent the massive use of water in both these technologies. All
water used in the generation of electricity by whatever means (and the kinds of
water used, e.g. recycled, seawater, etc), must be truthfully and realistically
costed and factored into ALL planning.
This is, of course, in addition to all the many other very serious concerns with
coal and nuclear technologies, some of which I have touched on in previous
letters.
- Urgently start reducing our very wasteful methods of producing refrigeration
and air-conditioning - two of the largest consumers of electricity.
Raising the temperature control on these appliances a couple of degrees and
using more fans instead of air-conditioning, where appropriate, is an excellent
start, and one we can all start doing NOW.
Refrigeration is usually produced through the use of heat (a small flame is what
makes gas and kerosene-powered refrigerators work, with no moving parts, and
almost no noise). In many situations heat that is presently wasted could be used
to power such units.
A prime example is the waste heat from cars which is now just vented to the
atmosphere and wasted. This heat could and should be used to power the car
air-conditioner - not just the heater. Most estimates I have seen show that
having an air-conditioner running in a vehicle increases fuel use about 15% on
average.
To get back to Professor O'Leary's fascinating essay, I notice he reckons the
U.S. could support the research and development of all these very promising new
energy technologies for only about U.S $1 billion (Aus. $1.265 billion) a year!
What a tiny figure this really is! Australia could very easily provide all of
this money by itself.
Australia spends this much on our military alone every 23 days or so (calculated
at about $55 million per day).
Come on, my fellow Australians, this is a bargain price to pay
Let's not wait for the U.S to take the lead! Let's get things rolling NOW! The
stakes here are truly LIFE and DEATH matters for us all, and time is running
out!
Best wishes to all - lets make 2007 a turning point away from madness and
despair!
NOW IS THE TIME!
John Hill
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
With thanks to Bro and Benny for drawing attention to this poll:
http://www.smh.com.au/polls/national/form.html
Although alternatives to coal are not mentioned (the reason i originally did
not wish to participate, and did not distribute the link), the question is
clear... "Should Australia use nuclear power to generate electricity?"
Results so far...
Yes, it's cleaner than coal - 46%
No, it's too risky - 54%
Total Votes: 7954
wishing you and your family a joyFULL new year...
Anne
my note: i agree with funding for "new energy research", as long as it is
SAFE and will be for the long term good of all. Of course, due to humanity's
urgent requirement to curb CO2 emissions to mitigate greater climate change,
i would argue that such research expenditure be conditional upon immediate
funding (being fully available) for the production of safe and sustainable
energy technolgies for all.
Safe energy production methods need to be created now, for all new
structures,
- and for all existing structures,
- and with the greatest expediency,
- and with ALL available funds.
That is, utilising PROVEN combinations of natural energy souces where the
capture technology already exists, eg, solar energy, wind energy, tidal
energy, wave energy, geothermal energy. Technolgies that exist NOW, and
where (once established) the energy production system produces no further
Carbon Dioxide emissions.
a
------------------
Call for a New Energy Revolution
Brian O'Leary, Ph.D., November 2006, www.brianoleary.com
Prepared for Scientific Discovery, World Innovation Foundation
The world is at an energy crossroads. The alarming new information
coming out of the climate science community confirms the unprecedented
danger faced by all of humanity and nature by mankind's routine burning
of hydrocarbons-oil, coal and natural gas. The resulting emissions of
carbon dioxide and carcinogens into the Earth's atmosphere spell almost
certain doom not only for the environment, but for human systems of
government and commerce as we know them. Human survivability itself is
in question, especially against the backdrop of vast deforestation,
marine habitat destruction, accelerating species extinctions, and the
threat from weapons of mass destruction on Earth, and, perhaps soon, in
space.
Nature is fighting back with heat waves, super storms, rising oceans,
desertification, species and disease vector migrations, and weakening
of the Gulf Stream, in response to warming caused by injection of
record amounts of carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases
into the atmosphere. Despite this, and in the face of dwindling
supplies of hydrocarbons, humans still consume as if there were no
tomorrow. Even modest international agreements such as the Kyoto
Protocols are ignored by the most polluting nations, especially the
United States government, which seems to be more interested in going to
war for oil than transforming its energy infrastructure to cleaner
sources.
This multi-trillion dollar fossil fuel juggernaut is the largest
economic engine ever made in human history. We see record profits for
the petroleum industry while innovation is stifled and largely ignored
by established scientists, leadership and media. Yet innovation in our
energy systems may be the single most important factor for our
survival.
Significant solutions using conventional technology have proven to be
elusive, prompting some scientists and environmentalists such as James
Lovelock, Stewart Brand, John Holdren, Nathan Lewis, Richard Heinberg
and myself to conclude that even the traditional renewables such as
solar, wind, biofuels and hydrogen are not adequate to replace
hydrocarbon combustion. Solar, wind, waves, tides, ocean-thermal,
geothermal, hydropower and satellite solar power can suffer from
intermittency, site unsuitability, diffuseness, limited availability
and materials- and land-intensity. Biofuels such as ethanol and
biodiesel compete with agriculture for land and still inject carbon
dioxide into the atmosphere, albeit not as much as hydrocarbon
combustion. Hydrogen is expensive to produce. It most often requires
more energy to extract hydrogen than you get out of it, making this
fuel an energy carrier but not an energy source. Typical methods of
production (reformation of methane and electrolysis of water) still
consume fossil fuels, emit carbon dioxide and can deplete atmospheric
oxygen.
These fundamental physical limitations have led James Lovelock, Stewart
Brand and others to reluctantly conclude that we should construct
centralized nuclear power stations throughout the globe to produce
electricity through grids in an electric economy. But because of
limited supplies of uranium, high costs, hazardous fuel cycles and
nuclear proliferation concerns, many of us in the scientific community
(e.g., Union of Concerned Scientists, Bulletin of the Atomic
Scientists, Federation of Amercian Scientists) believe this is a very
poor choice for our future. First, the questionable safety of nuclear
power plants, especially in the age of terrorism, presents grave
dangers to us all. The Chernobyl accident of twenty years ago should
provide us ample warning. Moreover, no safe long-term method has yet
been found for disposing of high-level, long-lived radioactive waste-an
inevitable byproduct of the nuclear fuel cycle. Finally, the
proliferation of the technology throughout the world, would inevitably
lead to acquisition of doomsday nuclear weapons by numerous
irresponsible parties.
The prospects for "hot" nuclear fusion are equally dim. In spite of
tens of billions of dollars over decades being spent on trying to
achieve energy "breakeven" using gigantic Tokomak reactors, the results
have thus far been negative. Moreover, nuclear fusion plants would
constitute oversized, vulnerable facilities necessitating the continued
use of ugly, antiquated centralized grid systems.
When full life-cycle environmental costs are considered, none of the
above technologies appear to meet the criteria of
sustainability--absent a breakthrough. By choosing any or some of
them, we could only hope for incremental changes in our energy supply
in the face of accelerating global demand. More importantly, these
alternatives do not address the urgent time factor requirements for
clean energy needed to mitigate global warming.
On the other hand, many new energy technologies have already been
proven in hundreds of demonstrations in laboratories scattered
throughout the world. Any one or some of these approaches, if properly
developed, could end our dangerous dependence on hydrocarbons and
uranium. Clearly the traditional technologies keep us mired in the
nineteenth and twentieth centuries rather than launching us forward
into the twenty-first century. Nevertheless, this conventional
thinking continues to dominate the news these days. Despite the great
need, suppression of new energy has been historically documented in
great detail by those who have taken the time to investigate.
Inventors have suffered funding cuts, threats, sabotage and even
assassination ever since the time of Nicola Tesla more than one century
ago.
We define "new energy" to generally mean innovative technologies with
the potential of providing a quantum leap in our ability to tap cheap,
clean, safe and decentralized energy for producing fuels and
electricity. These may or may not be recognized by mainstream science.
The technologies include:
ADVANCED HYDROGEN TECHNOLOGIES (1) catalytic water molecule
manipulation and dissociation through cheap electrolysis, and (2)
manipulation of hydrogen plasmas with catalysts to induce fractional
quantum electronic states that yield large energy outputs;
COLD FUSION or non-radioactive low-temperature nuclear reactions by
electrochemical means, induced in water and heavy water solutions
catalyzed by (1) palladium cathodes, (2) sonocavitation and (3) other
processes that can produce large amounts of thermal, radiation-free
nuclear energy;
VACUUM ENERGY or zero-point energy, tapping the enormous quantum
potential of every point in space-time, through the use of (1)
super-motors with super-magnets (cf., the experiments of Michael
Faraday in the 1830s), (2) solid state devices, (3) Tesla coils, and
(4) charge clusters; and
THERMAL ENERGY from the environment.
Any one of the above approaches to new energy promises a quantum leap,
i.e., orders of magnitude increase, in our ability to tap and have
abundant clean, cheap, decentralized energy for all of humanity. In
addition, there are many important transitional technologies which can
mitigate emissions in the very near future, as follows:
RECYLING AND SEQUESTRATION OF CO2 AND OTHER POLLUTANTS AT THE SOURCE
through innovative chemistry; and
REMEDIATION OF RADIOACTIVE NUCLEAR WASTE with innovative technologies,
based on the principles of low temperature non-radioactive nuclear
transmutations.
All of the above concepts have already been demonstrated in
laboratories throughout the world (I have seen many such
demonstrations) and have been published in the peer-reviewed
literature. But implementing them has proven difficult because there
is no significant support. This lack of support for outside-the-box
thinking is familiar to those who know the history of innovation. That
is to say, there is generally a bias against the credibility of a new
technology until it is accepted by the mainstream culture. The most
strident objectors are often scientists themselves because some of
their treasured "laws" appear to be broken by breakthrough experiments
that often lead to profound technological change. And, as Russell
stated in the quote at the beginning of this essay, the bigger the
change the bigger still is the resistance, by a large margin. In spite
of these severe limitations, I propose here that the transformation of
our energy culture to one based on new energy is necessary for our
survival, and that we should embark on a research and development
program as soon as possible.
History is replete with examples of disbelief of new technologies when
they first emerge. One example is aviation during its early days. The
reporter who covered the Wright brothers' maiden flight in 1903 was
fired from his position because his editor denied that heavier-than-air
flight was possible. In 1905, Scientific American wrote an editorial
saying that aviation was a "fraud" because it wasn't reported, even
though, by that time, thousands of eyewitnesses had seen the Wrights
fly. It took a few years longer to establish the credibility of
aviation, thanks to a public demonstration for U.S. president Theodore
Roosevelt. Before then, we had been embroiled in a vicious cycle of
media and scientific blackouts of reality.
A few months ago, I received a call from the producer of a BBC
television special on energy solutions to environmental problems. He
wanted to interview me on new energy. Days later the interview was
mysteriously cancelled when he admitted that their "new energy" segment
would be confined to Tokomak nuclear "hot" fusion technologies rather
than any of the concepts I had explored. To this day, the mainstream
Western media has blacked out mention of true new energy.
Unfortunately, in these times, the leading innovative nation, the
United States, is living in fear since this century opened, with the
inauguration of George Bush as its unelected president and its violent
overreaction to the attacks of September 11, 2001. The nation appears
to be too distracted by wars, repression, and the dominance by large
corporations who don't embrace technological change outside of their
own interests. The public awareness of the gravity of the global
environmental crisis and the innovative spirit of America have gone
underground, awaiting the opportunity to be sanctioned by the larger
culture.
There is much discussion now about how the warnings we hear from
leading atmospheric scientists continue to be ignored and scoffed at by
those in power. In a refreshing counterpoint to politics-as-usual,
former U.S. vice president Al Gore recently said that our children
"deserve better than the spectacle of censorship of the best scientific
evidence about the truth of our situation and harassment of honest
scientists who are trying to warn us about the looming catastrophe."
Yet there exists a second group of scientists involved in new energy
research that has been suppressed even more. These truly unsung heroes
of innovation will eventually take their place in our quest for
solutions.
New energy would shift the paradigm overnight. We will need public
policies in place to:
Do the necessary R&D Apollo-style in secured laboratories, gathering
teams of the best and brightest scientists and engineers in the field.
But first we should support a wide variety of inventors and
technologies throughout the world. Surprisingly, this seed effort
would only be on the order of $1 billion per year for the first few
years, equivalent to a few days to weeks of fighting in Iraq or profits
for ExxonMobil. Funds could come from public and/or private sources
(at the moment, the new energy researchers receive no public support
and only scattered private support). The seed money can come in the
form of small business grants and loans to the 100-200 most promising
researchers until they can attract capital or open source their
technologies. As the technologies mature, we can expect the actual
amount of investment and return to end up being significantly greater,
depending on a number of factors other than the true R&D costs.
1. The goal is to produce prototypes for the marketplace as soon
as possible. Whatever management model emerges, we must leave no stone
unturned in
this quest because of the urgency of the global crisis. Fortunately, the
range
of technologies is already broad and far-reaching. The research effort
should be
international in scope and be immune to the political vicissitudes and
corruptions of
leadership and corporate dominance in the United States and elsewhere.
Therefore, the
research may need to be done discreetly at first under responsible and
publicly
accountable auspices.
2. Provide public forums to debate and discuss how to implement the most
viable new
energy options to reverse climate change and pollution; and provide
education and demonstrations for the world community. We need to plan
conversion scenarios that can help industries and governments make the
necessary transition to a new energy economy, free of corruption and
monopoly. We need to assess the full life-cycle environmental impact of
each alternative and its safety. We don't want to repeat the mistakes of
touting the benefits of nuclear energy without properly assessing its
dangers and hidden costs.
While being politically incorrect at the moment, the consideration of new
energy needs to be at the forefront of future energy policy discussions. It
is too late to deny this, and we certainly don't want the control of these
technologies to fall into the wrong hands by
default. In former U.S. president Dwight Eisenhower's words, "Only an alert
and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge
industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and
goals so that security and liberty may prosper together."
New energy needs to be controlled by the citizens of the world and so, in
my opinion, a strong grassroots movement will become vitally important.
I cannot stress too strongly that an aggressive program to develop new
energy is what humanity requires to survive this perilous situation. It
may be painful for us to address these issues and may seem a bit far-fetched
at first, but I can assure the interested reader that these technologies are
very real and can be developed as public policy. To
that end, some of us are working now with the progressive elements of the
U.S. Congress to draft legislation for providing public support for new
energy R&D.
We shouldn't rely exclusively on those mainstream scientists, journalists
and pundits who deny the reality of new energy. Some of these sceptics do
not seem to understand that we are in the research phase of an R&D cycle,
and we cannot expect yet to have the kind of
commercial prototype demonstration they desire in order to be convinced.
They are just as ignorant as those scientists who denied the practicality of
aviation even after the Wright brothers were flying. But to expect the
Wrights to immediately deliver a 737 would
have been unrealistic-or insane.
But, for the sake of argument, let us grant for a moment the remote
possibility that the sceptics are right and that no new energy source were
to prove to be practical for one reason or another. Would doing the
research have proven to be a waste of time and money? Of course not. The
path of discovery always comes up with unexpected surprises, and I would
opt for such a modest effort, compared to the costs of war
and polluting energy, when our survival is at stake. It is time to put
altruism and creativity ahead of near-term profit.
Meanwhile, because of the urgency of the problem, I would encourage
innovators throughout the world to move ahead to organize themselves to team
up, obtain the necessary resources and perform research and development of
new energy-in spite of cultural pressures to act otherwise. All of us
should become educated about the possibilities and collectively support
these pioneers of innovation, because we need
all the help we can get to convert civilization from a catastrophic energy
age to a new energy age.
Notes:
For the interested reader, there are many books, articles and websites
that describe new energy systems. Some of them are listed on
HYPERLINK "http://www.newenergymovement.org" www.newenergymovement.org,
HYPERLINK "http://www.newenergycongress.org" www.newenergycongress.org
and HYPERLINK "http://www.brianoleary.com" www.brianoleary.com.
summarize the larger context of new energy in my books, Miracle in the
Void and Re-Inheriting the Earth, and in a review paper co-authored
with Stephen Kaplan published in the Review of the Scientific and
Medical Network, U.K., no. 70, December 1999 issue.
I thank Joel Garbon and Jon Cypher for insightful editing.
About the Author:
Dr. Brian O'Leary received his Ph.D. in astronomy in 1967 at the
University of California at Berkeley, with a specialty in atmospheric
physics and energy science. He served as a NASA scientist-astronaut,
assistant professor at Cornell, with visiting appointments in planetary
science at Caltech and technology assessment at the U.C. Berkeley law
school. In 1975, he advised the U.S. Congress Subcommittee on Energy
and the Environment and wrote position papers and speeches for
presidential candidate Morris Udall on nuclear energy challenges and
alternative energy sources. He has also served on the physics
faculties of Princeton University and Hampshire College. Dr. O'Leary
is author of 100 peer-reviewed papers in the scientific literature, as
many popular articles, and ten books on space, technology and energy
policy. He has spoken at over 1000 venues worldwide. He is a AAAS
Fellow, WIF Fellow, co-founder of the International Association of New
Science and founder of the New Energy Movement. He is cofounding the
New Energy Truth Movement, providing credibility, education, and
activism of new energy issues to the general public, including topical
articles, presentations and forums on the internet and in public.
With forty years of post-Ph.D. experience in many different positions
in research, teaching at leading universities, in government and
independently, Dr. O'Leary has acquired a reputation as a leading
analyst of research and development choices, which he expresses as the
"thin edge of a wedge" of technological and social change. He feels
that if new energy research continues to be unsupported, the other
choices such as weapons and polluting energy will continue to dominate.
Most recently he is founding with his wife Meredith a learning and
research retreat, Montesueños, in the Andes of Ecuador, a center for
peace, sustainability, new science and the arts. Further information,
writings and CV can be found on HYPERLINK "http://www.brianoleary.com"
www.brianoleary.com. He can be reached at HYPERLINK
"mailto:oleary1998@..." oleary1998@....
reposted due to significance...
From: "John Hill" <wynhill@...
Reply-To: ClimateChangeAction-subscribe@...
To: <ClimateChangeAction@...
Subject: Nuclear Mischief and censorship?
Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2006 22:13:56 +1000
I thought listmembers might be interested to see the hurried note I made
today referring to the article: "Happy Nuke Year" by Nicolette Burke which
the Daily Telegraph ran on the PM's comments on the Final Report on Uranium
Mining and Nuclear Power in Australia (which had not yet been made public).
When I went back to the Daily Telegraph site a few minutes ago to see if my
comments were there, I found that the article: "Happy Nuke Year" appears to
have been suddenly removed from the Daily Telegraph site and replaced with
a less controversial article entitled: Put nuclear plant next to me - PM By
David Crawshaw and Lisa Allan.
I have just written the following note to the Daily Telegraph blog and am
awaiting an answer:
"What happened to the original article that I replied to earlier
entitled: "Happy Nuke Year" by Nicolette Burke?
When I click on it now in Google News I get another article called "Put
nuclear plant next to me - PM" by David Crawshaw and Lisa Allan.
I have searched your site and archives diligently and cannot find the
article by Nicolette Burke listed anywhere.
It appears it may have been "pulled" or censored. Would you please
confirm or deny this. If it hasn't been deleted please tell readers where
they can find it. If it has been "pulled" and replaced with another article
please let us know why and at whose behest?
John Hill"
Here is the original note I wrote to the Blog in response to the article
"Happy Nuke Year."
"Posted by John Hill of Cooktown on Fri 29 Dec 06 at 01:16pm I have yet
to see the Final Report on Nuclear Power but can only hope the Final Report
no longer contains the dishonest and misleading statements contained in the
Draft Report.
I complained about these distortions of the truth in an official
submission to the Draft Report. Among others the Draft Report contained
gems such as:
"Similarly, other environmental impacts of the nuclear fuel cycle
including air pollution emissions, land use and water use are either
comparable to or significantly lower than conventional fossil fuels and
renewables."
As the panel producing the Draft Report were supposed to be "experts"
this bizarre statement can only be taken as a deliberate mistruth
propagated on behalf of the nuclear industry to undermine the use of
renewables.
Another great clanger in the Draft Report was the claim that only 31
people had died from the Chernobyl disaster but later on in the Report
admitted (in very fine print) that about 9,000 people were expected to die
from its effects.
We need, I believe, to be putting our resources and money into providing
more renewables NOW and improving them in the future, rather than waiting
for years to develop what will always be a very risky and unnecessary
nuclear program.
If the new report is more truthful and balanced maybe it should be
considered further. If not, it should be consigned to the wastebasket along
with the Draft Report."
My comments and others may be accessed at:
http://blogs.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/yoursay/index.php/dailytelegraph/comment\
s/is_nuclear_power_the_way_to_go/#commentsmore
Howard is pushing for the nuclear option to be fast-tracked.
I think it would be great if as many people as possible would complain
about the lack of time for proper public consultation of such a major
issue, that it has been handled in a very misleading way, and that the
whole process seems to have been deliberately timed to be released during
Christmas-New Years when people are naturally distracted with other things.
If the govt. commits itself to developing nuclear power plants (which are
unlikely to come on line for at least 10-15 years and may well, in the long
run, prove to be economically unfeasible anyway - not to mention the many
other disadvantages) there will not be enough money to start dealing with
the problems of excessive greenhouse gas emissions NOW. If they made the
money available we could start cutting carbon emissions right away using
present technologies.
Is there any way we can get these and related issues across to the general
public in time?
Is there any way we can effectively counter the huge resources ranged
against us and their attempts to mislead and steamroll the populace into
accepting nuclear power as a clean, green, safe alternative?
Thanks,
John Hill
-----------------
Thank you for your media censorship and nuclear propoganda exposure John.
Clearly "dishonest" representations to the public when dealing with the
nuclear industry.
Sickening, yet clearly present for ALL to now see and clealy understand.
the truth about what we are fed to read by our corporately sponsored media.
in fact... wonderful...
Your methodically thorough efforts, honesty and patience, my dear friend,
have hit pay dirt.
Allow some time for those who lie, cheat and steal to completely paint
themselves into such a corner as they will put themselves out of the picture
...forever.
joy 4 uz
:-)
a
Bless you John
You play a very important part in shaping our actions.
As I see it, there are those who do the research, and those that do the
acting in this evolving movement. All in all everyone plays a part on the
world stage. I give the oscar for 2006 best activist to Al Gore. Let keep
getting bolder and better at our roles in 2007 for this the election year.
Magic happens!
Yours Benny Zable
>From: "John Hill" <wynhill@...>
>Reply-To: ClimateChangeAction@...
>To: <ClimateChangeAction@...>
>Subject: Re: [ClimateChangeAction] Nuclear Mischief and censorship?
>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2006 19:24:52 +1000
>
>Dear Anne and Benny:
>
>Thank you both for all your encouragement - it is good to know that one is
>not alone. I have not enjoyed having to do all this and be a continual
>messenger of bad news over the holiday season but I felt it was important
>to make sure they weren't able to slip everything past the public's noses
>while they were distracted with Christmas and New Year's parties (an old
>trick - but often a very effective one!)
>
>Anne, I wish I could come down to Canberra with you - I would if I was
>closer but I really can't afford it and I don't think "They" would really
>listen to me anyway - I am sure they have long ago written me off as an old
>crank. However, I will continue on from here trying to raise public
>awareness of the deception and lies being peddled to us all.
>
>Being an election year I expect the heat will turn up and I am sure the
>"backroom boys" are already working on new surprises aimed at keeping Big
>Business safe after the next election. I am sure that all options are on
>the table - I try not to think about it too often as the possibilities are
>really depressing and frightening to think about.
>
>Benny, thanks for reminding us all that "we" (i.e. non-indigenous
>Australians) are all living on stolen land. If we are ever to develop into
>a happy, harmonious society, with true "mateship" as it's basic principle,
>this recognition will have to be made someday and some sort of
>reconciliation brought about that gives Aboriginal people justice, a real
>share in the riches of this "Lucky Country," and a real and lasting
>equality and respect and true friendship from the rest of us.
>
>Let us hope that (in spite of all the evidence pointing to the contrary)
>2007 is a more peaceful and happier than 2006!
>
>Cheers and best wishes to all!
>
>John Hill
>................................
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Anne Goddard
> To: ClimateChangeAction@...
> Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2006 3:59 PM
> Subject: Re: [ClimateChangeAction] Nuclear Mischief and censorship?
>
>
> come on down John... lets go to Canberra!
>
> and ask them to listen to us....
>
> and you guys can help me gather signatures ....
>
> think about it...
> anyone else coming?
>
> Warm regards
> Anne
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "benny zable" <bennyzable@...>
> To: <ClimateChangeAction@...>
> Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2006 7:37 AM
> Subject: RE: [ClimateChangeAction] Nuclear Mischief and censorship?
>
> Bless you John for having faith in the government.
> In any case your actions are a necessary for keeping the debate ongoing
>that
> has really been among the privileged, with a forgone conclusion by the
> spinners of the industry, to go ahead developing this toxic industry.
> Enclosed below are actions that is in need to be followed up and acted
>upon
> to empower us plebs at the bottom of the heap.
>
> Benny Zable
>
> As Melbourne prepares for a big rally in April, what about making some
> statements on Australia Day/Invasion Day at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy
>in
> Canberra.
> I want to remind you that the Aboriginal people are again being abused
> disempowered on THEIR land with an increase of mining uranium and the
>burial
> of radioactive waste on THEIR land.
> Let us walk with them empower them on this day, that celebrates the
> invasion, conquest and exploitation of THIER lands and culture which has
> brought us to this situation today.
> I suggest Palm Sunday be also be SORRY DAY as this celebrates the Howard
> government again embarking on a new wave of genocide. Lets meet for a
>series
> of rolling demos till D-day on election day to see Australia make world
> history with the election of a GREEN government.
>
> "The ultimate measure of people is not where they stand in moments of
> comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge and
> controversy." - Dr Martin Luther King Jr
>
> REMEMBER:
>
> This island continent has always been and always will be Aboriginal
>Land.
>
> Yours Benny Zable
>
> PS
>
> Attached is the poster distribute post up, talk up and help revive the
> Aboriginal Tent Embassy and Aboriginal Soereignty
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Felicity Hill" <felicity.hill@...>
> To: <undisclosed-recipients:>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 5:48 PM
> Subject: Palm Sunday - 1 April - news from Melbourne
>
> Greetings from the Palm Sunday Alliance in Melbourne,
>
> Two weeks ago in Melbourne a meeting was called to brainstorm how peace,
> faith, union, environment, social justice and medical groups could
> organize around Palm Sunday (which falls on April Fools Day in 2007), to
> have some serious fun while sending some serious peace and anti-nuclear
> messages home to the government and the ALP.
>
> This note shares information about what we have decided and planned thus
> far, and is an invitation to get involved and to think and talk over the
> holiday break about how to make this day both fun and politically
> effective.
>
> *At the Melbourne meeting we:
> * Decided to call ourselves the Palm Sunday Alliance for a peaceful
> and nuclear free future, with Palm Sunday Alliance for short,
> which is open to all groups wishing to participate
>
> * Drafted some loose demands which we were determined would include
> positive alternatives, not just no, no, no, which we thought about
> and agreed at our next meeting (see below)
>
> * Drafted some very simple text for a poster and flier, which is
> still under discussion and very much open to suggestions (see below)
>
> * Brainstormed about the large variety of themes, events and ideas
> that could be developed by other groups around Australia (see below)
>
> * Agreed that a fun, comedy filled event that plays on the April
> Fools theme will be attractive to those recently disempowered or
> turned off demonstrating, while serious enough on the substantive
> peace and nuclear issues to make a political impact
>
> * Decided to establish a website www.NuclearFoolsDay.org (not yet
> live but bought) on which we would be more than happy to advertise
> all Palm Sunday events and activities around the country
>
> * Decided to organise a large public meeting in February on the
> issues as part of the build up and outreach
>
> So far the following groups have endorsed Palm Sunday events: Intensive
> outreach to expand this list will start in 2007
>
> Medical Association for the Prevention of War, Friends of the Earth,
> Australian Conservation Foundation, Environment Centre of the Northern
> Territory, Peace Organisation of Australia, Women's International League
> for Peace and Freedom, Australian Student Environment Network, Nuclear
> Disarmament Party, Global Climate Change Action, Action in Solidarity
> with Asia and the Pacific, Socialist Alliance, Catholics in Coalition
> for Justice and Peace (CCJP), Alice Action, Arid Lands Environment
> Centre, Greenpeace, Nuclear Free Australia, Stop the War Coalition
> *
> *Demands: *
> *
> Don't be a Nuclear Fool:
>
> * Stop nuclear power in Australia: Renewables not reactors!
