Critical Times

by Beck Pearse
Cycle Against the Nuclear Cycle is happening for the 3rd time. We’re riding for clean, renewable energy and a nuclear free Australia. From Port Augusta 25 June to Canberra 2nd September we’ll hold public meetings and visit schools to rally opposition to the nuclear industry in Australia. Join the ride or help CANC with meeting locations and billeting.

Find out more:
www.canc.org.au
contact (at) canc.org.au

Cycle Against the Nuclear Cycle (CANC) is happening for the 3rd time in 2007. CANC are a group of people concerned about the use of nuclear power to steer debate away from the real solutions to climate change. They will be riding against the nuclear foolishness driven by fossil fuel addicted politicians and corporations. Like the bike ride, this madness has happened before. Beck Pearse will ride in CANC 25th June to 2nd September as part of a strong history of anti-nuclear and bike activism in Australia. She sees the current moves toward expansion of the nuclear industry as another signal for activists to get on their bikes and ride.

On the 25th June we’ll be riding against the cycle of nuclear foolishness. It has a 60 year history of war, environmental devastation, and corporate greed. Meanwhile, the anti-nuclear bike ride has a 30 year history as part of a powerful movement against all facets of the nuclear industry. Like, those before us we wish to act positively against the expansion of the nuclear industry in Australia. Bike activism has proven a fun and vibrant way to act against the cycle of deceit and destruction forged by nuclear proponents.

The first Ride Against Uranium in 1975 was part of a campaign to oppose the commencement of uranium mining in Australia and celebrate the potential for solar and renewable energy. In the hearts and minds of these activists was the shadow of the cold war and the growing significance of climate change. Three more Rides Against Uranium (1976, 1977 and 1981) followed keeping the spotlight on uranium mining and the risk of weapons proliferation. The rides converged upon Canberra to create alternative energy displays, a mass of crawling mutations and the Atom Free Embassy. And then there was the epic World Bike Ride for Peace and Nuclear Disarmament. Fifty dedicated bike nerds left Canberra in 1982 to travel over 6,000km up the East Coast via Sydney, Brisbane, Townsville, and Mt Isa to Darwin. Five months later 44 rode in to Darwin. The ride continued through Asia and Japan and in Europe during 1982 and 1983.

In 1982 cyclists organised to ride 500 km from Broken Hill to Roxby Downs, meeting Adelaide cyclists midway, to join the Roxby Downs Uranium Mine blockade. In August 1983, several hundred people gathered to express their opposition and hinder mining operations. Fifteen years later the first Cycle Against the Nuclear Cycle left from Melbourne with about 15 cyclists on the 20th of June 1998. They took on the ambitious task of riding to the Jabiluka Blockade. Here they met a 5000 strong group who successfully forced Rio Tinto to cease mining operations. And lastly, CANC2 left from Darwin/Jabiluka to Perth in 2000.

CANC3 will be composed of 2 rides, Rockhampton to Canberra and Port Augusta to Canberra. Over 72 days we will clamber into coastal towns that are the nuclear reactor sites. We plan to hold public meetings, meet local indigenous groups and hear their experiences of the nuclear industry and visit schools.

From