> * Stop uranium mining: Leave it in the ground!
> * Stop nuclear weapons: Put down the US nuclear umbrella!
> * Stop nuclear waste: No waste dump in Australia!
>
> Stop the Nuclear Fool Cycle!
> *
> *In Melbourne the Palm Sunday Alliance has so far decided to:*
> * Organize a fun and upbeat Peace Parade and Festival,
> * Start from Treasury Gardens where we will fly kites in the park
> and form a human peace symbol for an aerial photograph
> * Parade through the city to Federation Square for comedy and
> entertainment
> * Encourage people to dress up and make props, signs and bike
> extensions around the peace and Nuclear Fool theme
> * Invite Leunig to do the design for the poster, which could be used
> nation wide if space was left for folks to fill in city/town
> specific details
> * Invite Critical Mass and Bicycle Victoria to increase the cyclists
> peddling us out of the Nuclear Fool Cycle
> * Invite comedians in the Melbourne Comedy Festival (which starts
> only days after Palm Sunday) to participate; we are in
> communication with organizers about who will be in town - they
> want cross advertising so its likely we'll get some good laughs
> * Invite schools to include lessons about peace and sustainability
> in their teaching, including paper crane and kite making for
> flying on Palm Sunday
> * Invite faith based groups to participate on the day, possibly they
> could issue an ecumenical statement and ceremony as in the past
> * Enter the Moomba Birdwo/man Rally in March with a contraption that
> advertises Palm Sunday and peace
>
> Other ideas for themes and actions that folks in other centres may find
> useful:
>
> * The Fool on the Hill: might be a good theme for Canberra groups,
> or general reference to Johnny Howard
> * Get a sign on letter and publish it in the papers
> * Ensure that the voices of atomic victims and survivors are heard
> * Clearly advertise a dress up theme, as clowns, as fools, so people
> can participate very easily
> * Hold a Yellow Cake competition
> * Drop a hypothetical bomb in a popular place - show the impact,
> visually, with markers & symbols
> * Project images and slogans onto night time surfaces/buildings of
> major cities
> * Stage some kind of mock nuclear waste spill at a busy location
> * Ask the remaining members of Midnight Oil to perform, plus other bands
> * Use as many comedians as possible
> * Get the local Mayor for Peace, or soon to be Mayor for Peace involved
> * Invite Tim Costello to participate
> * Use candles
> * Use donkeys (from palm Sunday church services), and tractors and
> horses where they have em
> * Invite church goers to bring their palms and use them in the day
> somehow
> * Get a bunch of Peace Boats on the river
> * Let off balloons with information about radiation traveling in the
> wind, asking folks to call in to register where they found balloon
> * Have family friendly kid activities like picnic, kite flying,
> crane making/hanging in addition to rally speakers
> * Not use the word rally, but parade or festival
> * Invite politicians along to question them about their views on
> nuclear issues
> * Do actions outside ALP MP offices before the day
> * Get a national sign on letter to give to an ALP official to
> register unity of the NGOs
> * Invite veterans, the RSL to participate and the victims of the
> Maralinga nuclear tests to speak - ensure these victims of nuclear
> weapons are visible and remembered 50 years after the British
> fenced off an area the size of England and then blew up 7 bombs
> and contaminated an area the size of London for 250,000 years
> * Table a Senate motion urging the government to support our efforts
> in promoting a nuclear-free Australia
> * Get the Channel Seven's Sunrise program on board
>
> DRAFT Poster language:
>
> Don't be a Nuclear Fool!
> Join the Palm Sunday Peace Parade & Festival!
>
> April Fools Day
> 1pm Gather at Treasury Gardens
> 2pm Parade to Federation Square
>
> Dress foolishly, ride your bike, fly your kite!
>
> Stop nuclear power in Australia: Renewables not reactors!
> Stop uranium mining: Leave it in the ground!
> Stop nuclear weapons: Put down the US nuclear umbrella!
> Stop nuclear waste: No waste dump in Australia!
> Stop the Nuclear Fool Cycle!
>
> www.NuclearFoolsDay.org
>
> Organised by the Palm Sunday Alliance
> for a peaceful and nuclear free future
>
> DRAFT outreach text we are still working on to widen the appeal*
> *
> Don't be a Nuclear Fool!
> Join the Palm Sunday Peace Parade & Festival!
>
> Palm Sunday falls on April Fools Day in 2007.
>
> You and your organisation are invited to join the Palm Sunday Alliance
> -made up of faith, medical, social justice and environment
> organisations- who have come together to organise a parade and festival
> for a peaceful and nuclear free future on 1 April.
>
> Information about our meetings, participants and plans are here
> www.NuclearFoolsDay.org
>
> Gathering at Treasury Gardens at 1pm on April Fools Day to fly kites,
> adjust costumes and make a human peace symbol for an aerial photograph,
> the parade will move off at 2pm to Federation Square for a peace
> festival with comedians and entertainment.
>
> This will be a family-friendly, foolish and fun day to drive home some
> deadly serious messages to all political parties:
>
> Stop nuclear power in Australia: Renewables not reactors!
> Stop uranium mining: Leave it in the ground!
> Stop nuclear weapons: Put down the US nuclear umbrella!
> Stop nuclear waste: No waste dump in Australia!
> Stop the Nuclear Fool Cycle!
>
> Our government is contemplating 25 nuclear reactors by 2050: No Way!
>
> The Prime Minister's hand-picked nuclear 'taskforce' recommended in
> November that Australia build 25 reactors along our fragile coast line
> to supply a third of our electricity by 2050. Too slow, too expensive,
> too dangerous and too much water would be wasted on this - wind is
> cheaper and quicker and doesn't cause drought or wars.
>
> Don't be a Ruddy Fool Mr. Rudd: Wake up and read the polls!
>
> 78% per cent of ALP voters don't want any new uranium mines in Australia
> or want uranium mining stopped altogether, compared to 16% favouring new
> mines, a ratio of nearly 5:1. And 66% of the general public polled don't
> want any new uranium mines in Australia or want uranium mining stopped
> altogether, only 22% support increased uranium mining - a ratio of 3:1
> (Newspoll 30 May 2006). ALP should learn from the bitter uranium debates
> of the 1980s in which they lost members and votes. Now is not the time
> to review the ALP "no new mines" policy.
>
> Australia is selling uranium to China, a nuclear weapon state: Nuclear
> Fools! *
>
> Our government boasts that it opposes nuclear weapons and has the
> highest "safeguards" standards for export of uranium. Rubbish! Australia
> actually normalises and legitimises nuclear weapons by participating in
> the US nuclear umbrella. If Australia is serious about nuclear
> disarmament, the government should never sell uranium, particularly to
> countries with nuclear weapons. Safeguards provide only an 'illusion of
> protection.' Australian and international safeguards cannot guarantee
> that Australian uranium does not end up in nuclear weapons.
>
> *Nuclear is NO SOLUTION to climate change!
>
> Nuclear energy is not emissions free or 'greenhouse friendly'. According
> to the German Environment Ministry, the building and decommissioning of
> reactors, and the mining, processing and extensive transportation of
> uranium releases carbon dioxide in quantities comparable to burning
> natural gas. Nuclear power provides about 15% of global electricity
> generation and electricity contributes about 30% of human made
> greenhouse gases. If we doubled the existing 442 nuclear reactors to 884
> by mid-century, we would only reduce greenhouse emissions by 5%. It is
> economically, practically and politically inconceivable that enough new
> nuclear power plants could be brought on line quickly enough to make a
> significant contribution to mitigating climate change in the next decade
> or two, the critical period during which we must take the steps which
> will set us on the road to avoiding dangerous climate change. Nuclear
> energy has never been able to compete on the open market, and has never
> been commercially viable anywhere without massive public taxpayer
> subsidies. Numerous studies have shown that a dollar invested in energy
> efficiency is up to seven times more effective in reducing greenhouse
> emissions than a dollar invested in nukes.
>
> www.NuclearFoolsDay.org
>
> So..... Keep your thinking caps on over the holiday period, and lets get
> busy in January! Our work will begin in earnest next year, and we look
> forward to an inspiring Palm Sunday.
>
> best wishes
> Felicity Hill on behalf of the Melbourne Palm Sunday Alliance
>
> Felicity Hill
> Campaign Coordinator
> ICAN - International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear weapons
> Medical Association for Prevention of War
>
> www.icanw.org www.mapw.org.au www.ippnw.org
>
> Phone: + 61 38344 1637
> Fax: + 61 38344 1638
> Mobile: + 61 43239 8261
>
> Skype address: icanflick
>
> Postal Address: MAPW, P O Box 1379, Carlton, Vic 3053, Australia
> Visiting Address: MAPW Alan Gilbert Building, 2nd Floor, 161 Barry
> Street, Carlton, Vic 3053
>
> Listen to 3CR 855 AM every Friday morning at 7.45 for an ICAN update!
> Streaming via www.3cr.org.au
> ---------------------------------
> original message from "bro"
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Anne Goddard" <anne@...>
> To: <ClimateChangeAction@...>;
> <Oz-envirolink@...>; <green-global@...>;
> <green-activist@...>
> Cc: <bro@...>
> Sent: Sunday, December 10, 2006 4:18 PM
> Subject: [Green-Activist] Re: [ClimateChangeAction] Some campaign
> strategysuggestions re climate change
>
> I really like the idea of an "April Fuels" day...
>
> Hiya Members :-)
> I have invited "Bro" to join the CCA group.
>
> Some campaign strategy suggestions re climate change
>
> >>Posted by: "Bro" bro@...
> >>via "greenleap"
> >>Mon Dec 4, 2006 8:18 pm (PST)
> >>John Howard is (unless I have had a seniors' moment) the first serious
> >>Australian politician since Sir Charles Court thirty years ago to run
> >>nuclear reactors (not to mention the whole damn fuel cycle) up his
>flag
> >>pole.
> >>
> >>Court the Elder used to speak of WA as the world's energy farm. Peter
> >>Costello spruiks our involvement in the G20 in terms "Energy our
>freeway
> >>to the future" (The Age, lead story 18 November).
> >>
> >>Meanwhile almost 7000 people have voted in the current Yahoo web poll
> >>"What is the most important issue under discussion at the current APEC
> >>summit?"
> >>with the following result from a choice of four answers:
> Climate Change 59%:
> Iraq 19%;
> Economic Development 18%;
> Undecided 4%.
> >>
> >>For the people climate change is the issue: for the Government it's
> >>consuming ever more energy with a bit of highly-vexed
> >>pollution-ameliorating
> >>expensive, yet-to-be demonstrated technology.
> >>
> >>And the Sunday Times (19/11) reports:
> >>
> >>'With the caucus aghast at Mr Beazley's latest verbal stumble, it will
>be
> >>badly buffeted by the latest Ipsos-Mackay poll to be broadcast on
>Channel
> >>10's Meet the Press this morning.
> >>
> >>The survey shows that 60 per cent of Australians think the issue of
> >>climate change will play an important part in how they vote at the
>next
> >>election.
> >>
> >>While 24 per cent believed the Greens would be the best party
>federally
> >>to handle global warming, they were closely followed by the Coalition
>on
> >>23
> >>per cent.
> >>
> >>Remarkably, Labor trailed both parties, on 19 per cent.
> >>
> >>The results will be deeply unsettling for many federal Labor MPs who
> >>already have a question mark over Mr Beazley's performance.
> >>
> >>The recurring complaint from his internal critics is that he fails to
> >>``cut through'' to voters with the Opposition's message.
> >>
> >>The Ipsos-Mackay poll will simply confirm that impression, especially
> >>since John Howard has widely been seen to have been wrong-footed on
> >>climate
> >>change since the publication three weeks ago of the British
> >>Government-sponsored
> >>Stern Report.
> >>
> >>The report concluded that Earth faced catastrophic consequences unless
> >>climate change was confronted. Mr Howard has been a self-confessed
> >>``climate change sceptic'' and has refused to sign up to the Kyoto
> >>Protocol. "
> >>
> >>Speaking to mainly young people at the Make Poverty History Concert on
> >>17/11 Tim Costello said (of course, it's not news other than he said
>it
> >>about
> >>him for, I believe, the first time):
> >>
> >>"I do have a brother. That brother, along with both sides of politics,
> >>has failed to see with the same moral clarity what your generation
>gets
> >>This
> >>is how politicians govern: they wet their finger, they put it up to
>the
> >>air
> >>and they say which way is the wind blowing."
> >>
> >>I've been banging on now for 6 months about the next federal election,
> >>and particularly the long lead up to it, being a once in a lifetime
> >>opportunity to blow the winds of sustainability with
>frostbite-inducing
> >>force over
> >>the wet fingers of our political leaders. The hooks being
>ever-increasing
> >>public concern over the impacts of climate change and the capture of
>the
> >>Government's (and, led by Ferguson and Fitzgibbon, a proportion of the
> >>Opposition's) agenda by the carbonucleophiles ("carbon dioxide - we
>call
> >>it the stuff of life!").
> >>
> >>1 April 2007 falls on a Sunday.
> >>
> >>Noting the success of the recent Walk Against Warming, as part of an
> >>escalating campaign for a real, anti-nuclear response to climate
>change
> >>significant nationwide actions on "April Fuels" day seem to me to be
> >>worthy of contemplation and organisation.
> >>
> >>I shrink from showing my age by raising memories of 1977 or even using
> >>the term "mobilisation" (or looking ahead to 6 August 2007) for what
>might
> >>be
> >>contemplated and organised.
> >>
> >>I would be grateful to receive any views that people may have on these
> >>Sunday morning musings.
> >>
> >>Cheers, bro
> >>
> >>Dr Bro Sheffield-Brotherton B.Sc.(Hons), Ph.D, Dip.Ed, MEIANZ
> >>Chairman, Sustainable Solutions Pty Ltd
> >>Scientific Advisor, National Toxics Network
> >>Honorary Life Member, Australian Conservation Foundation
> >>Member, Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand
> >>47 Prentice Street
> >>Elsternwick 3185
> >>AUSTRALIA
> >>Ph: +613 9528 1957, Mob: +614 1230 3 718
> >>Fax: +613 9528 5100
> >>Email: bro@...
> >>
> >>"The ultimate measure of people is not where they stand in moments of
> >>comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge
>and
> >>controversy." - Dr Martin Luther King Jr
> >>
> >>"The danger is when you get old like us you may become soonical." -
> >>Dagmar Schroeder
>
> >From: "John Hill" <wynhill@...>
> >Reply-To: ClimateChangeAction@...
> >To: <ClimateChangeAction@...>
> >Subject: [ClimateChangeAction] Nuclear Mischief and censorship?
> >Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2006 22:13:56 +1000
> >
> >I thought listmembers might be interested to see the hurried note I
>made
> >today referring to the article: "Happy Nuke Year" by Nicolette Burke
>which
> >the Daily Telegraph ran on the PM's comments on the Final Report on
>Uranium
> >Mining and Nuclear Power in Australia (which had not yet been made
>public).
> >
> >When I went back to the Daily Telegraph site a few minutes ago to see
>if my
> >comments were there, I found that the article: "Happy Nuke Year"
>appears to
> >have been suddenly removed from the Daily Telegraph site and replaced
>with
> >a less controversial article entitled: Put nuclear plant next to me -
>PM By
> >David Crawshaw and Lisa Allan.
> >
> >I have just written the following note to the Daily Telegraph blog and
>am
> >awaiting an answer:
> > "What happened to the original article that I replied to earlier
> >entitled: "Happy Nuke Year" by Nicolette Burke?
> >
> > When I click on it now in Google News I get another article called
>"Put
> >nuclear plant next to me - PM" by David Crawshaw and Lisa Allan.
> >
> > I have searched your site and archives diligently and cannot find the
> >article by Nicolette Burke listed anywhere.
> >
> > It appears it may have been "pulled" or censored. Would you please
> >confirm or deny this. If it hasn't been deleted please tell readers
>where
> >they can find it. If it has been "pulled" and replaced with another
>article
> >please let us know why and at whose behest?
> >
> > John Hill"
> >Here is the original note I wrote to the Blog in response to the
>article
> >"Happy Nuke Year."
> > "Posted by John Hill of Cooktown on Fri 29 Dec 06 at 01:16pm I have
>yet
> >to see the Final Report on Nuclear Power but can only hope the Final
>Report
> >no longer contains the dishonest and misleading statements contained in
>the
> >Draft Report.
> > I complained about these distortions of the truth in an official
> >submission to the Draft Report. Among others the Draft Report contained
> >gems such as:
> >
> > "Similarly, other environmental impacts of the nuclear fuel cycle
> >including air pollution emissions, land use and water use are either
> >comparable to or significantly lower than conventional fossil fuels and
> >renewables."
> >
> > As the panel producing the Draft Report were supposed to be "experts"
> >this bizarre statement can only be taken as a deliberate mistruth
> >propagated on behalf of the nuclear industry to undermine the use of
> >renewables.
> >
> > Another great clanger in the Draft Report was the claim that only 31
> >people had died from the Chernobyl disaster but later on in the Report
> >admitted (in very fine print) that about 9,000 people were expected to
>die
> >from its effects.
> >
> > We need, I believe, to be putting our resources and money into
>providing
> >more renewables NOW and improving them in the future, rather than
>waiting
> >for years to develop what will always be a very risky and unnecessary
> >nuclear program.
> >
> > If the new report is more truthful and balanced maybe it should be
> >considered further. If not, it should be consigned to the wastebasket
>along
> >with the Draft Report."
> >
> >My comments and others may be accessed at:
>
>
>http://blogs.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/yoursay/index.php/dailytelegraph/commen\
ts/is_nuclear_power_the_way_to_go/#commentsmore
> >
> >Howard is pushing for the nuclear option to be fast-tracked.
> >
> >I think it would be great if as many people as possible would complain
> >about the lack of time for proper public consultation of such a major
> >issue, that it has been handled in a very misleading way, and that the
> >whole process seems to have been deliberately timed to be released
>during
> >Christmas-New Years when people are naturally distracted with other
>things.
> >
> >If the govt. commits itself to developing nuclear power plants (which
>are
> >unlikely to come on line for at least 10-15 years and may well, in the
>long
> >run, prove to be economically unfeasible anyway - not to mention the
>many
> >other disadvantages) there will not be enough money to start dealing
>with
> >the problems of excessive greenhouse gas emissions NOW. If they made
>the
> >money available we could start cutting carbon emissions right away
>using
> >present technologies.
> >
> >Is there any way we can get these and related issues across to the
>general
> >public in time?
> >
> >Is there any way we can effectively counter the huge resources ranged
> >against us and their attempts to mislead and steamroll the populace
>into
> >accepting nuclear power as a clean, green, safe alternative?
> >
> >Thanks,
> >
> >John Hill
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
>
> __________________________________________________________
> Fixing up the home? Live Search can help
>
>http://imagine-windowslive.com/search/kits/default.aspx?kit=improve&locale=en-U\
S&source=hmemailtaglinenov06&FORM=WLMTAG
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
> Yahoo!7 Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
_________________________________________________________________
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... and cheers to a joyfull, peaceful, sustainable transition into a nuclear
free 2007.
----- Original Message -----
From: "benny zable" <bennyzable@...>
To: <winter___@...>
Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2006 5:25 PM
Subject: Re: Sending some serious peace and anti-nuclear messages home to
the government
Wowee
That's the best news Anne.
That makes me feel a bit more cheerful.
I will keep you informed on development up to that time.
As you probably aware the Aboriginal Tent Embassy was dismantled and is no
more.
Aboriginal activists has given us the green light to set up at the old site.
We have Speedy McGuiness coming down from the Darwin who is a major player
in the Aboriginal community up north on the Nuclear Dumps issue. He will be
leading the march.
We from up North will be setting up the Rainbow Chai Tent as we have
previous years.
Sign making workshops on cardboard, so to hold high as we weave through the
crowd in front of the stage as Johnny Howard gives out Australian of the
year awards, that is what I envision.
Lets toast for a Nuclear free world on the New Year eve.
Yours Benny Zable
It will be interesting who turns up as
>From: "Anne Goddard" <winter___@...>
>To: "benny zable"
><bennyzable@...>,<g.stjohn@...>,<Redfern-Waterloo@yahoogroups.com\
>,<green-activist@...>
>CC: "Group 1" <ClimateChangeAction@...>
>Subject: Re: Sending some serious peace and anti-nuclear messages home to
>the government
>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2006 14:40:15 +1000
>
>Hiya Benny :-)
>
>i will be at the tent embassy on the 26th of January, to celebrate Invasion
>Day and to give you a hug in your latest outfit ... ;-)
>come rain or shine... even if we have to walk.
>So will my daughter, Natalie.
>
>Thank you... and i wish you a joyfull new year.
>
>IN SOLIDARITY!
>
>Warmest regards
>Anne
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "benny zable" <bennyzable@...>
>To: <g.stjohn@...>
>Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2006 7:03 AM
>Subject: Re: Sending some serious peace and anti-nuclear messages home to
>the government
>
>
>As Melbourne prepares for a big rally in April, what about making some
>statements on Australia Day/Invasion Day at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in
>Canberra.
>I want to remind you that the Aboriginal people are again being abused
>disempowered on THEIR land with an increase of mining uranium and the
>burial
>of radioactive waste on THEIR land.
>Let us walk with them empower them on this day, celebrating the Invasion
>which is the Invasion and abuse of THIER culture and lands which has
>brought
>us to this situation today.
>I suggest Palm Sunday be also be SORRY DAY as this celebrates the Howard
>government again embarking on a new wave of genocide. Lets meet for a
>series
>of rolling demos till D-day on election day to see Australia make world
>history with the election of a GREEN government.
>
>"The ultimate measure of people is not where they stand in moments of
>comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge and
>controversy." - Dr Martin Luther King Jr
>
>REMEMBER:
>
>This island continent has always been and always will be Aboriginal Land.
>
>Yours Benny Zable
>
>PS
>
>Attached is the poster distribute post up, talk up and help revive the
>Aboriginal Tent Embassy and Aboriginal Soereignty
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Felicity Hill" <felicity.hill@...>
>To: <undisclosed-recipients:>
>Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 5:48 PM
>Subject: Palm Sunday - 1 April - news from Melbourne
>
>
>Greetings from the Palm Sunday Alliance in Melbourne,
>
>Two weeks ago in Melbourne a meeting was called to brainstorm how peace,
>faith, union, environment, social justice and medical groups could
>organize around Palm Sunday (which falls on April Fools Day in 2007), to
>have some serious fun while sending some serious peace and anti-nuclear
>messages home to the government and the ALP.
>
>This note shares information about what we have decided and planned thus
>far, and is an invitation to get involved and to think and talk over the
>holiday break about how to make this day both fun and politically
>effective.
>
>*At the Melbourne meeting we:
> * Decided to call ourselves the Palm Sunday Alliance for a peaceful
> and nuclear free future, with Palm Sunday Alliance for short,
> which is open to all groups wishing to participate
>
> * Drafted some loose demands which we were determined would include
> positive alternatives, not just no, no, no, which we thought about
> and agreed at our next meeting (see below)
>
> * Drafted some very simple text for a poster and flier, which is
> still under discussion and very much open to suggestions (see below)
>
> * Brainstormed about the large variety of themes, events and ideas
> that could be developed by other groups around Australia (see below)
>
> * Agreed that a fun, comedy filled event that plays on the April
> Fools theme will be attractive to those recently disempowered or
> turned off demonstrating, while serious enough on the substantive
> peace and nuclear issues to make a political impact
>
> * Decided to establish a website www.NuclearFoolsDay.org (not yet
> live but bought) on which we would be more than happy to advertise
> all Palm Sunday events and activities around the country
>
> * Decided to organise a large public meeting in February on the
> issues as part of the build up and outreach
>
>So far the following groups have endorsed Palm Sunday events: Intensive
>outreach to expand this list will start in 2007
>
>Medical Association for the Prevention of War, Friends of the Earth,
>Australian Conservation Foundation, Environment Centre of the Northern
>Territory, Peace Organisation of Australia, Women's International League
>for Peace and Freedom, Australian Student Environment Network, Nuclear
>Disarmament Party, Global Climate Change Action, Action in Solidarity
>with Asia and the Pacific, Socialist Alliance, Catholics in Coalition
>for Justice and Peace (CCJP), Alice Action, Arid Lands Environment
>Centre, Greenpeace, Nuclear Free Australia, Stop the War Coalition
>*
>*Demands: *
>*
>Don't be a Nuclear Fool:
>
> * Stop nuclear power in Australia: Renewables not reactors!
> * Stop uranium mining: Leave it in the ground!
> * Stop nuclear weapons: Put down the US nuclear umbrella!
> * Stop nuclear waste: No waste dump in Australia!
>
>Stop the Nuclear Fool Cycle!
>*
>*In Melbourne the Palm Sunday Alliance has so far decided to:*
> * Organize a fun and upbeat Peace Parade and Festival,
> * Start from Treasury Gardens where we will fly kites in the park
> and form a human peace symbol for an aerial photograph
> * Parade through the city to Federation Square for comedy and
> entertainment
> * Encourage people to dress up and make props, signs and bike
> extensions around the peace and Nuclear Fool theme
> * Invite Leunig to do the design for the poster, which could be used
> nation wide if space was left for folks to fill in city/town
> specific details
> * Invite Critical Mass and Bicycle Victoria to increase the cyclists
> peddling us out of the Nuclear Fool Cycle
> * Invite comedians in the Melbourne Comedy Festival (which starts
> only days after Palm Sunday) to participate; we are in
> communication with organizers about who will be in town - they
> want cross advertising so its likely we'll get some good laughs
> * Invite schools to include lessons about peace and sustainability
> in their teaching, including paper crane and kite making for
> flying on Palm Sunday
> * Invite faith based groups to participate on the day, possibly they
> could issue an ecumenical statement and ceremony as in the past
> * Enter the Moomba Birdwo/man Rally in March with a contraption that
> advertises Palm Sunday and peace
>
>Other ideas for themes and actions that folks in other centres may find
>useful:
>
> * The Fool on the Hill: might be a good theme for Canberra groups,
> or general reference to Johnny Howard
> * Get a sign on letter and publish it in the papers
> * Ensure that the voices of atomic victims and survivors are heard
> * Clearly advertise a dress up theme, as clowns, as fools, so people
> can participate very easily
> * Hold a Yellow Cake competition
> * Drop a hypothetical bomb in a popular place - show the impact,
> visually, with markers & symbols
> * Project images and slogans onto night time surfaces/buildings of
> major cities
> * Stage some kind of mock nuclear waste spill at a busy location
> * Ask the remaining members of Midnight Oil to perform, plus other
>bands
> * Use as many comedians as possible
> * Get the local Mayor for Peace, or soon to be Mayor for Peace
>involved
> * Invite Tim Costello to participate
> * Use candles
> * Use donkeys (from palm Sunday church services), and tractors and
> horses where they have em
> * Invite church goers to bring their palms and use them in the day
> somehow
> * Get a bunch of Peace Boats on the river
> * Let off balloons with information about radiation traveling in the
> wind, asking folks to call in to register where they found balloon
> * Have family friendly kid activities like picnic, kite flying,
> crane making/hanging in addition to rally speakers
> * Not use the word rally, but parade or festival
> * Invite politicians along to question them about their views on
> nuclear issues
> * Do actions outside ALP MP offices before the day
> * Get a national sign on letter to give to an ALP official to
> register unity of the NGOs
> * Invite veterans, the RSL to participate and the victims of the
> Maralinga nuclear tests to speak - ensure these victims of nuclear
> weapons are visible and remembered 50 years after the British
> fenced off an area the size of England and then blew up 7 bombs
> and contaminated an area the size of London for 250,000 years
> * Table a Senate motion urging the government to support our efforts
> in promoting a nuclear-free Australia
> * Get the Channel Seven's Sunrise program on board
>
>DRAFT Poster language:
>
>Don't be a Nuclear Fool!
>Join the Palm Sunday Peace Parade & Festival!
>
>April Fools Day
>1pm Gather at Treasury Gardens
>2pm Parade to Federation Square
>
>Dress foolishly, ride your bike, fly your kite!
>
>Stop nuclear power in Australia: Renewables not reactors!
>Stop uranium mining: Leave it in the ground!
>Stop nuclear weapons: Put down the US nuclear umbrella!
>Stop nuclear waste: No waste dump in Australia!
>Stop the Nuclear Fool Cycle!
>
>www.NuclearFoolsDay.org
>
>Organised by the Palm Sunday Alliance
>for a peaceful and nuclear free future
>
>DRAFT outreach text we are still working on to widen the appeal*
>*
>Don't be a Nuclear Fool!
>Join the Palm Sunday Peace Parade & Festival!
>
>Palm Sunday falls on April Fools Day in 2007.
>
>You and your organisation are invited to join the Palm Sunday Alliance
>-made up of faith, medical, social justice and environment
>organisations- who have come together to organise a parade and festival
>for a peaceful and nuclear free future on 1 April.
>
>Information about our meetings, participants and plans are here
>www.NuclearFoolsDay.org
>
>Gathering at Treasury Gardens at 1pm on April Fools Day to fly kites,
>adjust costumes and make a human peace symbol for an aerial photograph,
>the parade will move off at 2pm to Federation Square for a peace
>festival with comedians and entertainment.
>
>This will be a family-friendly, foolish and fun day to drive home some
>deadly serious messages to all political parties:
>
>Stop nuclear power in Australia: Renewables not reactors!
>Stop uranium mining: Leave it in the ground!
>Stop nuclear weapons: Put down the US nuclear umbrella!
>Stop nuclear waste: No waste dump in Australia!
>Stop the Nuclear Fool Cycle!
>
>Our government is contemplating 25 nuclear reactors by 2050: No Way!
>
>The Prime Minister's hand-picked nuclear 'taskforce' recommended in
>November that Australia build 25 reactors along our fragile coast line
>to supply a third of our electricity by 2050. Too slow, too expensive,
>too dangerous and too much water would be wasted on this - wind is
>cheaper and quicker and doesn't cause drought or wars.
>
>Don't be a Ruddy Fool Mr. Rudd: Wake up and read the polls!
>
>78% per cent of ALP voters don't want any new uranium mines in Australia
>or want uranium mining stopped altogether, compared to 16% favouring new
>mines, a ratio of nearly 5:1. And 66% of the general public polled don't
>want any new uranium mines in Australia or want uranium mining stopped
>altogether, only 22% support increased uranium mining - a ratio of 3:1
>(Newspoll 30 May 2006). ALP should learn from the bitter uranium debates
>of the 1980s in which they lost members and votes. Now is not the time
>to review the ALP "no new mines" policy.
>
>Australia is selling uranium to China, a nuclear weapon state: Nuclear
>Fools! *
>
>Our government boasts that it opposes nuclear weapons and has the
>highest "safeguards" standards for export of uranium. Rubbish! Australia
>actually normalises and legitimises nuclear weapons by participating in
>the US nuclear umbrella. If Australia is serious about nuclear
>disarmament, the government should never sell uranium, particularly to
>countries with nuclear weapons. Safeguards provide only an 'illusion of
>protection.' Australian and international safeguards cannot guarantee
>that Australian uranium does not end up in nuclear weapons.
>
>*Nuclear is NO SOLUTION to climate change!
>
>Nuclear energy is not emissions free or 'greenhouse friendly'. According
>to the German Environment Ministry, the building and decommissioning of
>reactors, and the mining, processing and extensive transportation of
>uranium releases carbon dioxide in quantities comparable to burning
>natural gas. Nuclear power provides about 15% of global electricity
>generation and electricity contributes about 30% of human made
>greenhouse gases. If we doubled the existing 442 nuclear reactors to 884
>by mid-century, we would only reduce greenhouse emissions by 5%. It is
>economically, practically and politically inconceivable that enough new
>nuclear power plants could be brought on line quickly enough to make a
>significant contribution to mitigating climate change in the next decade
>or two, the critical period during which we must take the steps which
>will set us on the road to avoiding dangerous climate change. Nuclear
>energy has never been able to compete on the open market, and has never
>been commercially viable anywhere without massive public taxpayer
>subsidies. Numerous studies have shown that a dollar invested in energy
>efficiency is up to seven times more effective in reducing greenhouse
>emissions than a dollar invested in nukes.
>
>www.NuclearFoolsDay.org
>
>So..... Keep your thinking caps on over the holiday period, and lets get
>busy in January! Our work will begin in earnest next year, and we look
>forward to an inspiring Palm Sunday.
>
>best wishes
>Felicity Hill on behalf of the Melbourne Palm Sunday Alliance
>
>Felicity Hill
>Campaign Coordinator
>ICAN - International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear weapons
>Medical Association for Prevention of War
>
>www.icanw.org www.mapw.org.au www.ippnw.org
>
>Phone: + 61 38344 1637
>Fax: + 61 38344 1638
>Mobile: + 61 43239 8261
>
>Skype address: icanflick
>
>Postal Address: MAPW, P O Box 1379, Carlton, Vic 3053, Australia
>Visiting Address: MAPW Alan Gilbert Building, 2nd Floor, 161 Barry
>Street, Carlton, Vic 3053
>
>Listen to 3CR 855 AM every Friday morning at 7.45 for an ICAN update!
>Streaming via www.3cr.org.au
>---------------------------------
>original message from "bro"
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Anne Goddard" <anne@...>
>To: <ClimateChangeAction@...>;
><Oz-envirolink@...>; <green-global@...>;
><green-activist@...>
>Cc: <bro@...>
>Sent: Sunday, December 10, 2006 4:18 PM
>Subject: [Green-Activist] Re: [ClimateChangeAction] Some campaign
>strategysuggestions re climate change
>
>I really like the idea of an "April Fuels" day...
>
>Hiya Members :-)
>I have invited "Bro" to join the CCA group.
>
>Some campaign strategy suggestions re climate change
>
> >>Posted by: "Bro" bro@...
> >>via "greenleap"
> >>Mon Dec 4, 2006 8:18 pm (PST)
> >>John Howard is (unless I have had a seniors' moment) the first serious
> >>Australian politician since Sir Charles Court thirty years ago to run
> >>nuclear reactors (not to mention the whole damn fuel cycle) up his flag
> >>pole.
> >>
> >>Court the Elder used to speak of WA as the world's energy farm. Peter
> >>Costello spruiks our involvement in the G20 in terms "Energy our freeway
> >>to the future" (The Age, lead story 18 November).
> >>
> >>Meanwhile almost 7000 people have voted in the current Yahoo web poll
> >>"What is the most important issue under discussion at the current APEC
> >>summit?"
> >>with the following result from a choice of four answers:
>Climate Change 59%:
>Iraq 19%;
>Economic Development 18%;
>Undecided 4%.
> >>
> >>For the people climate change is the issue: for the Government it's
> >>consuming ever more energy with a bit of highly-vexed
> >>pollution-ameliorating
> >>expensive, yet-to-be demonstrated technology.
> >>
> >>And the Sunday Times (19/11) reports:
> >>
> >>'With the caucus aghast at Mr Beazley's latest verbal stumble, it will
>be
> >>badly buffeted by the latest Ipsos-Mackay poll to be broadcast on
>Channel
> >>10's Meet the Press this morning.
> >>
> >>The survey shows that 60 per cent of Australians think the issue of
> >>climate change will play an important part in how they vote at the next
> >>election.
> >>
> >>While 24 per cent believed the Greens would be the best party federally
> >>to handle global warming, they were closely followed by the Coalition on
> >>23
> >>per cent.
> >>
> >>Remarkably, Labor trailed both parties, on 19 per cent.
> >>
> >>The results will be deeply unsettling for many federal Labor MPs who
> >>already have a question mark over Mr Beazley's performance.
> >>
> >>The recurring complaint from his internal critics is that he fails to
> >>``cut through'' to voters with the Opposition's message.
> >>
> >>The Ipsos-Mackay poll will simply confirm that impression, especially
> >>since John Howard has widely been seen to have been wrong-footed on
> >>climate
> >>change since the publication three weeks ago of the British
> >>Government-sponsored
> >>Stern Report.
> >>
> >>The report concluded that Earth faced catastrophic consequences unless
> >>climate change was confronted. Mr Howard has been a self-confessed
> >>``climate change sceptic'' and has refused to sign up to the Kyoto
> >>Protocol. "
> >>
> >>Speaking to mainly young people at the Make Poverty History Concert on
> >>17/11 Tim Costello said (of course, it's not news other than he said it
> >>about
> >>him for, I believe, the first time):
> >>
> >>"I do have a brother. That brother, along with both sides of politics,
> >>has failed to see with the same moral clarity what your generation gets
> >>This
> >>is how politicians govern: they wet their finger, they put it up to the
> >>air
> >>and they say which way is the wind blowing."
> >>
> >>I've been banging on now for 6 months about the next federal election,
> >>and particularly the long lead up to it, being a once in a lifetime
> >>opportunity to blow the winds of sustainability with frostbite-inducing
> >>force over
> >>the wet fingers of our political leaders. The hooks being
>ever-increasing
> >>public concern over the impacts of climate change and the capture of the
> >>Government's (and, led by Ferguson and Fitzgibbon, a proportion of the
> >>Opposition's) agenda by the carbonucleophiles ("carbon dioxide - we call
> >>it the stuff of life!").
> >>
> >>1 April 2007 falls on a Sunday.
> >>
> >>Noting the success of the recent Walk Against Warming, as part of an
> >>escalating campaign for a real, anti-nuclear response to climate change
> >>significant nationwide actions on "April Fuels" day seem to me to be
> >>worthy of contemplation and organisation.
> >>
> >>I shrink from showing my age by raising memories of 1977 or even using
> >>the term "mobilisation" (or looking ahead to 6 August 2007) for what
>might
> >>be
> >>contemplated and organised.
> >>
> >>I would be grateful to receive any views that people may have on these
> >>Sunday morning musings.
> >>
> >>Cheers, bro
> >>
> >>Dr Bro Sheffield-Brotherton B.Sc.(Hons), Ph.D, Dip.Ed, MEIANZ
> >>Chairman, Sustainable Solutions Pty Ltd
> >>Scientific Advisor, National Toxics Network
> >>Honorary Life Member, Australian Conservation Foundation
> >>Member, Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand
> >>47 Prentice Street
> >>Elsternwick 3185
> >>AUSTRALIA
> >>Ph: +613 9528 1957, Mob: +614 1230 3 718
> >>Fax: +613 9528 5100
> >>Email: bro@...
> >>
> >>"The ultimate measure of people is not where they stand in moments of
> >>comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge and
> >>controversy." - Dr Martin Luther King Jr
> >>
> >>"The danger is when you get old like us you may become soonical." -
> >>Dagmar Schroeder
>
>_________________________________________________________________
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... and cheers to a joyfull, peaceful, sustainable transition into a nuclear
free 2007.
----- Original Message -----
From: "benny zable" <bennyzable@...>
To: <winter___@...>
Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2006 5:25 PM
Subject: Re: Sending some serious peace and anti-nuclear messages home to
the government
Wowee
That's the best news Anne.
That makes me feel a bit more cheerful.
I will keep you informed on development up to that time.
As you probably aware the Aboriginal Tent Embassy was dismantled and is no
more.
Aboriginal activists has given us the green light to set up at the old site.
We have Speedy McGuiness coming down from the Darwin who is a major player
in the Aboriginal community up north on the Nuclear Dumps issue. He will be
leading the march.
We from up North will be setting up the Rainbow Chai Tent as we have
previous years.
Sign making workshops on cardboard, so to hold high as we weave through the
crowd in front of the stage as Johnny Howard gives out Australian of the
year awards, that is what I envision.
Lets toast for a Nuclear free world on the New Year eve.
Yours Benny Zable
It will be interesting who turns up as
>From: "Anne Goddard" <winter___@...>
>To: "benny zable"
><bennyzable@...>,<g.stjohn@...>,<Redfern-Waterloo@yahoogroups.com\
>,<green-activist@...>
>CC: "Group 1" <ClimateChangeAction@...>
>Subject: Re: Sending some serious peace and anti-nuclear messages home to
>the government
>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2006 14:40:15 +1000
>
>Hiya Benny :-)
>
>i will be at the tent embassy on the 26th of January, to celebrate Invasion
>Day and to give you a hug in your latest outfit ... ;-)
>come rain or shine... even if we have to walk.
>So will my daughter, Natalie.
>
>Thank you... and i wish you a joyfull new year.
>
>IN SOLIDARITY!
>
>Warmest regards
>Anne
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "benny zable" <bennyzable@...>
>To: <g.stjohn@...>
>Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2006 7:03 AM
>Subject: Re: Sending some serious peace and anti-nuclear messages home to
>the government
>
>
>As Melbourne prepares for a big rally in April, what about making some
>statements on Australia Day/Invasion Day at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in
>Canberra.
>I want to remind you that the Aboriginal people are again being abused
>disempowered on THEIR land with an increase of mining uranium and the
>burial
>of radioactive waste on THEIR land.
>Let us walk with them empower them on this day, celebrating the Invasion
>which is the Invasion and abuse of THIER culture and lands which has
>brought
>us to this situation today.
>I suggest Palm Sunday be also be SORRY DAY as this celebrates the Howard
>government again embarking on a new wave of genocide. Lets meet for a
>series
>of rolling demos till D-day on election day to see Australia make world
>history with the election of a GREEN government.
>
>"The ultimate measure of people is not where they stand in moments of
>comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge and
>controversy." - Dr Martin Luther King Jr
>
>REMEMBER:
>
>This island continent has always been and always will be Aboriginal Land.
>
>Yours Benny Zable
>
>PS
>
>Attached is the poster distribute post up, talk up and help revive the
>Aboriginal Tent Embassy and Aboriginal Soereignty
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Felicity Hill" <felicity.hill@...>
>To: <undisclosed-recipients:>
>Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 5:48 PM
>Subject: Palm Sunday - 1 April - news from Melbourne
>
>
>Greetings from the Palm Sunday Alliance in Melbourne,
>
>Two weeks ago in Melbourne a meeting was called to brainstorm how peace,
>faith, union, environment, social justice and medical groups could
>organize around Palm Sunday (which falls on April Fools Day in 2007), to
>have some serious fun while sending some serious peace and anti-nuclear
>messages home to the government and the ALP.
>
>This note shares information about what we have decided and planned thus
>far, and is an invitation to get involved and to think and talk over the
>holiday break about how to make this day both fun and politically
>effective.
>
>*At the Melbourne meeting we:
> * Decided to call ourselves the Palm Sunday Alliance for a peaceful
> and nuclear free future, with Palm Sunday Alliance for short,
> which is open to all groups wishing to participate
>
> * Drafted some loose demands which we were determined would include
> positive alternatives, not just no, no, no, which we thought about
> and agreed at our next meeting (see below)
>
> * Drafted some very simple text for a poster and flier, which is
> still under discussion and very much open to suggestions (see below)
>
> * Brainstormed about the large variety of themes, events and ideas
> that could be developed by other groups around Australia (see below)
>
> * Agreed that a fun, comedy filled event that plays on the April
> Fools theme will be attractive to those recently disempowered or
> turned off demonstrating, while serious enough on the substantive
> peace and nuclear issues to make a political impact
>
> * Decided to establish a website www.NuclearFoolsDay.org (not yet
> live but bought) on which we would be more than happy to advertise
> all Palm Sunday events and activities around the country
>
> * Decided to organise a large public meeting in February on the
> issues as part of the build up and outreach
>
>So far the following groups have endorsed Palm Sunday events: Intensive
>outreach to expand this list will start in 2007
>
>Medical Association for the Prevention of War, Friends of the Earth,
>Australian Conservation Foundation, Environment Centre of the Northern
>Territory, Peace Organisation of Australia, Women's International League
>for Peace and Freedom, Australian Student Environment Network, Nuclear
>Disarmament Party, Global Climate Change Action, Action in Solidarity
>with Asia and the Pacific, Socialist Alliance, Catholics in Coalition
>for Justice and Peace (CCJP), Alice Action, Arid Lands Environment
>Centre, Greenpeace, Nuclear Free Australia, Stop the War Coalition
>*
>*Demands: *
>*
>Don't be a Nuclear Fool:
>
> * Stop nuclear power in Australia: Renewables not reactors!
> * Stop uranium mining: Leave it in the ground!
> * Stop nuclear weapons: Put down the US nuclear umbrella!
> * Stop nuclear waste: No waste dump in Australia!
>
>Stop the Nuclear Fool Cycle!
>*
>*In Melbourne the Palm Sunday Alliance has so far decided to:*
> * Organize a fun and upbeat Peace Parade and Festival,
> * Start from Treasury Gardens where we will fly kites in the park
> and form a human peace symbol for an aerial photograph
> * Parade through the city to Federation Square for comedy and
> entertainment
> * Encourage people to dress up and make props, signs and bike
> extensions around the peace and Nuclear Fool theme
> * Invite Leunig to do the design for the poster, which could be used
> nation wide if space was left for folks to fill in city/town
> specific details
> * Invite Critical Mass and Bicycle Victoria to increase the cyclists
> peddling us out of the Nuclear Fool Cycle
> * Invite comedians in the Melbourne Comedy Festival (which starts
> only days after Palm Sunday) to participate; we are in
> communication with organizers about who will be in town - they
> want cross advertising so its likely we'll get some good laughs
> * Invite schools to include lessons about peace and sustainability
> in their teaching, including paper crane and kite making for
> flying on Palm Sunday
> * Invite faith based groups to participate on the day, possibly they
> could issue an ecumenical statement and ceremony as in the past
> * Enter the Moomba Birdwo/man Rally in March with a contraption that
> advertises Palm Sunday and peace
>
>Other ideas for themes and actions that folks in other centres may find
>useful:
>
> * The Fool on the Hill: might be a good theme for Canberra groups,
> or general reference to Johnny Howard
> * Get a sign on letter and publish it in the papers
> * Ensure that the voices of atomic victims and survivors are heard
> * Clearly advertise a dress up theme, as clowns, as fools, so people
> can participate very easily
> * Hold a Yellow Cake competition
> * Drop a hypothetical bomb in a popular place - show the impact,
> visually, with markers & symbols
> * Project images and slogans onto night time surfaces/buildings of
> major cities
> * Stage some kind of mock nuclear waste spill at a busy location
> * Ask the remaining members of Midnight Oil to perform, plus other
>bands
> * Use as many comedians as possible
> * Get the local Mayor for Peace, or soon to be Mayor for Peace
>involved
> * Invite Tim Costello to participate
> * Use candles
> * Use donkeys (from palm Sunday church services), and tractors and
> horses where they have em
> * Invite church goers to bring their palms and use them in the day
> somehow
> * Get a bunch of Peace Boats on the river
> * Let off balloons with information about radiation traveling in the
> wind, asking folks to call in to register where they found balloon
> * Have family friendly kid activities like picnic, kite flying,
> crane making/hanging in addition to rally speakers
> * Not use the word rally, but parade or festival
> * Invite politicians along to question them about their views on
> nuclear issues
> * Do actions outside ALP MP offices before the day
> * Get a national sign on letter to give to an ALP official to
> register unity of the NGOs
> * Invite veterans, the RSL to participate and the victims of the
> Maralinga nuclear tests to speak - ensure these victims of nuclear
> weapons are visible and remembered 50 years after the British
> fenced off an area the size of England and then blew up 7 bombs
> and contaminated an area the size of London for 250,000 years
> * Table a Senate motion urging the government to support our efforts
> in promoting a nuclear-free Australia
> * Get the Channel Seven's Sunrise program on board
>
>DRAFT Poster language:
>
>Don't be a Nuclear Fool!
>Join the Palm Sunday Peace Parade & Festival!
>
>April Fools Day
>1pm Gather at Treasury Gardens
>2pm Parade to Federation Square
>
>Dress foolishly, ride your bike, fly your kite!
>
>Stop nuclear power in Australia: Renewables not reactors!
>Stop uranium mining: Leave it in the ground!
>Stop nuclear weapons: Put down the US nuclear umbrella!
>Stop nuclear waste: No waste dump in Australia!
>Stop the Nuclear Fool Cycle!
>
>www.NuclearFoolsDay.org
>
>Organised by the Palm Sunday Alliance
>for a peaceful and nuclear free future
>
>DRAFT outreach text we are still working on to widen the appeal*
>*
>Don't be a Nuclear Fool!
>Join the Palm Sunday Peace Parade & Festival!
>
>Palm Sunday falls on April Fools Day in 2007.
>
>You and your organisation are invited to join the Palm Sunday Alliance
>-made up of faith, medical, social justice and environment
>organisations- who have come together to organise a parade and festival
>for a peaceful and nuclear free future on 1 April.
>
>Information about our meetings, participants and plans are here
>www.NuclearFoolsDay.org
>
>Gathering at Treasury Gardens at 1pm on April Fools Day to fly kites,
>adjust costumes and make a human peace symbol for an aerial photograph,
>the parade will move off at 2pm to Federation Square for a peace
>festival with comedians and entertainment.
>
>This will be a family-friendly, foolish and fun day to drive home some
>deadly serious messages to all political parties:
>
>Stop nuclear power in Australia: Renewables not reactors!
>Stop uranium mining: Leave it in the ground!
>Stop nuclear weapons: Put down the US nuclear umbrella!
>Stop nuclear waste: No waste dump in Australia!
>Stop the Nuclear Fool Cycle!
>
>Our government is contemplating 25 nuclear reactors by 2050: No Way!
>
>The Prime Minister's hand-picked nuclear 'taskforce' recommended in
>November that Australia build 25 reactors along our fragile coast line
>to supply a third of our electricity by 2050. Too slow, too expensive,
>too dangerous and too much water would be wasted on this - wind is
>cheaper and quicker and doesn't cause drought or wars.
>
>Don't be a Ruddy Fool Mr. Rudd: Wake up and read the polls!
>
>78% per cent of ALP voters don't want any new uranium mines in Australia
>or want uranium mining stopped altogether, compared to 16% favouring new
>mines, a ratio of nearly 5:1. And 66% of the general public polled don't
>want any new uranium mines in Australia or want uranium mining stopped
>altogether, only 22% support increased uranium mining - a ratio of 3:1
>(Newspoll 30 May 2006). ALP should learn from the bitter uranium debates
>of the 1980s in which they lost members and votes. Now is not the time
>to review the ALP "no new mines" policy.
>
>Australia is selling uranium to China, a nuclear weapon state: Nuclear
>Fools! *
>
>Our government boasts that it opposes nuclear weapons and has the
>highest "safeguards" standards for export of uranium. Rubbish! Australia
>actually normalises and legitimises nuclear weapons by participating in
>the US nuclear umbrella. If Australia is serious about nuclear
>disarmament, the government should never sell uranium, particularly to
>countries with nuclear weapons. Safeguards provide only an 'illusion of
>protection.' Australian and international safeguards cannot guarantee
>that Australian uranium does not end up in nuclear weapons.
>
>*Nuclear is NO SOLUTION to climate change!
>
>Nuclear energy is not emissions free or 'greenhouse friendly'. According
>to the German Environment Ministry, the building and decommissioning of
>reactors, and the mining, processing and extensive transportation of
>uranium releases carbon dioxide in quantities comparable to burning
>natural gas. Nuclear power provides about 15% of global electricity
>generation and electricity contributes about 30% of human made
>greenhouse gases. If we doubled the existing 442 nuclear reactors to 884
>by mid-century, we would only reduce greenhouse emissions by 5%. It is
>economically, practically and politically inconceivable that enough new
>nuclear power plants could be brought on line quickly enough to make a
>significant contribution to mitigating climate change in the next decade
>or two, the critical period during which we must take the steps which
>will set us on the road to avoiding dangerous climate change. Nuclear
>energy has never been able to compete on the open market, and has never
>been commercially viable anywhere without massive public taxpayer
>subsidies. Numerous studies have shown that a dollar invested in energy
>efficiency is up to seven times more effective in reducing greenhouse
>emissions than a dollar invested in nukes.
>
>www.NuclearFoolsDay.org
>
>So..... Keep your thinking caps on over the holiday period, and lets get
>busy in January! Our work will begin in earnest next year, and we look
>forward to an inspiring Palm Sunday.
>
>best wishes
>Felicity Hill on behalf of the Melbourne Palm Sunday Alliance
>
>Felicity Hill
>Campaign Coordinator
>ICAN - International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear weapons
>Medical Association for Prevention of War
>
>www.icanw.org www.mapw.org.au www.ippnw.org
>
>Phone: + 61 38344 1637
>Fax: + 61 38344 1638
>Mobile: + 61 43239 8261
>
>Skype address: icanflick
>
>Postal Address: MAPW, P O Box 1379, Carlton, Vic 3053, Australia
>Visiting Address: MAPW Alan Gilbert Building, 2nd Floor, 161 Barry
>Street, Carlton, Vic 3053
>
>Listen to 3CR 855 AM every Friday morning at 7.45 for an ICAN update!
>Streaming via www.3cr.org.au
>---------------------------------
>original message from "bro"
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Anne Goddard" <anne@...>
>To: <ClimateChangeAction@...>;
><Oz-envirolink@...>; <green-global@...>;
><green-activist@...>
>Cc: <bro@...>
>Sent: Sunday, December 10, 2006 4:18 PM
>Subject: [Green-Activist] Re: [ClimateChangeAction] Some campaign
>strategysuggestions re climate change
>
>I really like the idea of an "April Fuels" day...
>
>Hiya Members :-)
>I have invited "Bro" to join the CCA group.
>
>Some campaign strategy suggestions re climate change
>
> >>Posted by: "Bro" bro@...
> >>via "greenleap"
> >>Mon Dec 4, 2006 8:18 pm (PST)
> >>John Howard is (unless I have had a seniors' moment) the first serious
> >>Australian politician since Sir Charles Court thirty years ago to run
> >>nuclear reactors (not to mention the whole damn fuel cycle) up his flag
> >>pole.
> >>
> >>Court the Elder used to speak of WA as the world's energy farm. Peter
> >>Costello spruiks our involvement in the G20 in terms "Energy our freeway
> >>to the future" (The Age, lead story 18 November).
> >>
> >>Meanwhile almost 7000 people have voted in the current Yahoo web poll
> >>"What is the most important issue under discussion at the current APEC
> >>summit?"
> >>with the following result from a choice of four answers:
>Climate Change 59%:
>Iraq 19%;
>Economic Development 18%;
>Undecided 4%.
> >>
> >>For the people climate change is the issue: for the Government it's
> >>consuming ever more energy with a bit of highly-vexed
> >>pollution-ameliorating
> >>expensive, yet-to-be demonstrated technology.
> >>
> >>And the Sunday Times (19/11) reports:
> >>
> >>'With the caucus aghast at Mr Beazley's latest verbal stumble, it will
>be
> >>badly buffeted by the latest Ipsos-Mackay poll to be broadcast on
>Channel
> >>10's Meet the Press this morning.
> >>
> >>The survey shows that 60 per cent of Australians think the issue of
> >>climate change will play an important part in how they vote at the next
> >>election.
> >>
> >>While 24 per cent believed the Greens would be the best party federally
> >>to handle global warming, they were closely followed by the Coalition on
> >>23
> >>per cent.
> >>
> >>Remarkably, Labor trailed both parties, on 19 per cent.
> >>
> >>The results will be deeply unsettling for many federal Labor MPs who
> >>already have a question mark over Mr Beazley's performance.
> >>
> >>The recurring complaint from his internal critics is that he fails to
> >>``cut through'' to voters with the Opposition's message.
> >>
> >>The Ipsos-Mackay poll will simply confirm that impression, especially
> >>since John Howard has widely been seen to have been wrong-footed on
> >>climate
> >>change since the publication three weeks ago of the British
> >>Government-sponsored
> >>Stern Report.
> >>
> >>The report concluded that Earth faced catastrophic consequences unless
> >>climate change was confronted. Mr Howard has been a self-confessed
> >>``climate change sceptic'' and has refused to sign up to the Kyoto
> >>Protocol. "
> >>
> >>Speaking to mainly young people at the Make Poverty History Concert on
> >>17/11 Tim Costello said (of course, it's not news other than he said it
> >>about
> >>him for, I believe, the first time):
> >>
> >>"I do have a brother. That brother, along with both sides of politics,
> >>has failed to see with the same moral clarity what your generation gets
> >>This
> >>is how politicians govern: they wet their finger, they put it up to the
> >>air
> >>and they say which way is the wind blowing."
> >>
> >>I've been banging on now for 6 months about the next federal election,
> >>and particularly the long lead up to it, being a once in a lifetime
> >>opportunity to blow the winds of sustainability with frostbite-inducing
> >>force over
> >>the wet fingers of our political leaders. The hooks being
>ever-increasing
> >>public concern over the impacts of climate change and the capture of the
> >>Government's (and, led by Ferguson and Fitzgibbon, a proportion of the
> >>Opposition's) agenda by the carbonucleophiles ("carbon dioxide - we call
> >>it the stuff of life!").
> >>
> >>1 April 2007 falls on a Sunday.
> >>
> >>Noting the success of the recent Walk Against Warming, as part of an
> >>escalating campaign for a real, anti-nuclear response to climate change
> >>significant nationwide actions on "April Fuels" day seem to me to be
> >>worthy of contemplation and organisation.
> >>
> >>I shrink from showing my age by raising memories of 1977 or even using
> >>the term "mobilisation" (or looking ahead to 6 August 2007) for what
>might
> >>be
> >>contemplated and organised.
> >>
> >>I would be grateful to receive any views that people may have on these
> >>Sunday morning musings.
> >>
> >>Cheers, bro
> >>
> >>Dr Bro Sheffield-Brotherton B.Sc.(Hons), Ph.D, Dip.Ed, MEIANZ
> >>Chairman, Sustainable Solutions Pty Ltd
> >>Scientific Advisor, National Toxics Network
> >>Honorary Life Member, Australian Conservation Foundation
> >>Member, Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand
> >>47 Prentice Street
> >>Elsternwick 3185
> >>AUSTRALIA
> >>Ph: +613 9528 1957, Mob: +614 1230 3 718
> >>Fax: +613 9528 5100
> >>Email: bro@...
> >>
> >>"The ultimate measure of people is not where they stand in moments of
> >>comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge and
> >>controversy." - Dr Martin Luther King Jr
> >>
> >>"The danger is when you get old like us you may become soonical." -
> >>Dagmar Schroeder
>
>_________________________________________________________________
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Dear Anne and Benny:
Thank you both for all your encouragement - it is good to know that one is not
alone. I have not enjoyed having to do all this and be a continual messenger of
bad news over the holiday season but I felt it was important to make sure they
weren't able to slip everything past the public's noses while they were
distracted with Christmas and New Year's parties (an old trick - but often a
very effective one!)
Anne, I wish I could come down to Canberra with you - I would if I was closer
but I really can't afford it and I don't think "They" would really listen to me
anyway - I am sure they have long ago written me off as an old crank. However, I
will continue on from here trying to raise public awareness of the deception and
lies being peddled to us all.
Being an election year I expect the heat will turn up and I am sure the
"backroom boys" are already working on new surprises aimed at keeping Big
Business safe after the next election. I am sure that all options are on the
table - I try not to think about it too often as the possibilities are really
depressing and frightening to think about.
Benny, thanks for reminding us all that "we" (i.e. non-indigenous Australians)
are all living on stolen land. If we are ever to develop into a happy,
harmonious society, with true "mateship" as it's basic principle, this
recognition will have to be made someday and some sort of reconciliation brought
about that gives Aboriginal people justice, a real share in the riches of this
"Lucky Country," and a real and lasting equality and respect and true friendship
from the rest of us.
Let us hope that (in spite of all the evidence pointing to the contrary) 2007 is
a more peaceful and happier than 2006!
Cheers and best wishes to all!
John Hill
................................
----- Original Message -----
From: Anne Goddard
To: ClimateChangeAction@...
Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2006 3:59 PM
Subject: Re: [ClimateChangeAction] Nuclear Mischief and censorship?
come on down John... lets go to Canberra!
and ask them to listen to us....
and you guys can help me gather signatures ....
think about it...
anyone else coming?
Warm regards
Anne
----- Original Message -----
From: "benny zable" <bennyzable@...>
To: <ClimateChangeAction@...>
Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2006 7:37 AM
Subject: RE: [ClimateChangeAction] Nuclear Mischief and censorship?
Bless you John for having faith in the government.
In any case your actions are a necessary for keeping the debate ongoing that
has really been among the privileged, with a forgone conclusion by the
spinners of the industry, to go ahead developing this toxic industry.
Enclosed below are actions that is in need to be followed up and acted upon
to empower us plebs at the bottom of the heap.
Benny Zable
As Melbourne prepares for a big rally in April, what about making some
statements on Australia Day/Invasion Day at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in
Canberra.
I want to remind you that the Aboriginal people are again being abused
disempowered on THEIR land with an increase of mining uranium and the burial
of radioactive waste on THEIR land.
Let us walk with them empower them on this day, that celebrates the
invasion, conquest and exploitation of THIER lands and culture which has
brought us to this situation today.
I suggest Palm Sunday be also be SORRY DAY as this celebrates the Howard
government again embarking on a new wave of genocide. Lets meet for a series
of rolling demos till D-day on election day to see Australia make world
history with the election of a GREEN government.
"The ultimate measure of people is not where they stand in moments of
comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge and
controversy." - Dr Martin Luther King Jr
REMEMBER:
This island continent has always been and always will be Aboriginal Land.
Yours Benny Zable
PS
Attached is the poster distribute post up, talk up and help revive the
Aboriginal Tent Embassy and Aboriginal Soereignty
----- Original Message -----
From: "Felicity Hill" <felicity.hill@...>
To: <undisclosed-recipients:>
Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 5:48 PM
Subject: Palm Sunday - 1 April - news from Melbourne
Greetings from the Palm Sunday Alliance in Melbourne,
Two weeks ago in Melbourne a meeting was called to brainstorm how peace,
faith, union, environment, social justice and medical groups could
organize around Palm Sunday (which falls on April Fools Day in 2007), to
have some serious fun while sending some serious peace and anti-nuclear
messages home to the government and the ALP.
This note shares information about what we have decided and planned thus
far, and is an invitation to get involved and to think and talk over the
holiday break about how to make this day both fun and politically
effective.
*At the Melbourne meeting we:
* Decided to call ourselves the Palm Sunday Alliance for a peaceful
and nuclear free future, with Palm Sunday Alliance for short,
which is open to all groups wishing to participate
* Drafted some loose demands which we were determined would include
positive alternatives, not just no, no, no, which we thought about
and agreed at our next meeting (see below)
* Drafted some very simple text for a poster and flier, which is
still under discussion and very much open to suggestions (see below)
* Brainstormed about the large variety of themes, events and ideas
that could be developed by other groups around Australia (see below)
* Agreed that a fun, comedy filled event that plays on the April
Fools theme will be attractive to those recently disempowered or
turned off demonstrating, while serious enough on the substantive
peace and nuclear issues to make a political impact
* Decided to establish a website www.NuclearFoolsDay.org (not yet
live but bought) on which we would be more than happy to advertise
all Palm Sunday events and activities around the country
* Decided to organise a large public meeting in February on the
issues as part of the build up and outreach
So far the following groups have endorsed Palm Sunday events: Intensive
outreach to expand this list will start in 2007
Medical Association for the Prevention of War, Friends of the Earth,
Australian Conservation Foundation, Environment Centre of the Northern
Territory, Peace Organisation of Australia, Women's International League
for Peace and Freedom, Australian Student Environment Network, Nuclear
Disarmament Party, Global Climate Change Action, Action in Solidarity
with Asia and the Pacific, Socialist Alliance, Catholics in Coalition
for Justice and Peace (CCJP), Alice Action, Arid Lands Environment
Centre, Greenpeace, Nuclear Free Australia, Stop the War Coalition
*
*Demands: *
*
Don't be a Nuclear Fool:
* Stop nuclear power in Australia: Renewables not reactors!
* Stop uranium mining: Leave it in the ground!
* Stop nuclear weapons: Put down the US nuclear umbrella!
* Stop nuclear waste: No waste dump in Australia!
Stop the Nuclear Fool Cycle!
*
*In Melbourne the Palm Sunday Alliance has so far decided to:*
* Organize a fun and upbeat Peace Parade and Festival,
* Start from Treasury Gardens where we will fly kites in the park
and form a human peace symbol for an aerial photograph
* Parade through the city to Federation Square for comedy and
entertainment
* Encourage people to dress up and make props, signs and bike
extensions around the peace and Nuclear Fool theme
* Invite Leunig to do the design for the poster, which could be used
nation wide if space was left for folks to fill in city/town
specific details
* Invite Critical Mass and Bicycle Victoria to increase the cyclists
peddling us out of the Nuclear Fool Cycle
* Invite comedians in the Melbourne Comedy Festival (which starts
only days after Palm Sunday) to participate; we are in
communication with organizers about who will be in town - they
want cross advertising so its likely we'll get some good laughs
* Invite schools to include lessons about peace and sustainability
in their teaching, including paper crane and kite making for
flying on Palm Sunday
* Invite faith based groups to participate on the day, possibly they
could issue an ecumenical statement and ceremony as in the past
* Enter the Moomba Birdwo/man Rally in March with a contraption that
advertises Palm Sunday and peace
Other ideas for themes and actions that folks in other centres may find
useful:
* The Fool on the Hill: might be a good theme for Canberra groups,
or general reference to Johnny Howard
* Get a sign on letter and publish it in the papers
* Ensure that the voices of atomic victims and survivors are heard
* Clearly advertise a dress up theme, as clowns, as fools, so people
can participate very easily
* Hold a Yellow Cake competition
* Drop a hypothetical bomb in a popular place - show the impact,
visually, with markers & symbols
* Project images and slogans onto night time surfaces/buildings of
major cities
* Stage some kind of mock nuclear waste spill at a busy location
* Ask the remaining members of Midnight Oil to perform, plus other bands
* Use as many comedians as possible
* Get the local Mayor for Peace, or soon to be Mayor for Peace involved
* Invite Tim Costello to participate
* Use candles
* Use donkeys (from palm Sunday church services), and tractors and
horses where they have em
* Invite church goers to bring their palms and use them in the day
somehow
* Get a bunch of Peace Boats on the river
* Let off balloons with information about radiation traveling in the
wind, asking folks to call in to register where they found balloon
* Have family friendly kid activities like picnic, kite flying,
crane making/hanging in addition to rally speakers
* Not use the word rally, but parade or festival
* Invite politicians along to question them about their views on
nuclear issues
* Do actions outside ALP MP offices before the day
* Get a national sign on letter to give to an ALP official to
register unity of the NGOs
* Invite veterans, the RSL to participate and the victims of the
Maralinga nuclear tests to speak - ensure these victims of nuclear
weapons are visible and remembered 50 years after the British
fenced off an area the size of England and then blew up 7 bombs
and contaminated an area the size of London for 250,000 years
* Table a Senate motion urging the government to support our efforts
in promoting a nuclear-free Australia
* Get the Channel Seven's Sunrise program on board
DRAFT Poster language:
Don't be a Nuclear Fool!
Join the Palm Sunday Peace Parade & Festival!
April Fools Day
1pm Gather at Treasury Gardens
2pm Parade to Federation Square
Dress foolishly, ride your bike, fly your kite!
Stop nuclear power in Australia: Renewables not reactors!
Stop uranium mining: Leave it in the ground!
Stop nuclear weapons: Put down the US nuclear umbrella!
Stop nuclear waste: No waste dump in Australia!
Stop the Nuclear Fool Cycle!
www.NuclearFoolsDay.org
Organised by the Palm Sunday Alliance
for a peaceful and nuclear free future
DRAFT outreach text we are still working on to widen the appeal*
*
Don't be a Nuclear Fool!
Join the Palm Sunday Peace Parade & Festival!
Palm Sunday falls on April Fools Day in 2007.
You and your organisation are invited to join the Palm Sunday Alliance
-made up of faith, medical, social justice and environment
organisations- who have come together to organise a parade and festival
for a peaceful and nuclear free future on 1 April.
Information about our meetings, participants and plans are here
www.NuclearFoolsDay.org
Gathering at Treasury Gardens at 1pm on April Fools Day to fly kites,
adjust costumes and make a human peace symbol for an aerial photograph,
the parade will move off at 2pm to Federation Square for a peace
festival with comedians and entertainment.
This will be a family-friendly, foolish and fun day to drive home some
deadly serious messages to all political parties:
Stop nuclear power in Australia: Renewables not reactors!
Stop uranium mining: Leave it in the ground!
Stop nuclear weapons: Put down the US nuclear umbrella!
Stop nuclear waste: No waste dump in Australia!
Stop the Nuclear Fool Cycle!
Our government is contemplating 25 nuclear reactors by 2050: No Way!
The Prime Minister's hand-picked nuclear 'taskforce' recommended in
November that Australia build 25 reactors along our fragile coast line
to supply a third of our electricity by 2050. Too slow, too expensive,
too dangerous and too much water would be wasted on this - wind is
cheaper and quicker and doesn't cause drought or wars.
Don't be a Ruddy Fool Mr. Rudd: Wake up and read the polls!
78% per cent of ALP voters don't want any new uranium mines in Australia
or want uranium mining stopped altogether, compared to 16% favouring new
mines, a ratio of nearly 5:1. And 66% of the general public polled don't
want any new uranium mines in Australia or want uranium mining stopped
altogether, only 22% support increased uranium mining - a ratio of 3:1
(Newspoll 30 May 2006). ALP should learn from the bitter uranium debates
of the 1980s in which they lost members and votes. Now is not the time
to review the ALP "no new mines" policy.
Australia is selling uranium to China, a nuclear weapon state: Nuclear
Fools! *
Our government boasts that it opposes nuclear weapons and has the
highest "safeguards" standards for export of uranium. Rubbish! Australia
actually normalises and legitimises nuclear weapons by participating in
the US nuclear umbrella. If Australia is serious about nuclear
disarmament, the government should never sell uranium, particularly to
countries with nuclear weapons. Safeguards provide only an 'illusion of
protection.' Australian and international safeguards cannot guarantee
that Australian uranium does not end up in nuclear weapons.
*Nuclear is NO SOLUTION to climate change!
Nuclear energy is not emissions free or 'greenhouse friendly'. According
to the German Environment Ministry, the building and decommissioning of
reactors, and the mining, processing and extensive transportation of
uranium releases carbon dioxide in quantities comparable to burning
natural gas. Nuclear power provides about 15% of global electricity
generation and electricity contributes about 30% of human made
greenhouse gases. If we doubled the existing 442 nuclear reactors to 884
by mid-century, we would only reduce greenhouse emissions by 5%. It is
economically, practically and politically inconceivable that enough new
nuclear power plants could be brought on line quickly enough to make a
significant contribution to mitigating climate change in the next decade
or two, the critical period during which we must take the steps which
will set us on the road to avoiding dangerous climate change. Nuclear
energy has never been able to compete on the open market, and has never
been commercially viable anywhere without massive public taxpayer
subsidies. Numerous studies have shown that a dollar invested in energy
efficiency is up to seven times more effective in reducing greenhouse
emissions than a dollar invested in nukes.
www.NuclearFoolsDay.org
So..... Keep your thinking caps on over the holiday period, and lets get
busy in January! Our work will begin in earnest next year, and we look
forward to an inspiring Palm Sunday.
best wishes
Felicity Hill on behalf of the Melbourne Palm Sunday Alliance
Felicity Hill
Campaign Coordinator
ICAN - International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear weapons
Medical Association for Prevention of War
www.icanw.org www.mapw.org.au www.ippnw.org
Phone: + 61 38344 1637
Fax: + 61 38344 1638
Mobile: + 61 43239 8261
Skype address: icanflick
Postal Address: MAPW, P O Box 1379, Carlton, Vic 3053, Australia
Visiting Address: MAPW Alan Gilbert Building, 2nd Floor, 161 Barry
Street, Carlton, Vic 3053
Listen to 3CR 855 AM every Friday morning at 7.45 for an ICAN update!
Streaming via www.3cr.org.au
---------------------------------
original message from "bro"
----- Original Message -----
From: "Anne Goddard" <anne@...>
To: <ClimateChangeAction@...>;
<Oz-envirolink@...>; <green-global@...>;
<green-activist@...>
Cc: <bro@...>
Sent: Sunday, December 10, 2006 4:18 PM
Subject: [Green-Activist] Re: [ClimateChangeAction] Some campaign
strategysuggestions re climate change
I really like the idea of an "April Fuels" day...
Hiya Members :-)
I have invited "Bro" to join the CCA group.
Some campaign strategy suggestions re climate change
>>Posted by: "Bro" bro@...
>>via "greenleap"
>>Mon Dec 4, 2006 8:18 pm (PST)
>>John Howard is (unless I have had a seniors' moment) the first serious
>>Australian politician since Sir Charles Court thirty years ago to run
>>nuclear reactors (not to mention the whole damn fuel cycle) up his flag
>>pole.
>>
>>Court the Elder used to speak of WA as the world's energy farm. Peter
>>Costello spruiks our involvement in the G20 in terms "Energy our freeway
>>to the future" (The Age, lead story 18 November).
>>
>>Meanwhile almost 7000 people have voted in the current Yahoo web poll
>>"What is the most important issue under discussion at the current APEC
>>summit?"
>>with the following result from a choice of four answers:
Climate Change 59%:
Iraq 19%;
Economic Development 18%;
Undecided 4%.
>>
>>For the people climate change is the issue: for the Government it's
>>consuming ever more energy with a bit of highly-vexed
>>pollution-ameliorating
>>expensive, yet-to-be demonstrated technology.
>>
>>And the Sunday Times (19/11) reports:
>>
>>'With the caucus aghast at Mr Beazley's latest verbal stumble, it will be
>>badly buffeted by the latest Ipsos-Mackay poll to be broadcast on Channel
>>10's Meet the Press this morning.
>>
>>The survey shows that 60 per cent of Australians think the issue of
>>climate change will play an important part in how they vote at the next
>>election.
>>
>>While 24 per cent believed the Greens would be the best party federally
>>to handle global warming, they were closely followed by the Coalition on
>>23
>>per cent.
>>
>>Remarkably, Labor trailed both parties, on 19 per cent.
>>
>>The results will be deeply unsettling for many federal Labor MPs who
>>already have a question mark over Mr Beazley's performance.
>>
>>The recurring complaint from his internal critics is that he fails to
>>``cut through'' to voters with the Opposition's message.
>>
>>The Ipsos-Mackay poll will simply confirm that impression, especially
>>since John Howard has widely been seen to have been wrong-footed on
>>climate
>>change since the publication three weeks ago of the British
>>Government-sponsored
>>Stern Report.
>>
>>The report concluded that Earth faced catastrophic consequences unless
>>climate change was confronted. Mr Howard has been a self-confessed
>>``climate change sceptic'' and has refused to sign up to the Kyoto
>>Protocol. "
>>
>>Speaking to mainly young people at the Make Poverty History Concert on
>>17/11 Tim Costello said (of course, it's not news other than he said it
>>about
>>him for, I believe, the first time):
>>
>>"I do have a brother. That brother, along with both sides of politics,
>>has failed to see with the same moral clarity what your generation gets
>>This
>>is how politicians govern: they wet their finger, they put it up to the
>>air
>>and they say which way is the wind blowing."
>>
>>I've been banging on now for 6 months about the next federal election,
>>and particularly the long lead up to it, being a once in a lifetime
>>opportunity to blow the winds of sustainability with frostbite-inducing
>>force over
>>the wet fingers of our political leaders. The hooks being ever-increasing
>>public concern over the impacts of climate change and the capture of the
>>Government's (and, led by Ferguson and Fitzgibbon, a proportion of the
>>Opposition's) agenda by the carbonucleophiles ("carbon dioxide - we call
>>it the stuff of life!").
>>
>>1 April 2007 falls on a Sunday.
>>
>>Noting the success of the recent Walk Against Warming, as part of an
>>escalating campaign for a real, anti-nuclear response to climate change
>>significant nationwide actions on "April Fuels" day seem to me to be
>>worthy of contemplation and organisation.
>>
>>I shrink from showing my age by raising memories of 1977 or even using
>>the term "mobilisation" (or looking ahead to 6 August 2007) for what might
>>be
>>contemplated and organised.
>>
>>I would be grateful to receive any views that people may have on these
>>Sunday morning musings.
>>
>>Cheers, bro
>>
>>Dr Bro Sheffield-Brotherton B.Sc.(Hons), Ph.D, Dip.Ed, MEIANZ
>>Chairman, Sustainable Solutions Pty Ltd
>>Scientific Advisor, National Toxics Network
>>Honorary Life Member, Australian Conservation Foundation
>>Member, Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand
>>47 Prentice Street
>>Elsternwick 3185
>>AUSTRALIA
>>Ph: +613 9528 1957, Mob: +614 1230 3 718
>>Fax: +613 9528 5100
>>Email: bro@...
>>
>>"The ultimate measure of people is not where they stand in moments of
>>comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge and
>>controversy." - Dr Martin Luther King Jr
>>
>>"The danger is when you get old like us you may become soonical." -
>>Dagmar Schroeder
>From: "John Hill" <wynhill@...>
>Reply-To: ClimateChangeAction@...
>To: <ClimateChangeAction@...>
>Subject: [ClimateChangeAction] Nuclear Mischief and censorship?
>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2006 22:13:56 +1000
>
>I thought listmembers might be interested to see the hurried note I made
>today referring to the article: "Happy Nuke Year" by Nicolette Burke which
>the Daily Telegraph ran on the PM's comments on the Final Report on Uranium
>Mining and Nuclear Power in Australia (which had not yet been made public).
>
>When I went back to the Daily Telegraph site a few minutes ago to see if my
>comments were there, I found that the article: "Happy Nuke Year" appears to
>have been suddenly removed from the Daily Telegraph site and replaced with
>a less controversial article entitled: Put nuclear plant next to me - PM By
>David Crawshaw and Lisa Allan.
>
>I have just written the following note to the Daily Telegraph blog and am
>awaiting an answer:
> "What happened to the original article that I replied to earlier
>entitled: "Happy Nuke Year" by Nicolette Burke?
>
> When I click on it now in Google News I get another article called "Put
>nuclear plant next to me - PM" by David Crawshaw and Lisa Allan.
>
> I have searched your site and archives diligently and cannot find the
>article by Nicolette Burke listed anywhere.
>
> It appears it may have been "pulled" or censored. Would you please
>confirm or deny this. If it hasn't been deleted please tell readers where
>they can find it. If it has been "pulled" and replaced with another article
>please let us know why and at whose behest?
>
> John Hill"
>Here is the original note I wrote to the Blog in response to the article
>"Happy Nuke Year."
> "Posted by John Hill of Cooktown on Fri 29 Dec 06 at 01:16pm I have yet
>to see the Final Report on Nuclear Power but can only hope the Final Report
>no longer contains the dishonest and misleading statements contained in the
>Draft Report.
> I complained about these distortions of the truth in an official
>submission to the Draft Report. Among others the Draft Report contained
>gems such as:
>
> "Similarly, other environmental impacts of the nuclear fuel cycle
>including air pollution emissions, land use and water use are either
>comparable to or significantly lower than conventional fossil fuels and
>renewables."
>
> As the panel producing the Draft Report were supposed to be "experts"
>this bizarre statement can only be taken as a deliberate mistruth
>propagated on behalf of the nuclear industry to undermine the use of
>renewables.
>
> Another great clanger in the Draft Report was the claim that only 31
>people had died from the Chernobyl disaster but later on in the Report
>admitted (in very fine print) that about 9,000 people were expected to die
>from its effects.
>
> We need, I believe, to be putting our resources and money into providing
>more renewables NOW and improving them in the future, rather than waiting
>for years to develop what will always be a very risky and unnecessary
>nuclear program.
>
> If the new report is more truthful and balanced maybe it should be
>considered further. If not, it should be consigned to the wastebasket along
>with the Draft Report."
>
>My comments and others may be accessed at:
>http://blogs.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/yoursay/index.php/dailytelegraph/commen\
ts/is_nuclear_power_the_way_to_go/#commentsmore
>
>Howard is pushing for the nuclear option to be fast-tracked.
>
>I think it would be great if as many people as possible would complain
>about the lack of time for proper public consultation of such a major
>issue, that it has been handled in a very misleading way, and that the
>whole process seems to have been deliberately timed to be released during
>Christmas-New Years when people are naturally distracted with other things.
>
>If the govt. commits itself to developing nuclear power plants (which are
>unlikely to come on line for at least 10-15 years and may well, in the long
>run, prove to be economically unfeasible anyway - not to mention the many
>other disadvantages) there will not be enough money to start dealing with
>the problems of excessive greenhouse gas emissions NOW. If they made the
>money available we could start cutting carbon emissions right away using
>present technologies.
>
>Is there any way we can get these and related issues across to the general
>public in time?
>
>Is there any way we can effectively counter the huge resources ranged
>against us and their attempts to mislead and steamroll the populace into
>accepting nuclear power as a clean, green, safe alternative?
>
>Thanks,
>
>John Hill
>
>
>
>
>[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
__________________________________________________________
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Hiya Benny :-)
i will be at the tent embassy on the 26th of January, to celebrate Invasion
Day and to give you a hug in your latest outfit ... ;-)
come rain or shine... even if we have to walk.
So will my daughter, Natalie.
Thank you... and i wish you a joyfull new year.
IN SOLIDARITY!
Warmest regards
Anne
----- Original Message -----
From: "benny zable" <bennyzable@...>
To: <g.stjohn@...>
Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2006 7:03 AM
Subject: Re: Sending some serious peace and anti-nuclear messages home to
the government
As Melbourne prepares for a big rally in April, what about making some
statements on Australia Day/Invasion Day at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in
Canberra.
I want to remind you that the Aboriginal people are again being abused
disempowered on THEIR land with an increase of mining uranium and the burial
of radioactive waste on THEIR land.
Let us walk with them empower them on this day, celebrating the Invasion
which is the Invasion and abuse of THIER culture and lands which has brought
us to this situation today.
I suggest Palm Sunday be also be SORRY DAY as this celebrates the Howard
government again embarking on a new wave of genocide. Lets meet for a series
of rolling demos till D-day on election day to see Australia make world
history with the election of a GREEN government.
"The ultimate measure of people is not where they stand in moments of
comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge and
controversy." - Dr Martin Luther King Jr
REMEMBER:
This island continent has always been and always will be Aboriginal Land.
Yours Benny Zable
PS
Attached is the poster distribute post up, talk up and help revive the
Aboriginal Tent Embassy and Aboriginal Soereignty
----- Original Message -----
From: "Felicity Hill" <felicity.hill@...>
To: <undisclosed-recipients:>
Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 5:48 PM
Subject: Palm Sunday - 1 April - news from Melbourne
Greetings from the Palm Sunday Alliance in Melbourne,
Two weeks ago in Melbourne a meeting was called to brainstorm how peace,
faith, union, environment, social justice and medical groups could
organize around Palm Sunday (which falls on April Fools Day in 2007), to
have some serious fun while sending some serious peace and anti-nuclear
messages home to the government and the ALP.
This note shares information about what we have decided and planned thus
far, and is an invitation to get involved and to think and talk over the
holiday break about how to make this day both fun and politically
effective.
*At the Melbourne meeting we:
* Decided to call ourselves the Palm Sunday Alliance for a peaceful
and nuclear free future, with Palm Sunday Alliance for short,
which is open to all groups wishing to participate
* Drafted some loose demands which we were determined would include
positive alternatives, not just no, no, no, which we thought about
and agreed at our next meeting (see below)
* Drafted some very simple text for a poster and flier, which is
still under discussion and very much open to suggestions (see below)
* Brainstormed about the large variety of themes, events and ideas
that could be developed by other groups around Australia (see below)
* Agreed that a fun, comedy filled event that plays on the April
Fools theme will be attractive to those recently disempowered or
turned off demonstrating, while serious enough on the substantive
peace and nuclear issues to make a political impact
* Decided to establish a website www.NuclearFoolsDay.org (not yet
live but bought) on which we would be more than happy to advertise
all Palm Sunday events and activities around the country
* Decided to organise a large public meeting in February on the
issues as part of the build up and outreach
So far the following groups have endorsed Palm Sunday events: Intensive
outreach to expand this list will start in 2007
Medical Association for the Prevention of War, Friends of the Earth,
Australian Conservation Foundation, Environment Centre of the Northern
Territory, Peace Organisation of Australia, Women's International League
for Peace and Freedom, Australian Student Environment Network, Nuclear
Disarmament Party, Global Climate Change Action, Action in Solidarity
with Asia and the Pacific, Socialist Alliance, Catholics in Coalition
for Justice and Peace (CCJP), Alice Action, Arid Lands Environment
Centre, Greenpeace, Nuclear Free Australia, Stop the War Coalition
*
*Demands: *
*
Don't be a Nuclear Fool:
* Stop nuclear power in Australia: Renewables not reactors!
* Stop uranium mining: Leave it in the ground!
* Stop nuclear weapons: Put down the US nuclear umbrella!
* Stop nuclear waste: No waste dump in Australia!
Stop the Nuclear Fool Cycle!
*
*In Melbourne the Palm Sunday Alliance has so far decided to:*
* Organize a fun and upbeat Peace Parade and Festival,
* Start from Treasury Gardens where we will fly kites in the park
and form a human peace symbol for an aerial photograph
* Parade through the city to Federation Square for comedy and
entertainment
* Encourage people to dress up and make props, signs and bike
extensions around the peace and Nuclear Fool theme
* Invite Leunig to do the design for the poster, which could be used
nation wide if space was left for folks to fill in city/town
specific details
* Invite Critical Mass and Bicycle Victoria to increase the cyclists
peddling us out of the Nuclear Fool Cycle
* Invite comedians in the Melbourne Comedy Festival (which starts
only days after Palm Sunday) to participate; we are in
communication with organizers about who will be in town - they
want cross advertising so its likely we'll get some good laughs
* Invite schools to include lessons about peace and sustainability
in their teaching, including paper crane and kite making for
flying on Palm Sunday
* Invite faith based groups to participate on the day, possibly they
could issue an ecumenical statement and ceremony as in the past
* Enter the Moomba Birdwo/man Rally in March with a contraption that
advertises Palm Sunday and peace
Other ideas for themes and actions that folks in other centres may find
useful:
* The Fool on the Hill: might be a good theme for Canberra groups,
or general reference to Johnny Howard
* Get a sign on letter and publish it in the papers
* Ensure that the voices of atomic victims and survivors are heard
* Clearly advertise a dress up theme, as clowns, as fools, so people
can participate very easily
* Hold a Yellow Cake competition
* Drop a hypothetical bomb in a popular place - show the impact,
visually, with markers & symbols
* Project images and slogans onto night time surfaces/buildings of
major cities
* Stage some kind of mock nuclear waste spill at a busy location
* Ask the remaining members of Midnight Oil to perform, plus other bands
* Use as many comedians as possible
* Get the local Mayor for Peace, or soon to be Mayor for Peace involved
* Invite Tim Costello to participate
* Use candles
* Use donkeys (from palm Sunday church services), and tractors and
horses where they have em
* Invite church goers to bring their palms and use them in the day
somehow
* Get a bunch of Peace Boats on the river
* Let off balloons with information about radiation traveling in the
wind, asking folks to call in to register where they found balloon
* Have family friendly kid activities like picnic, kite flying,
crane making/hanging in addition to rally speakers
* Not use the word rally, but parade or festival
* Invite politicians along to question them about their views on
nuclear issues
* Do actions outside ALP MP offices before the day
* Get a national sign on letter to give to an ALP official to
register unity of the NGOs
* Invite veterans, the RSL to participate and the victims of the
Maralinga nuclear tests to speak - ensure these victims of nuclear
weapons are visible and remembered 50 years after the British
fenced off an area the size of England and then blew up 7 bombs
and contaminated an area the size of London for 250,000 years
* Table a Senate motion urging the government to support our efforts
in promoting a nuclear-free Australia
* Get the Channel Seven's Sunrise program on board
DRAFT Poster language:
Don't be a Nuclear Fool!
Join the Palm Sunday Peace Parade & Festival!
April Fools Day
1pm Gather at Treasury Gardens
2pm Parade to Federation Square
Dress foolishly, ride your bike, fly your kite!
Stop nuclear power in Australia: Renewables not reactors!
Stop uranium mining: Leave it in the ground!
Stop nuclear weapons: Put down the US nuclear umbrella!
Stop nuclear waste: No waste dump in Australia!
Stop the Nuclear Fool Cycle!
www.NuclearFoolsDay.org
Organised by the Palm Sunday Alliance
for a peaceful and nuclear free future
DRAFT outreach text we are still working on to widen the appeal*
*
Don't be a Nuclear Fool!
Join the Palm Sunday Peace Parade & Festival!
Palm Sunday falls on April Fools Day in 2007.
You and your organisation are invited to join the Palm Sunday Alliance
-made up of faith, medical, social justice and environment
organisations- who have come together to organise a parade and festival
for a peaceful and nuclear free future on 1 April.
Information about our meetings, participants and plans are here
www.NuclearFoolsDay.org
Gathering at Treasury Gardens at 1pm on April Fools Day to fly kites,
adjust costumes and make a human peace symbol for an aerial photograph,
the parade will move off at 2pm to Federation Square for a peace
festival with comedians and entertainment.
This will be a family-friendly, foolish and fun day to drive home some
deadly serious messages to all political parties:
Stop nuclear power in Australia: Renewables not reactors!
Stop uranium mining: Leave it in the ground!
Stop nuclear weapons: Put down the US nuclear umbrella!
Stop nuclear waste: No waste dump in Australia!
Stop the Nuclear Fool Cycle!
Our government is contemplating 25 nuclear reactors by 2050: No Way!
The Prime Minister's hand-picked nuclear 'taskforce' recommended in
November that Australia build 25 reactors along our fragile coast line
to supply a third of our electricity by 2050. Too slow, too expensive,
too dangerous and too much water would be wasted on this - wind is
cheaper and quicker and doesn't cause drought or wars.
Don't be a Ruddy Fool Mr. Rudd: Wake up and read the polls!
78% per cent of ALP voters don't want any new uranium mines in Australia
or want uranium mining stopped altogether, compared to 16% favouring new
mines, a ratio of nearly 5:1. And 66% of the general public polled don't
want any new uranium mines in Australia or want uranium mining stopped
altogether, only 22% support increased uranium mining - a ratio of 3:1
(Newspoll 30 May 2006). ALP should learn from the bitter uranium debates
of the 1980s in which they lost members and votes. Now is not the time
to review the ALP "no new mines" policy.
Australia is selling uranium to China, a nuclear weapon state: Nuclear
Fools! *
Our government boasts that it opposes nuclear weapons and has the
highest "safeguards" standards for export of uranium. Rubbish! Australia
actually normalises and legitimises nuclear weapons by participating in
the US nuclear umbrella. If Australia is serious about nuclear
disarmament, the government should never sell uranium, particularly to
countries with nuclear weapons. Safeguards provide only an 'illusion of
protection.' Australian and international safeguards cannot guarantee
that Australian uranium does not end up in nuclear weapons.
*Nuclear is NO SOLUTION to climate change!
Nuclear energy is not emissions free or 'greenhouse friendly'. According
to the German Environment Ministry, the building and decommissioning of
reactors, and the mining, processing and extensive transportation of
uranium releases carbon dioxide in quantities comparable to burning
natural gas. Nuclear power provides about 15% of global electricity
generation and electricity contributes about 30% of human made
greenhouse gases. If we doubled the existing 442 nuclear reactors to 884
by mid-century, we would only reduce greenhouse emissions by 5%. It is
economically, practically and politically inconceivable that enough new
nuclear power plants could be brought on line quickly enough to make a
significant contribution to mitigating climate change in the next decade
or two, the critical period during which we must take the steps which
will set us on the road to avoiding dangerous climate change. Nuclear
energy has never been able to compete on the open market, and has never
been commercially viable anywhere without massive public taxpayer
subsidies. Numerous studies have shown that a dollar invested in energy
efficiency is up to seven times more effective in reducing greenhouse
emissions than a dollar invested in nukes.
www.NuclearFoolsDay.org
So..... Keep your thinking caps on over the holiday period, and lets get
busy in January! Our work will begin in earnest next year, and we look
forward to an inspiring Palm Sunday.
best wishes
Felicity Hill on behalf of the Melbourne Palm Sunday Alliance
Felicity Hill
Campaign Coordinator
ICAN - International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear weapons
Medical Association for Prevention of War
www.icanw.org www.mapw.org.au www.ippnw.org
Phone: + 61 38344 1637
Fax: + 61 38344 1638
Mobile: + 61 43239 8261
Skype address: icanflick
Postal Address: MAPW, P O Box 1379, Carlton, Vic 3053, Australia
Visiting Address: MAPW Alan Gilbert Building, 2nd Floor, 161 Barry
Street, Carlton, Vic 3053
Listen to 3CR 855 AM every Friday morning at 7.45 for an ICAN update!
Streaming via www.3cr.org.au
---------------------------------
original message from "bro"
----- Original Message -----
From: "Anne Goddard" <anne@...>
To: <ClimateChangeAction@...>;
<Oz-envirolink@...>; <green-global@...>;
<green-activist@...>
Cc: <bro@...>
Sent: Sunday, December 10, 2006 4:18 PM
Subject: [Green-Activist] Re: [ClimateChangeAction] Some campaign
strategysuggestions re climate change
I really like the idea of an "April Fuels" day...
Hiya Members :-)
I have invited "Bro" to join the CCA group.
Some campaign strategy suggestions re climate change
>>Posted by: "Bro" bro@...
>>via "greenleap"
>>Mon Dec 4, 2006 8:18 pm (PST)
>>John Howard is (unless I have had a seniors' moment) the first serious
>>Australian politician since Sir Charles Court thirty years ago to run
>>nuclear reactors (not to mention the whole damn fuel cycle) up his flag
>>pole.
>>
>>Court the Elder used to speak of WA as the world's energy farm. Peter
>>Costello spruiks our involvement in the G20 in terms "Energy our freeway
>>to the future" (The Age, lead story 18 November).
>>
>>Meanwhile almost 7000 people have voted in the current Yahoo web poll
>>"What is the most important issue under discussion at the current APEC
>>summit?"
>>with the following result from a choice of four answers:
Climate Change 59%:
Iraq 19%;
Economic Development 18%;
Undecided 4%.
>>
>>For the people climate change is the issue: for the Government it's
>>consuming ever more energy with a bit of highly-vexed
>>pollution-ameliorating
>>expensive, yet-to-be demonstrated technology.
>>
>>And the Sunday Times (19/11) reports:
>>
>>'With the caucus aghast at Mr Beazley's latest verbal stumble, it will be
>>badly buffeted by the latest Ipsos-Mackay poll to be broadcast on Channel
>>10's Meet the Press this morning.
>>
>>The survey shows that 60 per cent of Australians think the issue of
>>climate change will play an important part in how they vote at the next
>>election.
>>
>>While 24 per cent believed the Greens would be the best party federally
>>to handle global warming, they were closely followed by the Coalition on
>>23
>>per cent.
>>
>>Remarkably, Labor trailed both parties, on 19 per cent.
>>
>>The results will be deeply unsettling for many federal Labor MPs who
>>already have a question mark over Mr Beazley's performance.
>>
>>The recurring complaint from his internal critics is that he fails to
>>``cut through'' to voters with the Opposition's message.
>>
>>The Ipsos-Mackay poll will simply confirm that impression, especially
>>since John Howard has widely been seen to have been wrong-footed on
>>climate
>>change since the publication three weeks ago of the British
>>Government-sponsored
>>Stern Report.
>>
>>The report concluded that Earth faced catastrophic consequences unless
>>climate change was confronted. Mr Howard has been a self-confessed
>>``climate change sceptic'' and has refused to sign up to the Kyoto
>>Protocol. "
>>
>>Speaking to mainly young people at the Make Poverty History Concert on
>>17/11 Tim Costello said (of course, it's not news other than he said it
>>about
>>him for, I believe, the first time):
>>
>>"I do have a brother. That brother, along with both sides of politics,
>>has failed to see with the same moral clarity what your generation gets
>>This
>>is how politicians govern: they wet their finger, they put it up to the
>>air
>>and they say which way is the wind blowing."
>>
>>I've been banging on now for 6 months about the next federal election,
>>and particularly the long lead up to it, being a once in a lifetime
>>opportunity to blow the winds of sustainability with frostbite-inducing
>>force over
>>the wet fingers of our political leaders. The hooks being ever-increasing
>>public concern over the impacts of climate change and the capture of the
>>Government's (and, led by Ferguson and Fitzgibbon, a proportion of the
>>Opposition's) agenda by the carbonucleophiles ("carbon dioxide - we call
>>it the stuff of life!").
>>
>>1 April 2007 falls on a Sunday.
>>
>>Noting the success of the recent Walk Against Warming, as part of an
>>escalating campaign for a real, anti-nuclear response to climate change
>>significant nationwide actions on "April Fuels" day seem to me to be
>>worthy of contemplation and organisation.
>>
>>I shrink from showing my age by raising memories of 1977 or even using
>>the term "mobilisation" (or looking ahead to 6 August 2007) for what might
>>be
>>contemplated and organised.
>>
>>I would be grateful to receive any views that people may have on these
>>Sunday morning musings.
>>
>>Cheers, bro
>>
>>Dr Bro Sheffield-Brotherton B.Sc.(Hons), Ph.D, Dip.Ed, MEIANZ
>>Chairman, Sustainable Solutions Pty Ltd
>>Scientific Advisor, National Toxics Network
>>Honorary Life Member, Australian Conservation Foundation
>>Member, Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand
>>47 Prentice Street
>>Elsternwick 3185
>>AUSTRALIA
>>Ph: +613 9528 1957, Mob: +614 1230 3 718
>>Fax: +613 9528 5100
>>Email: bro@...
>>
>>"The ultimate measure of people is not where they stand in moments of
>>comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge and
>>controversy." - Dr Martin Luther King Jr
>>
>>"The danger is when you get old like us you may become soonical." -
>>Dagmar Schroeder
_________________________________________________________________
Advertisement: Fresh jobs daily. Stop waiting for the newspaper. Search Now!
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come on down John... lets go to Canberra!
and ask them to listen to us....
and you guys can help me gather signatures ....
think about it...
anyone else coming?
Warm regards
Anne
----- Original Message -----
From: "benny zable" <bennyzable@...>
To: <ClimateChangeAction@...>
Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2006 7:37 AM
Subject: RE: [ClimateChangeAction] Nuclear Mischief and censorship?
Bless you John for having faith in the government.
In any case your actions are a necessary for keeping the debate ongoing that
has really been among the privileged, with a forgone conclusion by the
spinners of the industry, to go ahead developing this toxic industry.
Enclosed below are actions that is in need to be followed up and acted upon
to empower us plebs at the bottom of the heap.
Benny Zable
As Melbourne prepares for a big rally in April, what about making some
statements on Australia Day/Invasion Day at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in
Canberra.
I want to remind you that the Aboriginal people are again being abused
disempowered on THEIR land with an increase of mining uranium and the burial
of radioactive waste on THEIR land.
Let us walk with them empower them on this day, that celebrates the
invasion, conquest and exploitation of THIER lands and culture which has
brought us to this situation today.
I suggest Palm Sunday be also be SORRY DAY as this celebrates the Howard
government again embarking on a new wave of genocide. Lets meet for a series
of rolling demos till D-day on election day to see Australia make world
history with the election of a GREEN government.
"The ultimate measure of people is not where they stand in moments of
comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge and
controversy." - Dr Martin Luther King Jr
REMEMBER:
This island continent has always been and always will be Aboriginal Land.
Yours Benny Zable
PS
Attached is the poster distribute post up, talk up and help revive the
Aboriginal Tent Embassy and Aboriginal Soereignty
----- Original Message -----
From: "Felicity Hill" <felicity.hill@...>
To: <undisclosed-recipients:>
Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 5:48 PM
Subject: Palm Sunday - 1 April - news from Melbourne
Greetings from the Palm Sunday Alliance in Melbourne,
Two weeks ago in Melbourne a meeting was called to brainstorm how peace,
faith, union, environment, social justice and medical groups could
organize around Palm Sunday (which falls on April Fools Day in 2007), to
have some serious fun while sending some serious peace and anti-nuclear
messages home to the government and the ALP.
This note shares information about what we have decided and planned thus
far, and is an invitation to get involved and to think and talk over the
holiday break about how to make this day both fun and politically
effective.
*At the Melbourne meeting we:
* Decided to call ourselves the Palm Sunday Alliance for a peaceful
and nuclear free future, with Palm Sunday Alliance for short,
which is open to all groups wishing to participate
* Drafted some loose demands which we were determined would include
positive alternatives, not just no, no, no, which we thought about
and agreed at our next meeting (see below)
* Drafted some very simple text for a poster and flier, which is
still under discussion and very much open to suggestions (see below)
* Brainstormed about the large variety of themes, events and ideas
that could be developed by other groups around Australia (see below)
* Agreed that a fun, comedy filled event that plays on the April
Fools theme will be attractive to those recently disempowered or
turned off demonstrating, while serious enough on the substantive
peace and nuclear issues to make a political impact
* Decided to establish a website www.NuclearFoolsDay.org (not yet
live but bought) on which we would be more than happy to advertise
all Palm Sunday events and activities around the country
* Decided to organise a large public meeting in February on the
issues as part of the build up and outreach
So far the following groups have endorsed Palm Sunday events: Intensive
outreach to expand this list will start in 2007
Medical Association for the Prevention of War, Friends of the Earth,
Australian Conservation Foundation, Environment Centre of the Northern
Territory, Peace Organisation of Australia, Women's International League
for Peace and Freedom, Australian Student Environment Network, Nuclear
Disarmament Party, Global Climate Change Action, Action in Solidarity
with Asia and the Pacific, Socialist Alliance, Catholics in Coalition
for Justice and Peace (CCJP), Alice Action, Arid Lands Environment
Centre, Greenpeace, Nuclear Free Australia, Stop the War Coalition
*
*Demands: *
*
Don't be a Nuclear Fool:
* Stop nuclear power in Australia: Renewables not reactors!
* Stop uranium mining: Leave it in the ground!
* Stop nuclear weapons: Put down the US nuclear umbrella!
* Stop nuclear waste: No waste dump in Australia!
Stop the Nuclear Fool Cycle!
*
*In Melbourne the Palm Sunday Alliance has so far decided to:*
* Organize a fun and upbeat Peace Parade and Festival,
* Start from Treasury Gardens where we will fly kites in the park
and form a human peace symbol for an aerial photograph
* Parade through the city to Federation Square for comedy and
entertainment
* Encourage people to dress up and make props, signs and bike
extensions around the peace and Nuclear Fool theme
* Invite Leunig to do the design for the poster, which could be used
nation wide if space was left for folks to fill in city/town
specific details
* Invite Critical Mass and Bicycle Victoria to increase the cyclists
peddling us out of the Nuclear Fool Cycle
* Invite comedians in the Melbourne Comedy Festival (which starts
only days after Palm Sunday) to participate; we are in
communication with organizers about who will be in town - they
want cross advertising so its likely we'll get some good laughs
* Invite schools to include lessons about peace and sustainability
in their teaching, including paper crane and kite making for
flying on Palm Sunday
* Invite faith based groups to participate on the day, possibly they
could issue an ecumenical statement and ceremony as in the past
* Enter the Moomba Birdwo/man Rally in March with a contraption that
advertises Palm Sunday and peace
Other ideas for themes and actions that folks in other centres may find
useful:
* The Fool on the Hill: might be a good theme for Canberra groups,
or general reference to Johnny Howard
* Get a sign on letter and publish it in the papers
* Ensure that the voices of atomic victims and survivors are heard
* Clearly advertise a dress up theme, as clowns, as fools, so people
can participate very easily
* Hold a Yellow Cake competition
* Drop a hypothetical bomb in a popular place - show the impact,
visually, with markers & symbols
* Project images and slogans onto night time surfaces/buildings of
major cities
* Stage some kind of mock nuclear waste spill at a busy location
* Ask the remaining members of Midnight Oil to perform, plus other bands
* Use as many comedians as possible
* Get the local Mayor for Peace, or soon to be Mayor for Peace involved
* Invite Tim Costello to participate
* Use candles
* Use donkeys (from palm Sunday church services), and tractors and
horses where they have em
* Invite church goers to bring their palms and use them in the day
somehow
* Get a bunch of Peace Boats on the river
* Let off balloons with information about radiation traveling in the
wind, asking folks to call in to register where they found balloon
* Have family friendly kid activities like picnic, kite flying,
crane making/hanging in addition to rally speakers
* Not use the word rally, but parade or festival
* Invite politicians along to question them about their views on
nuclear issues
* Do actions outside ALP MP offices before the day
* Get a national sign on letter to give to an ALP official to
register unity of the NGOs
* Invite veterans, the RSL to participate and the victims of the
Maralinga nuclear tests to speak - ensure these victims of nuclear
weapons are visible and remembered 50 years after the British
fenced off an area the size of England and then blew up 7 bombs
and contaminated an area the size of London for 250,000 years
* Table a Senate motion urging the government to support our efforts
in promoting a nuclear-free Australia
* Get the Channel Seven's Sunrise program on board
DRAFT Poster language:
Don't be a Nuclear Fool!
Join the Palm Sunday Peace Parade & Festival!
April Fools Day
1pm Gather at Treasury Gardens
2pm Parade to Federation Square
Dress foolishly, ride your bike, fly your kite!
Stop nuclear power in Australia: Renewables not reactors!
Stop uranium mining: Leave it in the ground!
Stop nuclear weapons: Put down the US nuclear umbrella!
Stop nuclear waste: No waste dump in Australia!
Stop the Nuclear Fool Cycle!
www.NuclearFoolsDay.org
Organised by the Palm Sunday Alliance
for a peaceful and nuclear free future
DRAFT outreach text we are still working on to widen the appeal*
*
Don't be a Nuclear Fool!
Join the Palm Sunday Peace Parade & Festival!
Palm Sunday falls on April Fools Day in 2007.
You and your organisation are invited to join the Palm Sunday Alliance
-made up of faith, medical, social justice and environment
organisations- who have come together to organise a parade and festival
for a peaceful and nuclear free future on 1 April.
Information about our meetings, participants and plans are here
www.NuclearFoolsDay.org
Gathering at Treasury Gardens at 1pm on April Fools Day to fly kites,
adjust costumes and make a human peace symbol for an aerial photograph,
the parade will move off at 2pm to Federation Square for a peace
festival with comedians and entertainment.
This will be a family-friendly, foolish and fun day to drive home some
deadly serious messages to all political parties:
Stop nuclear power in Australia: Renewables not reactors!
Stop uranium mining: Leave it in the ground!
Stop nuclear weapons: Put down the US nuclear umbrella!
Stop nuclear waste: No waste dump in Australia!
Stop the Nuclear Fool Cycle!
Our government is contemplating 25 nuclear reactors by 2050: No Way!
The Prime Minister's hand-picked nuclear 'taskforce' recommended in
November that Australia build 25 reactors along our fragile coast line
to supply a third of our electricity by 2050. Too slow, too expensive,
too dangerous and too much water would be wasted on this - wind is
cheaper and quicker and doesn't cause drought or wars.
Don't be a Ruddy Fool Mr. Rudd: Wake up and read the polls!
78% per cent of ALP voters don't want any new uranium mines in Australia
or want uranium mining stopped altogether, compared to 16% favouring new
mines, a ratio of nearly 5:1. And 66% of the general public polled don't
want any new uranium mines in Australia or want uranium mining stopped
altogether, only 22% support increased uranium mining - a ratio of 3:1
(Newspoll 30 May 2006). ALP should learn from the bitter uranium debates
of the 1980s in which they lost members and votes. Now is not the time
to review the ALP "no new mines" policy.
Australia is selling uranium to China, a nuclear weapon state: Nuclear
Fools! *
Our government boasts that it opposes nuclear weapons and has the
highest "safeguards" standards for export of uranium. Rubbish! Australia
actually normalises and legitimises nuclear weapons by participating in
the US nuclear umbrella. If Australia is serious about nuclear
disarmament, the government should never sell uranium, particularly to
countries with nuclear weapons. Safeguards provide only an 'illusion of
protection.' Australian and international safeguards cannot guarantee
that Australian uranium does not end up in nuclear weapons.
*Nuclear is NO SOLUTION to climate change!
Nuclear energy is not emissions free or 'greenhouse friendly'. According
to the German Environment Ministry, the building and decommissioning of
reactors, and the mining, processing and extensive transportation of
uranium releases carbon dioxide in quantities comparable to burning
natural gas. Nuclear power provides about 15% of global electricity
generation and electricity contributes about 30% of human made
greenhouse gases. If we doubled the existing 442 nuclear reactors to 884
by mid-century, we would only reduce greenhouse emissions by 5%. It is
economically, practically and politically inconceivable that enough new
nuclear power plants could be brought on line quickly enough to make a
significant contribution to mitigating climate change in the next decade
or two, the critical period during which we must take the steps which
will set us on the road to avoiding dangerous climate change. Nuclear
energy has never been able to compete on the open market, and has never
been commercially viable anywhere without massive public taxpayer
subsidies. Numerous studies have shown that a dollar invested in energy
efficiency is up to seven times more effective in reducing greenhouse
emissions than a dollar invested in nukes.
www.NuclearFoolsDay.org
So..... Keep your thinking caps on over the holiday period, and lets get
busy in January! Our work will begin in earnest next year, and we look
forward to an inspiring Palm Sunday.
best wishes
Felicity Hill on behalf of the Melbourne Palm Sunday Alliance
Felicity Hill
Campaign Coordinator
ICAN - International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear weapons
Medical Association for Prevention of War
www.icanw.org www.mapw.org.au www.ippnw.org
Phone: + 61 38344 1637
Fax: + 61 38344 1638
Mobile: + 61 43239 8261
Skype address: icanflick
Postal Address: MAPW, P O Box 1379, Carlton, Vic 3053, Australia
Visiting Address: MAPW Alan Gilbert Building, 2nd Floor, 161 Barry
Street, Carlton, Vic 3053
Listen to 3CR 855 AM every Friday morning at 7.45 for an ICAN update!
Streaming via www.3cr.org.au
---------------------------------
original message from "bro"
----- Original Message -----
From: "Anne Goddard" <anne@...>
To: <ClimateChangeAction@...>;
<Oz-envirolink@...>; <green-global@...>;
<green-activist@...>
Cc: <bro@...>
Sent: Sunday, December 10, 2006 4:18 PM
Subject: [Green-Activist] Re: [ClimateChangeAction] Some campaign
strategysuggestions re climate change
I really like the idea of an "April Fuels" day...
Hiya Members :-)
I have invited "Bro" to join the CCA group.
Some campaign strategy suggestions re climate change
>>Posted by: "Bro" bro@...
>>via "greenleap"
>>Mon Dec 4, 2006 8:18 pm (PST)
>>John Howard is (unless I have had a seniors' moment) the first serious
>>Australian politician since Sir Charles Court thirty years ago to run
>>nuclear reactors (not to mention the whole damn fuel cycle) up his flag
>>pole.
>>
>>Court the Elder used to speak of WA as the world's energy farm. Peter
>>Costello spruiks our involvement in the G20 in terms "Energy our freeway
>>to the future" (The Age, lead story 18 November).
>>
>>Meanwhile almost 7000 people have voted in the current Yahoo web poll
>>"What is the most important issue under discussion at the current APEC
>>summit?"
>>with the following result from a choice of four answers:
Climate Change 59%:
Iraq 19%;
Economic Development 18%;
Undecided 4%.
>>
>>For the people climate change is the issue: for the Government it's
>>consuming ever more energy with a bit of highly-vexed
>>pollution-ameliorating
>>expensive, yet-to-be demonstrated technology.
>>
>>And the Sunday Times (19/11) reports:
>>
>>'With the caucus aghast at Mr Beazley's latest verbal stumble, it will be
>>badly buffeted by the latest Ipsos-Mackay poll to be broadcast on Channel
>>10's Meet the Press this morning.
>>
>>The survey shows that 60 per cent of Australians think the issue of
>>climate change will play an important part in how they vote at the next
>>election.
>>
>>While 24 per cent believed the Greens would be the best party federally
>>to handle global warming, they were closely followed by the Coalition on
>>23
>>per cent.
>>
>>Remarkably, Labor trailed both parties, on 19 per cent.
>>
>>The results will be deeply unsettling for many federal Labor MPs who
>>already have a question mark over Mr Beazley's performance.
>>
>>The recurring complaint from his internal critics is that he fails to
>>``cut through'' to voters with the Opposition's message.
>>
>>The Ipsos-Mackay poll will simply confirm that impression, especially
>>since John Howard has widely been seen to have been wrong-footed on
>>climate
>>change since the publication three weeks ago of the British
>>Government-sponsored
>>Stern Report.
>>
>>The report concluded that Earth faced catastrophic consequences unless
>>climate change was confronted. Mr Howard has been a self-confessed
>>``climate change sceptic'' and has refused to sign up to the Kyoto
>>Protocol. "
>>
>>Speaking to mainly young people at the Make Poverty History Concert on
>>17/11 Tim Costello said (of course, it's not news other than he said it
>>about
>>him for, I believe, the first time):
>>
>>"I do have a brother. That brother, along with both sides of politics,
>>has failed to see with the same moral clarity what your generation gets
>>This
>>is how politicians govern: they wet their finger, they put it up to the
>>air
>>and they say which way is the wind blowing."
>>
>>I've been banging on now for 6 months about the next federal election,
>>and particularly the long lead up to it, being a once in a lifetime
>>opportunity to blow the winds of sustainability with frostbite-inducing
>>force over
>>the wet fingers of our political leaders. The hooks being ever-increasing
>>public concern over the impacts of climate change and the capture of the
>>Government's (and, led by Ferguson and Fitzgibbon, a proportion of the
>>Opposition's) agenda by the carbonucleophiles ("carbon dioxide - we call
>>it the stuff of life!").
>>
>>1 April 2007 falls on a Sunday.
>>
>>Noting the success of the recent Walk Against Warming, as part of an
>>escalating campaign for a real, anti-nuclear response to climate change
>>significant nationwide actions on "April Fuels" day seem to me to be
>>worthy of contemplation and organisation.
>>
>>I shrink from showing my age by raising memories of 1977 or even using
>>the term "mobilisation" (or looking ahead to 6 August 2007) for what might
>>be
>>contemplated and organised.
>>
>>I would be grateful to receive any views that people may have on these
>>Sunday morning musings.
>>
>>Cheers, bro
>>
>>Dr Bro Sheffield-Brotherton B.Sc.(Hons), Ph.D, Dip.Ed, MEIANZ
>>Chairman, Sustainable Solutions Pty Ltd
>>Scientific Advisor, National Toxics Network
>>Honorary Life Member, Australian Conservation Foundation
>>Member, Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand
>>47 Prentice Street
>>Elsternwick 3185
>>AUSTRALIA
>>Ph: +613 9528 1957, Mob: +614 1230 3 718
>>Fax: +613 9528 5100
>>Email: bro@...
>>
>>"The ultimate measure of people is not where they stand in moments of
>>comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge and
>>controversy." - Dr Martin Luther King Jr
>>
>>"The danger is when you get old like us you may become soonical." -
>>Dagmar Schroeder
>From: "John Hill" <wynhill@...>
>Reply-To: ClimateChangeAction@...
>To: <ClimateChangeAction@...>
>Subject: [ClimateChangeAction] Nuclear Mischief and censorship?
>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2006 22:13:56 +1000
>
>I thought listmembers might be interested to see the hurried note I made
>today referring to the article: "Happy Nuke Year" by Nicolette Burke which
>the Daily Telegraph ran on the PM's comments on the Final Report on Uranium
>Mining and Nuclear Power in Australia (which had not yet been made public).
>
>When I went back to the Daily Telegraph site a few minutes ago to see if my
>comments were there, I found that the article: "Happy Nuke Year" appears to
>have been suddenly removed from the Daily Telegraph site and replaced with
>a less controversial article entitled: Put nuclear plant next to me - PM By
>David Crawshaw and Lisa Allan.
>
>I have just written the following note to the Daily Telegraph blog and am
>awaiting an answer:
> "What happened to the original article that I replied to earlier
>entitled: "Happy Nuke Year" by Nicolette Burke?
>
> When I click on it now in Google News I get another article called "Put
>nuclear plant next to me - PM" by David Crawshaw and Lisa Allan.
>
> I have searched your site and archives diligently and cannot find the
>article by Nicolette Burke listed anywhere.
>
> It appears it may have been "pulled" or censored. Would you please
>confirm or deny this. If it hasn't been deleted please tell readers where
>they can find it. If it has been "pulled" and replaced with another article
>please let us know why and at whose behest?
>
> John Hill"
>Here is the original note I wrote to the Blog in response to the article
>"Happy Nuke Year."
> "Posted by John Hill of Cooktown on Fri 29 Dec 06 at 01:16pm I have yet
>to see the Final Report on Nuclear Power but can only hope the Final Report
>no longer contains the dishonest and misleading statements contained in the
>Draft Report.
> I complained about these distortions of the truth in an official
>submission to the Draft Report. Among others the Draft Report contained
>gems such as:
>
> "Similarly, other environmental impacts of the nuclear fuel cycle
>including air pollution emissions, land use and water use are either
>comparable to or significantly lower than conventional fossil fuels and
>renewables."
>
> As the panel producing the Draft Report were supposed to be "experts"
>this bizarre statement can only be taken as a deliberate mistruth
>propagated on behalf of the nuclear industry to undermine the use of
>renewables.
>
> Another great clanger in the Draft Report was the claim that only 31
>people had died from the Chernobyl disaster but later on in the Report
>admitted (in very fine print) that about 9,000 people were expected to die
>from its effects.
>
> We need, I believe, to be putting our resources and money into providing
>more renewables NOW and improving them in the future, rather than waiting
>for years to develop what will always be a very risky and unnecessary
>nuclear program.
>
> If the new report is more truthful and balanced maybe it should be
>considered further. If not, it should be consigned to the wastebasket along
>with the Draft Report."
>
>My comments and others may be accessed at:
>http://blogs.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/yoursay/index.php/dailytelegraph/commen\
ts/is_nuclear_power_the_way_to_go/#commentsmore
>
>Howard is pushing for the nuclear option to be fast-tracked.
>
>I think it would be great if as many people as possible would complain
>about the lack of time for proper public consultation of such a major
>issue, that it has been handled in a very misleading way, and that the
>whole process seems to have been deliberately timed to be released during
>Christmas-New Years when people are naturally distracted with other things.
>
>If the govt. commits itself to developing nuclear power plants (which are
>unlikely to come on line for at least 10-15 years and may well, in the long
>run, prove to be economically unfeasible anyway - not to mention the many
>other disadvantages) there will not be enough money to start dealing with
>the problems of excessive greenhouse gas emissions NOW. If they made the
>money available we could start cutting carbon emissions right away using
>present technologies.
>
>Is there any way we can get these and related issues across to the general
>public in time?
>
>Is there any way we can effectively counter the huge resources ranged
>against us and their attempts to mislead and steamroll the populace into
>accepting nuclear power as a clean, green, safe alternative?
>
>Thanks,
>
>John Hill
>
>
>
>
>[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
_________________________________________________________________
Fixing up the home? Live Search can help
http://imagine-windowslive.com/search/kits/default.aspx?kit=improve&locale=en-US\
&source=hmemailtaglinenov06&FORM=WLMTAG
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Yahoo!7 Groups Links
GREAT STUFF JOHN
totally Brilliant,
as we have come to expect now :-)
with big hugs
and a joyfull new year :-)
a
----- Original Message -----
From: John Hill
To: ClimateChangeAction@...
Sent: Friday, December 29, 2006 10:13 PM
Subject: [ClimateChangeAction] Nuclear Mischief and censorship?
I thought listmembers might be interested to see the hurried note I made today
referring to the article: "Happy Nuke Year" by Nicolette Burke which the Daily
Telegraph ran on the PM's comments on the Final Report on Uranium Mining and
Nuclear Power in Australia (which had not yet been made public).
When I went back to the Daily Telegraph site a few minutes ago to see if my
comments were there, I found that the article: "Happy Nuke Year" appears to have
been suddenly removed from the Daily Telegraph site and replaced with a less
controversial article entitled: Put nuclear plant next to me - PM By David
Crawshaw and Lisa Allan.
I have just written the following note to the Daily Telegraph blog and am
awaiting an answer:
"What happened to the original article that I replied to earlier entitled:
"Happy Nuke Year" by Nicolette Burke?
When I click on it now in Google News I get another article called "Put nuclear
plant next to me - PM" by David Crawshaw and Lisa Allan.
I have searched your site and archives diligently and cannot find the article by
Nicolette Burke listed anywhere.
It appears it may have been "pulled" or censored. Would you please confirm or
deny this. If it hasn't been deleted please tell readers where they can find it.
If it has been "pulled" and replaced with another article please let us know why
and at whose behest?
John Hill"
Here is the original note I wrote to the Blog in response to the article "Happy
Nuke Year."
"Posted by John Hill of Cooktown on Fri 29 Dec 06 at 01:16pm I have yet to see
the Final Report on Nuclear Power but can only hope the Final Report no longer
contains the dishonest and misleading statements contained in the Draft Report.
I complained about these distortions of the truth in an official submission to
the Draft Report. Among others the Draft Report contained gems such as:
"Similarly, other environmental impacts of the nuclear fuel cycle including air
pollution emissions, land use and water use are either comparable to or
significantly lower than conventional fossil fuels and renewables."
As the panel producing the Draft Report were supposed to be "experts" this
bizarre statement can only be taken as a deliberate mistruth propagated on
behalf of the nuclear industry to undermine the use of renewables.
Another great clanger in the Draft Report was the claim that only 31 people had
died from the Chernobyl disaster but later on in the Report admitted (in very
fine print) that about 9,000 people were expected to die from its effects.
We need, I believe, to be putting our resources and money into providing more
renewables NOW and improving them in the future, rather than waiting for years
to develop what will always be a very risky and unnecessary nuclear program.
If the new report is more truthful and balanced maybe it should be considered
further. If not, it should be consigned to the wastebasket along with the Draft
Report."
My comments and others may be accessed at:
http://blogs.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/yoursay/index.php/dailytelegraph/comment\
s/is_nuclear_power_the_way_to_go/#commentsmore
Howard is pushing for the nuclear option to be fast-tracked.
I think it would be great if as many people as possible would complain about the
lack of time for proper public consultation of such a major issue, that it has
been handled in a very misleading way, and that the whole process seems to have
been deliberately timed to be released during Christmas-New Years when people
are naturally distracted with other things.
If the govt. commits itself to developing nuclear power plants (which are
unlikely to come on line for at least 10-15 years and may well, in the long run,
prove to be economically unfeasible anyway - not to mention the many other
disadvantages) there will not be enough money to start dealing with the problems
of excessive greenhouse gas emissions NOW. If they made the money available we
could start cutting carbon emissions right away using present technologies.
Is there any way we can get these and related issues across to the general
public in time?
Is there any way we can effectively counter the huge resources ranged against us
and their attempts to mislead and steamroll the populace into accepting nuclear
power as a clean, green, safe alternative?
Thanks,
John Hill
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Dear Friends:
I have just quickly read, for the first time, the Federal Government's "Final
Report on Uranium Mining, Processing and Nuclear Energy - Opportunities for
Australia?" which has just been released and is available for download at:
http://pmc.gov.au/umpner/reports.cfm#full
Here are a few of my initial impressions and comments:
1. I note that the Submission made by Jo Wynter and myself on the Draft Report
has not been included in the long list of other submissions examined. I have
written to ask why and will let listmembers know if and when I get a reply.
2. As expected, the Final Report (like the Draft Report) is clearly biased
toward the development and expansion of uranium mining and exports, and the
development of uranium processing and nuclear power generation in Australia.
However, it does contain occasional surprising titbits of information. For
example, it says:
"Some 4000 people in the areas with highest radiation levels could eventually
die from cancer caused by radiation exposure, and of 6.8 million others living
further from the [Chernobyl] explosion who received a much lower dose, another
5000 may die as a result of that dose." From page 196.
"One study suggests that of 570 million people in Europe at the time of the
Chernobyl accident and exposed to low levels of radiation from the accident, 16
000 will ultimately die from induced cancers as a result of the radiation caused
by the accident. This is 0.01 per cent of all predicted cancer deaths. As cancer
causes about a quarter of all deaths in Europe, identifying those cases
triggered by the Chernobyl-sourced radioactivity cannot be done with statistical
confidence." From page 197.
So, these studies suggest that about 20,000 people in Europe can be expected to
die as a result of the Chernobyl disaster.
Even worse, though, on page 205, we find:
"Other higher estimates of the long term impacts have been made, assuming that
the official figures underestimate the true release of radioactive materials by
about 30 per cent and that there was a wider spread of contamination and
exposure. One predicts 30 000 to 60 000 excess cancer deaths in the longer term,
7 to 15 times greater than Chernobyl Forum estimates.[288]" [The latter figures
were taken from: Fairlie I, Sumner D. The other report on Chernobyl (TORCH). 6
April 2006, University of South Carolina.
http://cricket.biol.sc.edu/chernobyl/papers/TORCH.pdf ]
3. There is no mention that I can find of an assessment of the risks from
low-level radiation in other parts of the world although there was radioactive
contamination of large areas of North America and Asia.
4. There is no mention that I can find anywhere in the Final Report of possible
risks to nuclear facilities posed by natural disasters such as earthquakes,
cyclones, tsunamis, flooding, etc. This, in spite of the fact that many present
and planned nuclear facilities are located in highly geologically unstable
areas, or are situated in exposed areas, such as seacoasts.
5. There is no discussion that I could find as to why the Federal Government has
commissioned a Report into the need to expand the Uranium and Nuclear Industries
but has failed to do the same for renewables.
6. The Final Report notes that there will be a very long time lag before nuclear
power could come on line in Australia, and states that: "The greenhouse gas
emission reductions from nuclear power could reach 8 to 17 per cent of national
emissions in 2050."
However, it neglects to mention that we could probably decrease our emissions by
a similar amount (and quite possibly more) within a much shorter span of time by
immediately installing more renewable sources and economising on our present
very wasteful power habits.
The Report does predict the greatest savings of carbon emissions are likely to
come from energy efficiency measures (see, for example, Figure O15 on page 225),
many of which could (and should) be implemented almost immediately.
7. Appendix O on "Climate change and greenhouse gas emissions," on pages
209-226, which, though favouring the development of nuclear power and expanded
uranium mining, certainly contains some useful and sobering information.
Sincerely,
John Hill
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Dear Friends:
For your information:
The "Final report: Uranium Mining, Processing and Nuclear Energy - Opportunities
for Australia?" is now available for download as a PDF or MS Word file from:
http://pmc.gov.au/umpner/reports.cfm#full
Cheers,
John Hill
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Bless you John for having faith in the government.
In any case your actions are a necessary for keeping the debate ongoing that
has really been among the privileged, with a forgone conclusion by the
spinners of the industry, to go ahead developing this toxic industry.
Enclosed below are actions that is in need to be followed up and acted upon
to empower us plebs at the bottom of the heap.
Benny Zable
As Melbourne prepares for a big rally in April, what about making some
statements on Australia Day/Invasion Day at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in
Canberra.
I want to remind you that the Aboriginal people are again being abused
disempowered on THEIR land with an increase of mining uranium and the burial
of radioactive waste on THEIR land.
Let us walk with them empower them on this day, that celebrates the
invasion, conquest and exploitation of THIER lands and culture which has
brought us to this situation today.
I suggest Palm Sunday be also be SORRY DAY as this celebrates the Howard
government again embarking on a new wave of genocide. Lets meet for a series
of rolling demos till D-day on election day to see Australia make world
history with the election of a GREEN government.
"The ultimate measure of people is not where they stand in moments of
comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge and
controversy." - Dr Martin Luther King Jr
REMEMBER:
This island continent has always been and always will be Aboriginal Land.
Yours Benny Zable
PS
Attached is the poster distribute post up, talk up and help revive the
Aboriginal Tent Embassy and Aboriginal Soereignty
----- Original Message -----
From: "Felicity Hill" <felicity.hill@...>
To: <undisclosed-recipients:>
Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 5:48 PM
Subject: Palm Sunday - 1 April - news from Melbourne
Greetings from the Palm Sunday Alliance in Melbourne,
Two weeks ago in Melbourne a meeting was called to brainstorm how peace,
faith, union, environment, social justice and medical groups could
organize around Palm Sunday (which falls on April Fools Day in 2007), to
have some serious fun while sending some serious peace and anti-nuclear
messages home to the government and the ALP.
This note shares information about what we have decided and planned thus
far, and is an invitation to get involved and to think and talk over the
holiday break about how to make this day both fun and politically
effective.
*At the Melbourne meeting we:
* Decided to call ourselves the Palm Sunday Alliance for a peaceful
and nuclear free future, with Palm Sunday Alliance for short,
which is open to all groups wishing to participate
* Drafted some loose demands which we were determined would include
positive alternatives, not just no, no, no, which we thought about
and agreed at our next meeting (see below)
* Drafted some very simple text for a poster and flier, which is
still under discussion and very much open to suggestions (see below)
* Brainstormed about the large variety of themes, events and ideas
that could be developed by other groups around Australia (see below)
* Agreed that a fun, comedy filled event that plays on the April
Fools theme will be attractive to those recently disempowered or
turned off demonstrating, while serious enough on the substantive
peace and nuclear issues to make a political impact
* Decided to establish a website www.NuclearFoolsDay.org (not yet
live but bought) on which we would be more than happy to advertise
all Palm Sunday events and activities around the country
* Decided to organise a large public meeting in February on the
issues as part of the build up and outreach
So far the following groups have endorsed Palm Sunday events: Intensive
outreach to expand this list will start in 2007
Medical Association for the Prevention of War, Friends of the Earth,
Australian Conservation Foundation, Environment Centre of the Northern
Territory, Peace Organisation of Australia, Women’s International League
for Peace and Freedom, Australian Student Environment Network, Nuclear
Disarmament Party, Global Climate Change Action, Action in Solidarity
with Asia and the Pacific, Socialist Alliance, Catholics in Coalition
for Justice and Peace (CCJP), Alice Action, Arid Lands Environment
Centre, Greenpeace, Nuclear Free Australia, Stop the War Coalition
*
*Demands: *
*
Don't be a Nuclear Fool:
* Stop nuclear power in Australia: Renewables not reactors!
* Stop uranium mining: Leave it in the ground!
* Stop nuclear weapons: Put down the US nuclear umbrella!
* Stop nuclear waste: No waste dump in Australia!
Stop the Nuclear Fool Cycle!
*
*In Melbourne the Palm Sunday Alliance has so far decided to:*
* Organize a fun and upbeat Peace Parade and Festival,
* Start from Treasury Gardens where we will fly kites in the park
and form a human peace symbol for an aerial photograph
* Parade through the city to Federation Square for comedy and
entertainment
* Encourage people to dress up and make props, signs and bike
extensions around the peace and Nuclear Fool theme
* Invite Leunig to do the design for the poster, which could be used
nation wide if space was left for folks to fill in city/town
specific details
* Invite Critical Mass and Bicycle Victoria to increase the cyclists
peddling us out of the Nuclear Fool Cycle
* Invite comedians in the Melbourne Comedy Festival (which starts
only days after Palm Sunday) to participate; we are in
communication with organizers about who will be in town - they
want cross advertising so its likely we'll get some good laughs
* Invite schools to include lessons about peace and sustainability
in their teaching, including paper crane and kite making for
flying on Palm Sunday
* Invite faith based groups to participate on the day, possibly they
could issue an ecumenical statement and ceremony as in the past
* Enter the Moomba Birdwo/man Rally in March with a contraption that
advertises Palm Sunday and peace
Other ideas for themes and actions that folks in other centres may find
useful:
* The Fool on the Hill: might be a good theme for Canberra groups,
or general reference to Johnny Howard
* Get a sign on letter and publish it in the papers
* Ensure that the voices of atomic victims and survivors are heard
* Clearly advertise a dress up theme, as clowns, as fools, so people
can participate very easily
* Hold a Yellow Cake competition
* Drop a hypothetical bomb in a popular place – show the impact,
visually, with markers & symbols
* Project images and slogans onto night time surfaces/buildings of
major cities
* Stage some kind of mock nuclear waste spill at a busy location
* Ask the remaining members of Midnight Oil to perform, plus other bands
* Use as many comedians as possible
* Get the local Mayor for Peace, or soon to be Mayor for Peace involved
* Invite Tim Costello to participate
* Use candles
* Use donkeys (from palm Sunday church services), and tractors and
horses where they have em
* Invite church goers to bring their palms and use them in the day
somehow
* Get a bunch of Peace Boats on the river
* Let off balloons with information about radiation traveling in the
wind, asking folks to call in to register where they found balloon
* Have family friendly kid activities like picnic, kite flying,
crane making/hanging in addition to rally speakers
* Not use the word rally, but parade or festival
* Invite politicians along to question them about their views on
nuclear issues
* Do actions outside ALP MP offices before the day
* Get a national sign on letter to give to an ALP official to
register unity of the NGOs
* Invite veterans, the RSL to participate and the victims of the
Maralinga nuclear tests to speak – ensure these victims of nuclear
weapons are visible and remembered 50 years after the British
fenced off an area the size of England and then blew up 7 bombs
and contaminated an area the size of London for 250,000 years
* Table a Senate motion urging the government to support our efforts
in promoting a nuclear-free Australia
* Get the Channel Seven’s Sunrise program on board
DRAFT Poster language:
Don't be a Nuclear Fool!
Join the Palm Sunday Peace Parade & Festival!
April Fools Day
1pm Gather at Treasury Gardens
2pm Parade to Federation Square
Dress foolishly, ride your bike, fly your kite!
Stop nuclear power in Australia: Renewables not reactors!
Stop uranium mining: Leave it in the ground!
Stop nuclear weapons: Put down the US nuclear umbrella!
Stop nuclear waste: No waste dump in Australia!
Stop the Nuclear Fool Cycle!
www.NuclearFoolsDay.org
Organised by the Palm Sunday Alliance
for a peaceful and nuclear free future
DRAFT outreach text we are still working on to widen the appeal*
*
Don't be a Nuclear Fool!
Join the Palm Sunday Peace Parade & Festival!
Palm Sunday falls on April Fools Day in 2007.
You and your organisation are invited to join the Palm Sunday Alliance
–made up of faith, medical, social justice and environment
organisations– who have come together to organise a parade and festival
for a peaceful and nuclear free future on 1 April.
Information about our meetings, participants and plans are here
www.NuclearFoolsDay.org
Gathering at Treasury Gardens at 1pm on April Fools Day to fly kites,
adjust costumes and make a human peace symbol for an aerial photograph,
the parade will move off at 2pm to Federation Square for a peace
festival with comedians and entertainment.
This will be a family-friendly, foolish and fun day to drive home some
deadly serious messages to all political parties:
Stop nuclear power in Australia: Renewables not reactors!
Stop uranium mining: Leave it in the ground!
Stop nuclear weapons: Put down the US nuclear umbrella!
Stop nuclear waste: No waste dump in Australia!
Stop the Nuclear Fool Cycle!
Our government is contemplating 25 nuclear reactors by 2050: No Way!
The Prime Minister’s hand-picked nuclear ‘taskforce’ recommended in
November that Australia build 25 reactors along our fragile coast line
to supply a third of our electricity by 2050. Too slow, too expensive,
too dangerous and too much water would be wasted on this – wind is
cheaper and quicker and doesn’t cause drought or wars.
Don’t be a Ruddy Fool Mr. Rudd: Wake up and read the polls!
78% per cent of ALP voters don’t want any new uranium mines in Australia
or want uranium mining stopped altogether, compared to 16% favouring new
mines, a ratio of nearly 5:1. And 66% of the general public polled don’t
want any new uranium mines in Australia or want uranium mining stopped
altogether, only 22% support increased uranium mining - a ratio of 3:1
(Newspoll 30 May 2006). ALP should learn from the bitter uranium debates
of the 1980s in which they lost members and votes. Now is not the time
to review the ALP “no new mines” policy.
Australia is selling uranium to China, a nuclear weapon state: Nuclear
Fools! *
Our government boasts that it opposes nuclear weapons and has the
highest “safeguards” standards for export of uranium. Rubbish! Australia
actually normalises and legitimises nuclear weapons by participating in
the US nuclear umbrella. If Australia is serious about nuclear
disarmament, the government should never sell uranium, particularly to
countries with nuclear weapons. Safeguards provide only an ‘illusion of
protection.’ Australian and international safeguards cannot guarantee
that Australian uranium does not end up in nuclear weapons.
*Nuclear is NO SOLUTION to climate change!
Nuclear energy is not emissions free or ‘greenhouse friendly’. According
to the German Environment Ministry, the building and decommissioning of
reactors, and the mining, processing and extensive transportation of
uranium releases carbon dioxide in quantities comparable to burning
natural gas. Nuclear power provides about 15% of global electricity
generation and electricity contributes about 30% of human made
greenhouse gases. If we doubled the existing 442 nuclear reactors to 884
by mid-century, we would only reduce greenhouse emissions by 5%. It is
economically, practically and politically inconceivable that enough new
nuclear power plants could be brought on line quickly enough to make a
significant contribution to mitigating climate change in the next decade
or two, the critical period during which we must take the steps which
will set us on the road to avoiding dangerous climate change. Nuclear
energy has never been able to compete on the open market, and has never
been commercially viable anywhere without massive public taxpayer
subsidies. Numerous studies have shown that a dollar invested in energy
efficiency is up to seven times more effective in reducing greenhouse
emissions than a dollar invested in nukes.
www.NuclearFoolsDay.org
So..... Keep your thinking caps on over the holiday period, and lets get
busy in January! Our work will begin in earnest next year, and we look
forward to an inspiring Palm Sunday.
best wishes
Felicity Hill on behalf of the Melbourne Palm Sunday Alliance
Felicity Hill
Campaign Coordinator
ICAN - International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear weapons
Medical Association for Prevention of War
www.icanw.org www.mapw.org.au www.ippnw.org
Phone: + 61 38344 1637
Fax: + 61 38344 1638
Mobile: + 61 43239 8261
Skype address: icanflick
Postal Address: MAPW, P O Box 1379, Carlton, Vic 3053, Australia
Visiting Address: MAPW Alan Gilbert Building, 2nd Floor, 161 Barry
Street, Carlton, Vic 3053
Listen to 3CR 855 AM every Friday morning at 7.45 for an ICAN update!
Streaming via www.3cr.org.au
---------------------------------
original message from "bro"
----- Original Message -----
From: "Anne Goddard" <anne@...>
To: <ClimateChangeAction@...>;
<Oz-envirolink@...>; <green-global@...>;
<green-activist@...>
Cc: <bro@...>
Sent: Sunday, December 10, 2006 4:18 PM
Subject: [Green-Activist] Re: [ClimateChangeAction] Some campaign
strategysuggestions re climate change
I really like the idea of an "April Fuels" day...
Hiya Members :-)
I have invited "Bro" to join the CCA group.
Some campaign strategy suggestions re climate change
>>Posted by: "Bro" bro@...
>>via "greenleap"
>>Mon Dec 4, 2006 8:18 pm (PST)
>>John Howard is (unless I have had a seniors' moment) the first serious
>>Australian politician since Sir Charles Court thirty years ago to run
>>nuclear reactors (not to mention the whole damn fuel cycle) up his flag
>>pole.
>>
>>Court the Elder used to speak of WA as the world's energy farm. Peter
>>Costello spruiks our involvement in the G20 in terms "Energy our freeway
>>to the future" (The Age, lead story 18 November).
>>
>>Meanwhile almost 7000 people have voted in the current Yahoo web poll
>>"What is the most important issue under discussion at the current APEC
>>summit?"
>>with the following result from a choice of four answers:
Climate Change 59%:
Iraq 19%;
Economic Development 18%;
Undecided 4%.
>>
>>For the people climate change is the issue: for the Government it's
>>consuming ever more energy with a bit of highly-vexed
>>pollution-ameliorating
>>expensive, yet-to-be demonstrated technology.
>>
>>And the Sunday Times (19/11) reports:
>>
>>'With the caucus aghast at Mr Beazley's latest verbal stumble, it will be
>>badly buffeted by the latest Ipsos-Mackay poll to be broadcast on Channel
>>10's Meet the Press this morning.
>>
>>The survey shows that 60 per cent of Australians think the issue of
>>climate change will play an important part in how they vote at the next
>>election.
>>
>>While 24 per cent believed the Greens would be the best party federally
>>to handle global warming, they were closely followed by the Coalition on
>>23
>>per cent.
>>
>>Remarkably, Labor trailed both parties, on 19 per cent.
>>
>>The results will be deeply unsettling for many federal Labor MPs who
>>already have a question mark over Mr Beazley's performance.
>>
>>The recurring complaint from his internal critics is that he fails to
>>``cut through'' to voters with the Opposition's message.
>>
>>The Ipsos-Mackay poll will simply confirm that impression, especially
>>since John Howard has widely been seen to have been wrong-footed on
>>climate
>>change since the publication three weeks ago of the British
>>Government-sponsored
>>Stern Report.
>>
>>The report concluded that Earth faced catastrophic consequences unless
>>climate change was confronted. Mr Howard has been a self-confessed
>>``climate change sceptic'' and has refused to sign up to the Kyoto
>>Protocol. "
>>
>>Speaking to mainly young people at the Make Poverty History Concert on
>>17/11 Tim Costello said (of course, it's not news other than he said it
>>about
>>him for, I believe, the first time):
>>
>>"I do have a brother. That brother, along with both sides of politics,
>>has failed to see with the same moral clarity what your generation gets
>>This
>>is how politicians govern: they wet their finger, they put it up to the
>>air
>>and they say which way is the wind blowing."
>>
>>I've been banging on now for 6 months about the next federal election,
>>and particularly the long lead up to it, being a once in a lifetime
>>opportunity to blow the winds of sustainability with frostbite-inducing
>>force over
>>the wet fingers of our political leaders. The hooks being ever-increasing
>>public concern over the impacts of climate change and the capture of the
>>Government's (and, led by Ferguson and Fitzgibbon, a proportion of the
>>Opposition's) agenda by the carbonucleophiles ("carbon dioxide - we call
>>it the stuff of life!").
>>
>>1 April 2007 falls on a Sunday.
>>
>>Noting the success of the recent Walk Against Warming, as part of an
>>escalating campaign for a real, anti-nuclear response to climate change
>>significant nationwide actions on "April Fuels" day seem to me to be
>>worthy of contemplation and organisation.
>>
>>I shrink from showing my age by raising memories of 1977 or even using
>>the term "mobilisation" (or looking ahead to 6 August 2007) for what might
>>be
>>contemplated and organised.
>>
>>I would be grateful to receive any views that people may have on these
>>Sunday morning musings.
>>
>>Cheers, bro
>>
>>Dr Bro Sheffield-Brotherton B.Sc.(Hons), Ph.D, Dip.Ed, MEIANZ
>>Chairman, Sustainable Solutions Pty Ltd
>>Scientific Advisor, National Toxics Network
>>Honorary Life Member, Australian Conservation Foundation
>>Member, Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand
>>47 Prentice Street
>>Elsternwick 3185
>>AUSTRALIA
>>Ph: +613 9528 1957, Mob: +614 1230 3 718
>>Fax: +613 9528 5100
>>Email: bro@...
>>
>>"The ultimate measure of people is not where they stand in moments of
>>comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge and
>>controversy." - Dr Martin Luther King Jr
>>
>>"The danger is when you get old like us you may become soonical." -
>>Dagmar Schroeder
>From: "John Hill" <wynhill@...>
>Reply-To: ClimateChangeAction@...
>To: <ClimateChangeAction@...>
>Subject: [ClimateChangeAction] Nuclear Mischief and censorship?
>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2006 22:13:56 +1000
>
>I thought listmembers might be interested to see the hurried note I made
>today referring to the article: "Happy Nuke Year" by Nicolette Burke which
>the Daily Telegraph ran on the PM's comments on the Final Report on Uranium
>Mining and Nuclear Power in Australia (which had not yet been made public).
>
>When I went back to the Daily Telegraph site a few minutes ago to see if my
>comments were there, I found that the article: "Happy Nuke Year" appears to
>have been suddenly removed from the Daily Telegraph site and replaced with
>a less controversial article entitled: Put nuclear plant next to me - PM By
>David Crawshaw and Lisa Allan.
>
>I have just written the following note to the Daily Telegraph blog and am
>awaiting an answer:
> "What happened to the original article that I replied to earlier
>entitled: "Happy Nuke Year" by Nicolette Burke?
>
> When I click on it now in Google News I get another article called "Put
>nuclear plant next to me - PM" by David Crawshaw and Lisa Allan.
>
> I have searched your site and archives diligently and cannot find the
>article by Nicolette Burke listed anywhere.
>
> It appears it may have been "pulled" or censored. Would you please
>confirm or deny this. If it hasn't been deleted please tell readers where
>they can find it. If it has been "pulled" and replaced with another article
>please let us know why and at whose behest?
>
> John Hill"
>Here is the original note I wrote to the Blog in response to the article
>"Happy Nuke Year."
> "Posted by John Hill of Cooktown on Fri 29 Dec 06 at 01:16pm I have yet
>to see the Final Report on Nuclear Power but can only hope the Final Report
>no longer contains the dishonest and misleading statements contained in the
>Draft Report.
> I complained about these distortions of the truth in an official
>submission to the Draft Report. Among others the Draft Report contained
>gems such as:
>
> "Similarly, other environmental impacts of the nuclear fuel cycle
>including air pollution emissions, land use and water use are either
>comparable to or significantly lower than conventional fossil fuels and
>renewables."
>
> As the panel producing the Draft Report were supposed to be "experts"
>this bizarre statement can only be taken as a deliberate mistruth
>propagated on behalf of the nuclear industry to undermine the use of
>renewables.
>
> Another great clanger in the Draft Report was the claim that only 31
>people had died from the Chernobyl disaster but later on in the Report
>admitted (in very fine print) that about 9,000 people were expected to die
>from its effects.
>
> We need, I believe, to be putting our resources and money into providing
>more renewables NOW and improving them in the future, rather than waiting
>for years to develop what will always be a very risky and unnecessary
>nuclear program.
>
> If the new report is more truthful and balanced maybe it should be
>considered further. If not, it should be consigned to the wastebasket along
>with the Draft Report."
>
>My comments and others may be accessed at:
>http://blogs.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/yoursay/index.php/dailytelegraph/commen\
ts/is_nuclear_power_the_way_to_go/#commentsmore
>
>Howard is pushing for the nuclear option to be fast-tracked.
>
>I think it would be great if as many people as possible would complain
>about the lack of time for proper public consultation of such a major
>issue, that it has been handled in a very misleading way, and that the
>whole process seems to have been deliberately timed to be released during
>Christmas-New Years when people are naturally distracted with other things.
>
>If the govt. commits itself to developing nuclear power plants (which are
>unlikely to come on line for at least 10-15 years and may well, in the long
>run, prove to be economically unfeasible anyway - not to mention the many
>other disadvantages) there will not be enough money to start dealing with
>the problems of excessive greenhouse gas emissions NOW. If they made the
>money available we could start cutting carbon emissions right away using
>present technologies.
>
>Is there any way we can get these and related issues across to the general
>public in time?
>
>Is there any way we can effectively counter the huge resources ranged
>against us and their attempts to mislead and steamroll the populace into
>accepting nuclear power as a clean, green, safe alternative?
>
>Thanks,
>
>John Hill
>
>
>
>
>[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
_________________________________________________________________
Fixing up the home? Live Search can help
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Looks like April Fuels/Fools/Palm Sunday Alliance day is a goer in Vic!
Thanks Felicity, i am sure Bro is happy that his little seed is growing so
vigorously!
pretty cool stuff.
...Note the Global Climate Change Action Endorsement :-)
Help it to grow people !
Warmest regards
Anne
As Melbourne prepares for a big rally in Melbourne in April, what about
preparing and making some statements for the Australia Day/Invasion Day at
the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra.
I want to remind you that the Aboriginal people are again being abused
disempowered on THEIR land with mining and burial of radioactive waste on
THEIR land.
Let us walk with them empower them on this day, celebrating the Invasion)
which is the Invasion and abuse of THIER culture and lands which has brought
us to this situation today.
I suggest Palm Sunday be also be SORRY DAY as this celebrates the Howard
government is again embarking on a new wave of genocide. Lets meet for a
series of rolling demos till D-day on election day to see Australia make
world history with the election of a GREEN government.
"The ultimate measure of people is not where they stand in moments of
comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge and
controversy." - Dr Martin Luther King Jr
REMEMBER:
This island continent has always been and always will be Aboriginal Land.
Yours Benny Zable
PS
Attached is the poster distribute post up, talk up and help revive the
Aboriginal Tent Embassy and Aboriginal Soereignty
----- Original Message -----
From: "Felicity Hill" <felicity.hill@...>
To: <undisclosed-recipients:>
Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 5:48 PM
Subject: Palm Sunday - 1 April - news from Melbourne
Greetings from the Palm Sunday Alliance in Melbourne,
Two weeks ago in Melbourne a meeting was called to brainstorm how peace,
faith, union, environment, social justice and medical groups could
organize around Palm Sunday (which falls on April Fools Day in 2007), to
have some serious fun while sending some serious peace and anti-nuclear
messages home to the government and the ALP.
This note shares information about what we have decided and planned thus
far, and is an invitation to get involved and to think and talk over the
holiday break about how to make this day both fun and politically
effective.
*At the Melbourne meeting we:
* Decided to call ourselves the Palm Sunday Alliance for a peaceful
and nuclear free future, with Palm Sunday Alliance for short,
which is open to all groups wishing to participate
* Drafted some loose demands which we were determined would include
positive alternatives, not just no, no, no, which we thought about
and agreed at our next meeting (see below)
* Drafted some very simple text for a poster and flier, which is
still under discussion and very much open to suggestions (see below)
* Brainstormed about the large variety of themes, events and ideas
that could be developed by other groups around Australia (see below)
* Agreed that a fun, comedy filled event that plays on the April
Fools theme will be attractive to those recently disempowered or
turned off demonstrating, while serious enough on the substantive
peace and nuclear issues to make a political impact
* Decided to establish a website www.NuclearFoolsDay.org (not yet
live but bought) on which we would be more than happy to advertise
all Palm Sunday events and activities around the country
* Decided to organise a large public meeting in February on the
issues as part of the build up and outreach
So far the following groups have endorsed Palm Sunday events: Intensive
outreach to expand this list will start in 2007
Medical Association for the Prevention of War, Friends of the Earth,
Australian Conservation Foundation, Environment Centre of the Northern
Territory, Peace Organisation of Australia, Women’s International League
for Peace and Freedom, Australian Student Environment Network, Nuclear
Disarmament Party, Global Climate Change Action, Action in Solidarity
with Asia and the Pacific, Socialist Alliance, Catholics in Coalition
for Justice and Peace (CCJP), Alice Action, Arid Lands Environment
Centre, Greenpeace, Nuclear Free Australia, Stop the War Coalition
*
*Demands: *
*
Don't be a Nuclear Fool:
* Stop nuclear power in Australia: Renewables not reactors!
* Stop uranium mining: Leave it in the ground!
* Stop nuclear weapons: Put down the US nuclear umbrella!
* Stop nuclear waste: No waste dump in Australia!
Stop the Nuclear Fool Cycle!
*
*In Melbourne the Palm Sunday Alliance has so far decided to:*
* Organize a fun and upbeat Peace Parade and Festival,
* Start from Treasury Gardens where we will fly kites in the park
and form a human peace symbol for an aerial photograph
* Parade through the city to Federation Square for comedy and
entertainment
* Encourage people to dress up and make props, signs and bike
extensions around the peace and Nuclear Fool theme
* Invite Leunig to do the design for the poster, which could be used
nation wide if space was left for folks to fill in city/town
specific details
* Invite Critical Mass and Bicycle Victoria to increase the cyclists
peddling us out of the Nuclear Fool Cycle
* Invite comedians in the Melbourne Comedy Festival (which starts
only days after Palm Sunday) to participate; we are in
communication with organizers about who will be in town - they
want cross advertising so its likely we'll get some good laughs
* Invite schools to include lessons about peace and sustainability
in their teaching, including paper crane and kite making for
flying on Palm Sunday
* Invite faith based groups to participate on the day, possibly they
could issue an ecumenical statement and ceremony as in the past
* Enter the Moomba Birdwo/man Rally in March with a contraption that
advertises Palm Sunday and peace
Other ideas for themes and actions that folks in other centres may find
useful:
* The Fool on the Hill: might be a good theme for Canberra groups,
or general reference to Johnny Howard
* Get a sign on letter and publish it in the papers
* Ensure that the voices of atomic victims and survivors are heard
* Clearly advertise a dress up theme, as clowns, as fools, so people
can participate very easily
* Hold a Yellow Cake competition
* Drop a hypothetical bomb in a popular place – show the impact,
visually, with markers & symbols
* Project images and slogans onto night time surfaces/buildings of
major cities
* Stage some kind of mock nuclear waste spill at a busy location
* Ask the remaining members of Midnight Oil to perform, plus other bands
* Use as many comedians as possible
* Get the local Mayor for Peace, or soon to be Mayor for Peace involved
* Invite Tim Costello to participate
* Use candles
* Use donkeys (from palm Sunday church services), and tractors and
horses where they have em
* Invite church goers to bring their palms and use them in the day
somehow
* Get a bunch of Peace Boats on the river
* Let off balloons with information about radiation traveling in the
wind, asking folks to call in to register where they found balloon
* Have family friendly kid activities like picnic, kite flying,
crane making/hanging in addition to rally speakers
* Not use the word rally, but parade or festival
* Invite politicians along to question them about their views on
nuclear issues
* Do actions outside ALP MP offices before the day
* Get a national sign on letter to give to an ALP official to
register unity of the NGOs
* Invite veterans, the RSL to participate and the victims of the
Maralinga nuclear tests to speak – ensure these victims of nuclear
weapons are visible and remembered 50 years after the British
fenced off an area the size of England and then blew up 7 bombs
and contaminated an area the size of London for 250,000 years
* Table a Senate motion urging the government to support our efforts
in promoting a nuclear-free Australia
* Get the Channel Seven’s Sunrise program on board
DRAFT Poster language:
Don't be a Nuclear Fool!
Join the Palm Sunday Peace Parade & Festival!
April Fools Day
1pm Gather at Treasury Gardens
2pm Parade to Federation Square
Dress foolishly, ride your bike, fly your kite!
Stop nuclear power in Australia: Renewables not reactors!
Stop uranium mining: Leave it in the ground!
Stop nuclear weapons: Put down the US nuclear umbrella!
Stop nuclear waste: No waste dump in Australia!
Stop the Nuclear Fool Cycle!
www.NuclearFoolsDay.org
Organised by the Palm Sunday Alliance
for a peaceful and nuclear free future
DRAFT outreach text we are still working on to widen the appeal*
*
Don't be a Nuclear Fool!
Join the Palm Sunday Peace Parade & Festival!
Palm Sunday falls on April Fools Day in 2007.
You and your organisation are invited to join the Palm Sunday Alliance
–made up of faith, medical, social justice and environment
organisations– who have come together to organise a parade and festival
for a peaceful and nuclear free future on 1 April.
Information about our meetings, participants and plans are here
www.NuclearFoolsDay.org
Gathering at Treasury Gardens at 1pm on April Fools Day to fly kites,
adjust costumes and make a human peace symbol for an aerial photograph,
the parade will move off at 2pm to Federation Square for a peace
festival with comedians and entertainment.
This will be a family-friendly, foolish and fun day to drive home some
deadly serious messages to all political parties:
Stop nuclear power in Australia: Renewables not reactors!
Stop uranium mining: Leave it in the ground!
Stop nuclear weapons: Put down the US nuclear umbrella!
Stop nuclear waste: No waste dump in Australia!
Stop the Nuclear Fool Cycle!
Our government is contemplating 25 nuclear reactors by 2050: No Way!
The Prime Minister’s hand-picked nuclear ‘taskforce’ recommended in
November that Australia build 25 reactors along our fragile coast line
to supply a third of our electricity by 2050. Too slow, too expensive,
too dangerous and too much water would be wasted on this – wind is
cheaper and quicker and doesn’t cause drought or wars.
Don’t be a Ruddy Fool Mr. Rudd: Wake up and read the polls!
78% per cent of ALP voters don’t want any new uranium mines in Australia
or want uranium mining stopped altogether, compared to 16% favouring new
mines, a ratio of nearly 5:1. And 66% of the general public polled don’t
want any new uranium mines in Australia or want uranium mining stopped
altogether, only 22% support increased uranium mining - a ratio of 3:1
(Newspoll 30 May 2006). ALP should learn from the bitter uranium debates
of the 1980s in which they lost members and votes. Now is not the time
to review the ALP “no new mines” policy.
Australia is selling uranium to China, a nuclear weapon state: Nuclear
Fools! *
Our government boasts that it opposes nuclear weapons and has the
highest “safeguards” standards for export of uranium. Rubbish! Australia
actually normalises and legitimises nuclear weapons by participating in
the US nuclear umbrella. If Australia is serious about nuclear
disarmament, the government should never sell uranium, particularly to
countries with nuclear weapons. Safeguards provide only an ‘illusion of
protection.’ Australian and international safeguards cannot guarantee
that Australian uranium does not end up in nuclear weapons.
*Nuclear is NO SOLUTION to climate change!
Nuclear energy is not emissions free or ‘greenhouse friendly’. According
to the German Environment Ministry, the building and decommissioning of
reactors, and the mining, processing and extensive transportation of
uranium releases carbon dioxide in quantities comparable to burning
natural gas. Nuclear power provides about 15% of global electricity
generation and electricity contributes about 30% of human made
greenhouse gases. If we doubled the existing 442 nuclear reactors to 884
by mid-century, we would only reduce greenhouse emissions by 5%. It is
economically, practically and politically inconceivable that enough new
nuclear power plants could be brought on line quickly enough to make a
significant contribution to mitigating climate change in the next decade
or two, the critical period during which we must take the steps which
will set us on the road to avoiding dangerous climate change. Nuclear
energy has never been able to compete on the open market, and has never
been commercially viable anywhere without massive public taxpayer
subsidies. Numerous studies have shown that a dollar invested in energy
efficiency is up to seven times more effective in reducing greenhouse
emissions than a dollar invested in nukes.
www.NuclearFoolsDay.org
So..... Keep your thinking caps on over the holiday period, and lets get
busy in January! Our work will begin in earnest next year, and we look
forward to an inspiring Palm Sunday.
best wishes
Felicity Hill on behalf of the Melbourne Palm Sunday Alliance
Felicity Hill
Campaign Coordinator
ICAN - International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear weapons
Medical Association for Prevention of War
www.icanw.org www.mapw.org.au www.ippnw.org
Phone: + 61 38344 1637
Fax: + 61 38344 1638
Mobile: + 61 43239 8261
Skype address: icanflick
Postal Address: MAPW, P O Box 1379, Carlton, Vic 3053, Australia
Visiting Address: MAPW Alan Gilbert Building, 2nd Floor, 161 Barry
Street, Carlton, Vic 3053
Listen to 3CR 855 AM every Friday morning at 7.45 for an ICAN update!
Streaming via www.3cr.org.au
---------------------------------
original message from "bro"
----- Original Message -----
From: "Anne Goddard" <anne@...>
To: <ClimateChangeAction@...>;
<Oz-envirolink@...>; <green-global@...>;
<green-activist@...>
Cc: <bro@...>
Sent: Sunday, December 10, 2006 4:18 PM
Subject: [Green-Activist] Re: [ClimateChangeAction] Some campaign
strategysuggestions re climate change
I really like the idea of an "April Fuels" day...
Hiya Members :-)
I have invited "Bro" to join the CCA group.
Some campaign strategy suggestions re climate change
>>Posted by: "Bro" bro@...
>>via "greenleap"
>>Mon Dec 4, 2006 8:18 pm (PST)
>>John Howard is (unless I have had a seniors' moment) the first serious
>>Australian politician since Sir Charles Court thirty years ago to run
>>nuclear reactors (not to mention the whole damn fuel cycle) up his flag
>>pole.
>>
>>Court the Elder used to speak of WA as the world's energy farm. Peter
>>Costello spruiks our involvement in the G20 in terms "Energy our freeway
>>to the future" (The Age, lead story 18 November).
>>
>>Meanwhile almost 7000 people have voted in the current Yahoo web poll
>>"What is the most important issue under discussion at the current APEC
>>summit?"
>>with the following result from a choice of four answers:
Climate Change 59%:
Iraq 19%;
Economic Development 18%;
Undecided 4%.
>>
>>For the people climate change is the issue: for the Government it's
>>consuming ever more energy with a bit of highly-vexed
>>pollution-ameliorating
>>expensive, yet-to-be demonstrated technology.
>>
>>And the Sunday Times (19/11) reports:
>>
>>'With the caucus aghast at Mr Beazley's latest verbal stumble, it will be
>>badly buffeted by the latest Ipsos-Mackay poll to be broadcast on Channel
>>10's Meet the Press this morning.
>>
>>The survey shows that 60 per cent of Australians think the issue of
>>climate change will play an important part in how they vote at the next
>>election.
>>
>>While 24 per cent believed the Greens would be the best party federally
>>to handle global warming, they were closely followed by the Coalition on
>>23
>>per cent.
>>
>>Remarkably, Labor trailed both parties, on 19 per cent.
>>
>>The results will be deeply unsettling for many federal Labor MPs who
>>already have a question mark over Mr Beazley's performance.
>>
>>The recurring complaint from his internal critics is that he fails to
>>``cut through'' to voters with the Opposition's message.
>>
>>The Ipsos-Mackay poll will simply confirm that impression, especially
>>since John Howard has widely been seen to have been wrong-footed on
>>climate
>>change since the publication three weeks ago of the British
>>Government-sponsored
>>Stern Report.
>>
>>The report concluded that Earth faced catastrophic consequences unless
>>climate change was confronted. Mr Howard has been a self-confessed
>>``climate change sceptic'' and has refused to sign up to the Kyoto
>>Protocol. "
>>
>>Speaking to mainly young people at the Make Poverty History Concert on
>>17/11 Tim Costello said (of course, it's not news other than he said it
>>about
>>him for, I believe, the first time):
>>
>>"I do have a brother. That brother, along with both sides of politics,
>>has failed to see with the same moral clarity what your generation gets
>>This
>>is how politicians govern: they wet their finger, they put it up to the
>>air
>>and they say which way is the wind blowing."
>>
>>I've been banging on now for 6 months about the next federal election,
>>and particularly the long lead up to it, being a once in a lifetime
>>opportunity to blow the winds of sustainability with frostbite-inducing
>>force over
>>the wet fingers of our political leaders. The hooks being ever-increasing
>>public concern over the impacts of climate change and the capture of the
>>Government's (and, led by Ferguson and Fitzgibbon, a proportion of the
>>Opposition's) agenda by the carbonucleophiles ("carbon dioxide - we call
>>it the stuff of life!").
>>
>>1 April 2007 falls on a Sunday.
>>
>>Noting the success of the recent Walk Against Warming, as part of an
>>escalating campaign for a real, anti-nuclear response to climate change
>>significant nationwide actions on "April Fuels" day seem to me to be
>>worthy of contemplation and organisation.
>>
>>I shrink from showing my age by raising memories of 1977 or even using
>>the term "mobilisation" (or looking ahead to 6 August 2007) for what might
>>be
>>contemplated and organised.
>>
>>I would be grateful to receive any views that people may have on these
>>Sunday morning musings.
>>
>>Cheers, bro
>>
>>Dr Bro Sheffield-Brotherton B.Sc.(Hons), Ph.D, Dip.Ed, MEIANZ
>>Chairman, Sustainable Solutions Pty Ltd
>>Scientific Advisor, National Toxics Network
>>Honorary Life Member, Australian Conservation Foundation
>>Member, Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand
>>47 Prentice Street
>>Elsternwick 3185
>>AUSTRALIA
>>Ph: +613 9528 1957, Mob: +614 1230 3 718
>>Fax: +613 9528 5100
>>Email: bro@...
>>
>>"The ultimate measure of people is not where they stand in moments of
>>comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge and
>>controversy." - Dr Martin Luther King Jr
>>
>>"The danger is when you get old like us you may become soonical." -
>>Dagmar Schroeder
_________________________________________________________________
Advertisement: Fresh jobs daily. Stop waiting for the newspaper. Search now!
www.seek.com.au
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263760&_r=Hotmail_EndText_Dec06&_m=EXT
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
To climatechangeaction@...
This is just to let you know that the newest issue of my newsletter,
'bobbing around', is up and available.
I was fortunate to get permission to reproduce terrific essays by several
people. There is also the usual mix of snippets about psychology, writing,
ethics and the like.
Please go to http://mudsmith.net/bobbing6-4.html and see for yourself.
:)
Bob
---------------------------------------
Dr Bob Rich bobrich@...http://bobswriting.com/http://anxietyanddepression-help.com/http://mudsmith.net/
Commit random acts of kindness.
---------------------------------------
I thought listmembers might be interested to see the hurried note I made today
referring to the article: "Happy Nuke Year" by Nicolette Burke which the Daily
Telegraph ran on the PM's comments on the Final Report on Uranium Mining and
Nuclear Power in Australia (which had not yet been made public).
When I went back to the Daily Telegraph site a few minutes ago to see if my
comments were there, I found that the article: "Happy Nuke Year" appears to have
been suddenly removed from the Daily Telegraph site and replaced with a less
controversial article entitled: Put nuclear plant next to me - PM By David
Crawshaw and Lisa Allan.
I have just written the following note to the Daily Telegraph blog and am
awaiting an answer:
"What happened to the original article that I replied to earlier entitled:
"Happy Nuke Year" by Nicolette Burke?
When I click on it now in Google News I get another article called "Put
nuclear plant next to me - PM" by David Crawshaw and Lisa Allan.
I have searched your site and archives diligently and cannot find the article
by Nicolette Burke listed anywhere.
It appears it may have been "pulled" or censored. Would you please confirm or
deny this. If it hasn't been deleted please tell readers where they can find it.
If it has been "pulled" and replaced with another article please let us know why
and at whose behest?
John Hill"
Here is the original note I wrote to the Blog in response to the article "Happy
Nuke Year."
"Posted by John Hill of Cooktown on Fri 29 Dec 06 at 01:16pm I have yet to see
the Final Report on Nuclear Power but can only hope the Final Report no longer
contains the dishonest and misleading statements contained in the Draft Report.
I complained about these distortions of the truth in an official submission to
the Draft Report. Among others the Draft Report contained gems such as:
"Similarly, other environmental impacts of the nuclear fuel cycle including
air pollution emissions, land use and water use are either comparable to or
significantly lower than conventional fossil fuels and renewables."
As the panel producing the Draft Report were supposed to be "experts" this
bizarre statement can only be taken as a deliberate mistruth propagated on
behalf of the nuclear industry to undermine the use of renewables.
Another great clanger in the Draft Report was the claim that only 31 people
had died from the Chernobyl disaster but later on in the Report admitted (in
very fine print) that about 9,000 people were expected to die from its effects.
We need, I believe, to be putting our resources and money into providing more
renewables NOW and improving them in the future, rather than waiting for years
to develop what will always be a very risky and unnecessary nuclear program.
If the new report is more truthful and balanced maybe it should be considered
further. If not, it should be consigned to the wastebasket along with the Draft
Report."
My comments and others may be accessed at:
http://blogs.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/yoursay/index.php/dailytelegraph/comment\
s/is_nuclear_power_the_way_to_go/#commentsmore
Howard is pushing for the nuclear option to be fast-tracked.
I think it would be great if as many people as possible would complain about the
lack of time for proper public consultation of such a major issue, that it has
been handled in a very misleading way, and that the whole process seems to have
been deliberately timed to be released during Christmas-New Years when people
are naturally distracted with other things.
If the govt. commits itself to developing nuclear power plants (which are
unlikely to come on line for at least 10-15 years and may well, in the long run,
prove to be economically unfeasible anyway - not to mention the many other
disadvantages) there will not be enough money to start dealing with the problems
of excessive greenhouse gas emissions NOW. If they made the money available we
could start cutting carbon emissions right away using present technologies.
Is there any way we can get these and related issues across to the general
public in time?
Is there any way we can effectively counter the huge resources ranged against us
and their attempts to mislead and steamroll the populace into accepting nuclear
power as a clean, green, safe alternative?
Thanks,
John Hill
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
----- Original Message -----
From: Kirky aka Mrs Lyn Welsh-Kirk
To: Anne Goddard
Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2006 9:16 AM
Subject: Forbes to be first climate saver town
Forbes to be first climate saver town
Thursday, 21 December 2006
http://forbes.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=general&story_id=5\
41819&category=general&m=12&y=2006
Forbes Shire Council voted to accept an invitation to become Australia's first
climate saver town at the regular monthly meeting on Wednesday.
The decision followed a presentation to councillors by Murray Hogarth, the
campaign manager for Easy Being Green.
Easy Being Green is a Melbourne-based corporation that helps individuals,
companies and communities cut their carbon dioxide emissions.
Council was almost unanimous in resolving to accept Easy Being Green's
invitation to join the campaign, which will see Forbes households and workplaces
replace incandescent light bulbs with energy saving globes, capable of providing
15,000 hours of light.
The 'Climate Saver Town' campaign will also provide households with AAA-rated
low flow showerheads to replace existing fittings.
In his presentation before the meeting, Mr Hogarth told councillors the campaign
could save participating households up to $150 off their energy bill each year
and cut CO2 emissions by one tonne per annum.
Mr Hogarth said while about five per cent of Australians had already adopted
energy saving technology at home and work, the remaining 95 per cent were the
target for Easy Being Green.
The campaign corporation was established in 2004 by current chairman, the
Reverend Nic Frances, formerly part of the Brotherhood of St Laurence.
Rev Frances is known for his social welfare activities and was awarded with an
MBE in the United Kingdom for helping homeless people break the poverty cycle.
The CEO of Easy Being Green is Paul Gilding, the ex-head of Greenpeace
International.
Mr Hogarth, a former environment writer with the Sydney Morning Herald, told
councillors the energy saving campaigns allow Easy Being Green to trade carbon
credits with industry.
He said the company hopes its various climate saver programmes can enlist
500,000 participants and cut C02 emissions by 500,000 tonnes every year.
The programme is free to council and ratepayers, however council would have to
pay for any extra activities.
Councillor Graham Falconer said the programme was admirable but Forbes Shire
Council could do little to prevent climate change while India and China were
using increased amounts of fossil fuels.
Mr Hogarth conceded that light globe and shower head replacement in Forbes would
not solve global warming, but said communities, business and all levels of
government can make a difference by working together.
Councillor Murray Fraser said the programme was worth adopting, if only for the
economic benefits to Forbes ratepayers.
Council later voted to accept Easy Being Green's invitation to become the first
Climate Saver Town.
Easy Being Green has already applied for a $150,000 grant from the Department of
Energy, Utilities and Sustainability's Energy Savings Fund.
PEACE & GOD BLESS
Kirky a Koori in Parkes. Oz.
Wife, mum, nan, sista, aunt, cuz & friend 2 all.
http://kirkys-world.tripod.com
"We treat this world of ours as if we have a spare in the trunk." Harry S.
Truman
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Dear Friends:
I just sent the letter below but have since found another poll (with the
Sydney Morning Herald) online at:
http://www.smh.com.au/polls/national/results.html
which also (so far) shows the pro-nuclear vote leading. Please have a look
and vote.
John Hill
..........................................
>There is a poll today on the National Nine website asking: "Should
>Australia> build a nuclear power plant?"
>
> So far the "yeses" outnumber the "nos".
>
> Please consider voting at:
>
> http://news.ninemsn.com.au/
>
> Cheers,
>
> John Hill
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo!7 Groups Links
>
>
>
>
Dear Friends:
There is a poll today on the National Nine website asking: "Should Australia
build a nuclear power plant?"
So far the "yeses" outnumber the "nos".
Please consider voting at:
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/
Cheers,
John Hill
Hi CCA,
Feedback from my marine bioligist friend on a story posted to here.
Cheers,
Brooke
Begin forwarded message:
> From: <Anthony.Richardson@...>
> Date: 21 December 2006 2:53:59 PM
> To: <brooke@...>
> Subject: RE: [ClimateChangeAction] More salps to reduce Global
> Warming?
>
> Hi Brooke
>
>
>
> Thx for this –salps are beautiful animals (do a search for “salp
> picture” on google), and actually related to us; they are in the
> same phylum as us, the Chordates, because they have a notochord
> when they are young.
>
>
>
> This idea is too simplistic. Salps are actually relatively rare in
> the ocean and there is no way that you can make them occur in
> preference to other zooplankton. The phytoplankton bloom is going
> to sink anyway when it dies and will take some carbon to ocean
> depths, so there is no need to have salps anyway although their
> faecal pellets will sink faster than the phytoplankton. Fertilising
> the ocean with the pumps may work to remove CO2 (if technically
> feasible) and would increase fisheries also but I would be worried
> about the energy needed to do it and then unforeseen ecosystem
> consequences of doing it also.
>
>
>
> Cheers
>
> Ant
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> From: Brooke Oehm-Smith [mailto:brooke@...]
> Sent: Thursday, 14 December 2006 7:50 AM
> To: Richardson, Anthony (CMAR, Cleveland)
> Subject: Fwd: [ClimateChangeAction] More salps to reduce Global
> Warming?
>
>
>
> Seems too much like a magic pill. They've also invented one which
> will instantly make you a millionaire!
>
>
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
>
>
> From: "Peter Bright" <hobart_elf@...>
>
> Date: 14 December 2006 6:59:51 GMT+10:00
>
> To: ClimateChangeAction@...
>
> Subject: [ClimateChangeAction] More salps to reduce Global Warming?
>
> Reply-To: ClimateChangeAction@...
>
>
>
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6217840.stm
>
>
>
>
>
> --
>
> Brooke Smith <brooke@...>
>
> You will always get the greatest recognition for the job you least
> like.
>
> PGP: http://keyserver.veridis.com:11371/export?id=4427400912143993659
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Hi members
In an earlier post i sent out a bunch of email addresses for indymedia
contacts.
I also sent that post to all the email addresses on the list.
I have had some very angry replies from many of these email addresses
requesting me not to use their address, and also many bouces.
Please do not use this list of email addresses, and ignore my earlier post.
I would delete it if my connection was stable enough, but at the moment, it
is not.
My apologies to those indymedia email addresses listed.
Anne
Hi List Members,
Forwarding some heart warming news from Townsville (thank you Stephanie).
It is not often that i forward donation requests to my lists... (I usually
snip the donation bit)!
But this request is different. It is for funding to fight for justice.
Time is well past allowing genocide to continue on our own shores at the
hands of our "protectors".
Please spread this message far and wide, dig deep and give all that you can.
Warm regards
Anne
----- Original Message -----
From: stephanie miller
To: Redfern-Waterloo@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, December 22, 2006 2:17 AM
Subject: Re: [Redfern-W] Letter from Lloyd Wyles and CCHR
Hi Anne & everyone, yesterdays march in Townsville was a big turnout, about
1500-2000.(black and white together). We had 3 groups of traditional
dancers, aboriginal and TSI, leading the march! During the march, one group
of aboriginal men and girls danced on centre stage in our mall; then in
front of the DPP's office. Then we all danced on the lawn in front of the
Court house, including our Julbu Julbu (women) dancers. Lastly we (Julbu
Julbus) danced on the top steps of the Police station, with police behind us
blocking the doorway!! That brought a cheer up from the crowd!! We also
raised $500.40 for the Errol Wyles Justice Foundation, which is not bad
considering Xmas is only days away. **The EWJ Foundation needs funds to
continue to fight against Injustice, so I urge everyone who can, to
contribute to this Fighting Fund.
I would also like to thank our Warriors, men and women of Palm, who stood up
against the racist unjust lying regime of the Qld police & govt!
Murandoo Yanner gave a strong rousing speech as usual! There were other
strong speakers as well. We have to keep the pressure on Beattie now,
Australia/world wide. Let's call on our International organisations and
friends for a Tourism Sanction/Moratorium against the Qld govt. Aboriginal
arts/culture is a $80 million a year income earner for this state on the
international & domestic scene!! Hit 'em where it'll hurt, in their
pockets!!!!
** People can log on to the Errol Wyles Justice Foundation for more info and
how to Donate at:
www.errolwylesjusticefoundation.org - All monies donated is Tax
Deductible.
I would like to Thank everyone in Townsville, and else where, for their
donations and support!
In Solidarity for Justice, Equity and Truth
Stephanie Miller (Townsville)
>From: "Anne Goddard" <anne@...>
>Reply-To: Redfern-Waterloo@yahoogroups.com
>To: <Redfern-Waterloo@yahoogroups.com>
>Subject: Re: [Redfern-W] Letter from Lloyd Wyles and CCHR
>Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2006 11:11:10 +1000
>
>Hiya Stephanie :-)
>
>This is really wonderful news.
>Really, really wonderful :-)
>Thank you for sharing this post with the list. After so many locked doors,
>and turned backs... this news is just TOO good!
>
>With practicing Lawyers onside, there is real hope for true justice, at
>long long last.
>
>Way past time those doors were prized open, and all of those, faceless,
>heartless and gutless backs are turned full on .... to face the truth.
>
>Makes me quite emotional with happiness :-)
>
>a
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: stephanie miller
>To: Redfern-Waterloo@yahoogroups.com
>Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 2:13 AM
>Subject: RE: [Redfern-W] Letter from Lloyd Wyles and CCHR
>
>
>Hello from Townsville,
>Representatives for the Errol Wyles Justice Foundation and Levitt Robinson
>Lawyers who also will be walking with us in support at tomorrows Marches
>are:
>Craig Longman, Lawyer (Levitt Robinson) - at Townsville 11am start. Craig
>will also be flying over to Palm to walk in support with our brothers and
>sisters over there.
>Frederick Cassis, Lawyer (Levitt Robinson) - is flying to Palm Island in
>the morning for the 3pm start.
>Stuart Levitt, Principal Lawyer of Levitt Robinson - will be walking in the
>Sydney March. Stuart Levitt and his team are 110% comittedto the Lex
>Wotton,
>Stolen Wages, Errol Wyles & Shane McNamee cases and also to the Aboriginal
>fight for Justice!!
>Errol and Sonja are the parents of Errol Wyles Jr who was callously run
>down and killed in 2003 in Townsville.
>Tomorrow we all march for justice for brother Mulrunji, the Doomadgee
>family, Errol Wyles Jr & family and all our brothers/sisters who died in
>custody at the hands of the police thugs and racists murderers. The DPP has
>publicly shown their true racist colours in their decision not to charge
>Hurley with any criminal actions. A bloody shameful disgrace! And Beattie
>is a gutless wonder for supporting them, which makes him just as guilty.
>The whole of Australia & the world now see how racist & biased this govt
>is. We
>all know if the shoe were on the other foot, and a white cop was
>killed/murdered, that person would be charged with murder and in jail by
>now! The DPP should now stand for "Dept of Police Protection" !! Whoever
>said "The Act" was abolished? We are still living under it today under the
>Beattie govt! Leanne Clare/Beattie should be charged with Perverting the
>course of justice!!
>We will never give up the fight!!
>In Solidarity
>Stephanie Miller
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FYI
Begin forwarded message:
> From: Emma Brindal <ejbrindal@...>
> Date: 20 December 2006 5:27:17 PM
> To: ClimateActionBrisbane Team <cab_team@yahoogroups.com>
> Subject: [CAB_Team] Rising Tide Competition
> Reply-To: CAB_Team@yahoogroups.com
>
> Rising Tide Newcastle will be conducting a
> competition, awarding a
> prize
> to the person or persons who can most publicly and
> thoroughly embarrass
> the Federal Environment Minister, Ian Campbell, for
> his illogical and
> ridiculous statements on coal and climate change.
>
> Criteria for entry will be minimal, primarily that the
> action draws
> attention to and ridicules comments by the Minister on
> coal and climate
> change, such as:
>
> *"If we think we're going to solve [climate change] by
> closing down
> fossil fuel industries, we are actually going to
> destroy any chance of
> a
> solution."
>
> ** "What we need to do as a world is keep mining
> coal."*
>
> The competition will run in the lead-up to next year's
> Federal
> election,
> and be judged after the election.
>
> Rising Tide are now calling for donations of cash or
> ethical prizes to
> award the most successful entrants in the competition.
> If you can make
> a
> donation please contact risingtide@...
> or call 4926 1641.
> We would like to offer a first prize of $500 or more.
>
> --
> Rising Tide Newcastle is a grassroots group
> campaigning against the
> causes
> of human-induced climate change. We live in the
> largest coal port (by
> export volume) in the world. The coal companies want
> to double it.
>
> --
>
> Send instant messages to your online friends http://
> au.messenger.yahoo.com
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Hiya Felicity (and list members)
:-)
Looks like April Fuels/Fools/Palm Sunday Alliance day is a goer in Vic!
Thanks Felicity, i am sure Bro is happy that his little seed is growing so
vigorously!
pretty cool stuff.
...Note the Global Climate Change Action Endorsement :-)
Help it to grow people !
Warmest regards
Anne
----- Original Message -----
From: "Felicity Hill" <felicity.hill@...>
To: <undisclosed-recipients:>
Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 5:48 PM
Subject: Palm Sunday - 1 April - news from Melbourne
Greetings from the Palm Sunday Alliance in Melbourne,
Two weeks ago in Melbourne a meeting was called to brainstorm how peace,
faith, union, environment, social justice and medical groups could
organize around Palm Sunday (which falls on April Fools Day in 2007), to
have some serious fun while sending some serious peace and anti-nuclear
messages home to the government and the ALP.
This note shares information about what we have decided and planned thus
far, and is an invitation to get involved and to think and talk over the
holiday break about how to make this day both fun and politically
effective.
*At the Melbourne meeting we:
* Decided to call ourselves the Palm Sunday Alliance for a peaceful
and nuclear free future, with Palm Sunday Alliance for short,
which is open to all groups wishing to participate
* Drafted some loose demands which we were determined would include
positive alternatives, not just no, no, no, which we thought about
and agreed at our next meeting (see below)
* Drafted some very simple text for a poster and flier, which is
still under discussion and very much open to suggestions (see below)
* Brainstormed about the large variety of themes, events and ideas
that could be developed by other groups around Australia (see below)
* Agreed that a fun, comedy filled event that plays on the April
Fools theme will be attractive to those recently disempowered or
turned off demonstrating, while serious enough on the substantive
peace and nuclear issues to make a political impact
* Decided to establish a website www.NuclearFoolsDay.org (not yet
live but bought) on which we would be more than happy to advertise
all Palm Sunday events and activities around the country
* Decided to organise a large public meeting in February on the
issues as part of the build up and outreach
So far the following groups have endorsed Palm Sunday events: Intensive
outreach to expand this list will start in 2007
Medical Association for the Prevention of War, Friends of the Earth,
Australian Conservation Foundation, Environment Centre of the Northern
Territory, Peace Organisation of Australia, Women’s International League
for Peace and Freedom, Australian Student Environment Network, Nuclear
Disarmament Party, Global Climate Change Action, Action in Solidarity
with Asia and the Pacific, Socialist Alliance, Catholics in Coalition
for Justice and Peace (CCJP), Alice Action, Arid Lands Environment
Centre, Greenpeace, Nuclear Free Australia, Stop the War Coalition
*
*Demands: *
*
Don't be a Nuclear Fool:
* Stop nuclear power in Australia: Renewables not reactors!
* Stop uranium mining: Leave it in the ground!
* Stop nuclear weapons: Put down the US nuclear umbrella!
* Stop nuclear waste: No waste dump in Australia!
Stop the Nuclear Fool Cycle!
*
*In Melbourne the Palm Sunday Alliance has so far decided to:*
* Organize a fun and upbeat Peace Parade and Festival,
* Start from Treasury Gardens where we will fly kites in the park
and form a human peace symbol for an aerial photograph
* Parade through the city to Federation Square for comedy and
entertainment
* Encourage people to dress up and make props, signs and bike
extensions around the peace and Nuclear Fool theme
* Invite Leunig to do the design for the poster, which could be used
nation wide if space was left for folks to fill in city/town
specific details
* Invite Critical Mass and Bicycle Victoria to increase the cyclists
peddling us out of the Nuclear Fool Cycle
* Invite comedians in the Melbourne Comedy Festival (which starts
only days after Palm Sunday) to participate; we are in
communication with organizers about who will be in town - they
want cross advertising so its likely we'll get some good laughs
* Invite schools to include lessons about peace and sustainability
in their teaching, including paper crane and kite making for
flying on Palm Sunday
* Invite faith based groups to participate on the day, possibly they
could issue an ecumenical statement and ceremony as in the past
* Enter the Moomba Birdwo/man Rally in March with a contraption that
advertises Palm Sunday and peace
Other ideas for themes and actions that folks in other centres may find
useful:
* The Fool on the Hill: might be a good theme for Canberra groups,
or general reference to Johnny Howard
* Get a sign on letter and publish it in the papers
* Ensure that the voices of atomic victims and survivors are heard
* Clearly advertise a dress up theme, as clowns, as fools, so people
can participate very easily
* Hold a Yellow Cake competition
* Drop a hypothetical bomb in a popular place – show the impact,
visually, with markers & symbols
* Project images and slogans onto night time surfaces/buildings of
major cities
* Stage some kind of mock nuclear waste spill at a busy location
* Ask the remaining members of Midnight Oil to perform, plus other bands
* Use as many comedians as possible
* Get the local Mayor for Peace, or soon to be Mayor for Peace involved
* Invite Tim Costello to participate
* Use candles
* Use donkeys (from palm Sunday church services), and tractors and
horses where they have em
* Invite church goers to bring their palms and use them in the day
somehow
* Get a bunch of Peace Boats on the river
* Let off balloons with information about radiation traveling in the
wind, asking folks to call in to register where they found balloon
* Have family friendly kid activities like picnic, kite flying,
crane making/hanging in addition to rally speakers
* Not use the word rally, but parade or festival
* Invite politicians along to question them about their views on
nuclear issues
* Do actions outside ALP MP offices before the day
* Get a national sign on letter to give to an ALP official to
register unity of the NGOs
* Invite veterans, the RSL to participate and the victims of the
Maralinga nuclear tests to speak – ensure these victims of nuclear
weapons are visible and remembered 50 years after the British
fenced off an area the size of England and then blew up 7 bombs
and contaminated an area the size of London for 250,000 years
* Table a Senate motion urging the government to support our efforts
in promoting a nuclear-free Australia
* Get the Channel Seven’s Sunrise program on board
DRAFT Poster language:
Don't be a Nuclear Fool!
Join the Palm Sunday Peace Parade & Festival!
April Fools Day
1pm Gather at Treasury Gardens
2pm Parade to Federation Square
Dress foolishly, ride your bike, fly your kite!
Stop nuclear power in Australia: Renewables not reactors!
Stop uranium mining: Leave it in the ground!
Stop nuclear weapons: Put down the US nuclear umbrella!
Stop nuclear waste: No waste dump in Australia!
Stop the Nuclear Fool Cycle!
www.NuclearFoolsDay.org
Organised by the Palm Sunday Alliance
for a peaceful and nuclear free future
DRAFT outreach text we are still working on to widen the appeal*
*
Don't be a Nuclear Fool!
Join the Palm Sunday Peace Parade & Festival!
Palm Sunday falls on April Fools Day in 2007.
You and your organisation are invited to join the Palm Sunday Alliance
–made up of faith, medical, social justice and environment
organisations– who have come together to organise a parade and festival
for a peaceful and nuclear free future on 1 April.
Information about our meetings, participants and plans are here
www.NuclearFoolsDay.org
Gathering at Treasury Gardens at 1pm on April Fools Day to fly kites,
adjust costumes and make a human peace symbol for an aerial photograph,
the parade will move off at 2pm to Federation Square for a peace
festival with comedians and entertainment.
This will be a family-friendly, foolish and fun day to drive home some
deadly serious messages to all political parties:
Stop nuclear power in Australia: Renewables not reactors!
Stop uranium mining: Leave it in the ground!
Stop nuclear weapons: Put down the US nuclear umbrella!
Stop nuclear waste: No waste dump in Australia!
Stop the Nuclear Fool Cycle!
Our government is contemplating 25 nuclear reactors by 2050: No Way!
The Prime Minister’s hand-picked nuclear ‘taskforce’ recommended in
November that Australia build 25 reactors along our fragile coast line
to supply a third of our electricity by 2050. Too slow, too expensive,
too dangerous and too much water would be wasted on this – wind is
cheaper and quicker and doesn’t cause drought or wars.
Don’t be a Ruddy Fool Mr. Rudd: Wake up and read the polls!
78% per cent of ALP voters don’t want any new uranium mines in Australia
or want uranium mining stopped altogether, compared to 16% favouring new
mines, a ratio of nearly 5:1. And 66% of the general public polled don’t
want any new uranium mines in Australia or want uranium mining stopped
altogether, only 22% support increased uranium mining - a ratio of 3:1
(Newspoll 30 May 2006). ALP should learn from the bitter uranium debates
of the 1980s in which they lost members and votes. Now is not the time
to review the ALP “no new mines” policy.
Australia is selling uranium to China, a nuclear weapon state: Nuclear
Fools! *
Our government boasts that it opposes nuclear weapons and has the
highest “safeguards” standards for export of uranium. Rubbish! Australia
actually normalises and legitimises nuclear weapons by participating in
the US nuclear umbrella. If Australia is serious about nuclear
disarmament, the government should never sell uranium, particularly to
countries with nuclear weapons. Safeguards provide only an ‘illusion of
protection.’ Australian and international safeguards cannot guarantee
that Australian uranium does not end up in nuclear weapons.
*Nuclear is NO SOLUTION to climate change!
Nuclear energy is not emissions free or ‘greenhouse friendly’. According
to the German Environment Ministry, the building and decommissioning of
reactors, and the mining, processing and extensive transportation of
uranium releases carbon dioxide in quantities comparable to burning
natural gas. Nuclear power provides about 15% of global electricity
generation and electricity contributes about 30% of human made
greenhouse gases. If we doubled the existing 442 nuclear reactors to 884
by mid-century, we would only reduce greenhouse emissions by 5%. It is
economically, practically and politically inconceivable that enough new
nuclear power plants could be brought on line quickly enough to make a
significant contribution to mitigating climate change in the next decade
or two, the critical period during which we must take the steps which
will set us on the road to avoiding dangerous climate change. Nuclear
energy has never been able to compete on the open market, and has never
been commercially viable anywhere without massive public taxpayer
subsidies. Numerous studies have shown that a dollar invested in energy
efficiency is up to seven times more effective in reducing greenhouse
emissions than a dollar invested in nukes.
www.NuclearFoolsDay.org
So..... Keep your thinking caps on over the holiday period, and lets get
busy in January! Our work will begin in earnest next year, and we look
forward to an inspiring Palm Sunday.
best wishes
Felicity Hill on behalf of the Melbourne Palm Sunday Alliance
Felicity Hill
Campaign Coordinator
ICAN - International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear weapons
Medical Association for Prevention of War
www.icanw.org www.mapw.org.au www.ippnw.org
Phone: + 61 38344 1637
Fax: + 61 38344 1638
Mobile: + 61 43239 8261
Skype address: icanflick
Postal Address: MAPW, P O Box 1379, Carlton, Vic 3053, Australia
Visiting Address: MAPW Alan Gilbert Building, 2nd Floor, 161 Barry
Street, Carlton, Vic 3053
Listen to 3CR 855 AM every Friday morning at 7.45 for an ICAN update!
Streaming via www.3cr.org.au
---------------------------------
original message from "bro"
----- Original Message -----
From: "Anne Goddard" <anne@...>
To: <ClimateChangeAction@...>;
<Oz-envirolink@...>; <green-global@...>;
<green-activist@...>
Cc: <bro@...>
Sent: Sunday, December 10, 2006 4:18 PM
Subject: [Green-Activist] Re: [ClimateChangeAction] Some campaign
strategysuggestions re climate change
I really like the idea of an "April Fuels" day...
Hiya Members :-)
I have invited "Bro" to join the CCA group.
Some campaign strategy suggestions re climate change
>> Posted by: "Bro" bro@...
>> via "greenleap"
>> Mon Dec 4, 2006 8:18 pm (PST)
>> John Howard is (unless I have had a seniors' moment) the first serious
>> Australian politician since Sir Charles Court thirty years ago to run
>> nuclear reactors (not to mention the whole damn fuel cycle) up his flag
>> pole.
>>
>> Court the Elder used to speak of WA as the world's energy farm. Peter
>> Costello spruiks our involvement in the G20 in terms "Energy our freeway
>> to the future" (The Age, lead story 18 November).
>>
>> Meanwhile almost 7000 people have voted in the current Yahoo web poll
>> "What is the most important issue under discussion at the current APEC
>> summit?"
>> with the following result from a choice of four answers:
Climate Change 59%:
Iraq 19%;
Economic Development 18%;
Undecided 4%.
>>
>> For the people climate change is the issue: for the Government it's
>> consuming ever more energy with a bit of highly-vexed
>> pollution-ameliorating
>> expensive, yet-to-be demonstrated technology.
>>
>> And the Sunday Times (19/11) reports:
>>
>> 'With the caucus aghast at Mr Beazley's latest verbal stumble, it will be
>> badly buffeted by the latest Ipsos-Mackay poll to be broadcast on Channel
>> 10's Meet the Press this morning.
>>
>> The survey shows that 60 per cent of Australians think the issue of
>> climate change will play an important part in how they vote at the next
>> election.
>>
>> While 24 per cent believed the Greens would be the best party federally
>> to handle global warming, they were closely followed by the Coalition on
>> 23
>> per cent.
>>
>> Remarkably, Labor trailed both parties, on 19 per cent.
>>
>> The results will be deeply unsettling for many federal Labor MPs who
>> already have a question mark over Mr Beazley's performance.
>>
>> The recurring complaint from his internal critics is that he fails to
>> ``cut through'' to voters with the Opposition's message.
>>
>> The Ipsos-Mackay poll will simply confirm that impression, especially
>> since John Howard has widely been seen to have been wrong-footed on
>> climate
>> change since the publication three weeks ago of the British
>> Government-sponsored
>> Stern Report.
>>
>> The report concluded that Earth faced catastrophic consequences unless
>> climate change was confronted. Mr Howard has been a self-confessed
>> ``climate change sceptic'' and has refused to sign up to the Kyoto
>> Protocol. "
>>
>> Speaking to mainly young people at the Make Poverty History Concert on
>> 17/11 Tim Costello said (of course, it's not news other than he said it
>> about
>> him for, I believe, the first time):
>>
>> "I do have a brother. That brother, along with both sides of politics,
>> has failed to see with the same moral clarity what your generation gets
>> This
>> is how politicians govern: they wet their finger, they put it up to the
>> air
>> and they say which way is the wind blowing."
>>
>> I've been banging on now for 6 months about the next federal election,
>> and particularly the long lead up to it, being a once in a lifetime
>> opportunity to blow the winds of sustainability with frostbite-inducing
>> force over
>> the wet fingers of our political leaders. The hooks being ever-increasing
>> public concern over the impacts of climate change and the capture of the
>> Government's (and, led by Ferguson and Fitzgibbon, a proportion of the
>> Opposition's) agenda by the carbonucleophiles ("carbon dioxide - we call
>> it the stuff of life!").
>>
>> 1 April 2007 falls on a Sunday.
>>
>> Noting the success of the recent Walk Against Warming, as part of an
>> escalating campaign for a real, anti-nuclear response to climate change
>> significant nationwide actions on "April Fuels" day seem to me to be
>> worthy of contemplation and organisation.
>>
>> I shrink from showing my age by raising memories of 1977 or even using
>> the term "mobilisation" (or looking ahead to 6 August 2007) for what
>> might be
>> contemplated and organised.
>>
>> I would be grateful to receive any views that people may have on these
>> Sunday morning musings.
>>
>> Cheers, bro
>>
>> Dr Bro Sheffield-Brotherton B.Sc.(Hons), Ph.D, Dip.Ed, MEIANZ
>> Chairman, Sustainable Solutions Pty Ltd
>> Scientific Advisor, National Toxics Network
>> Honorary Life Member, Australian Conservation Foundation
>> Member, Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand
>> 47 Prentice Street
>> Elsternwick 3185
>> AUSTRALIA
>> Ph: +613 9528 1957, Mob: +614 1230 3 718
>> Fax: +613 9528 5100
>> Email: bro@...
>>
>> "The ultimate measure of people is not where they stand in moments of
>> comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge and
>> controversy." - Dr Martin Luther King Jr
>>
>> "The danger is when you get old like us you may become soonical." -
>> Dagmar Schroeder
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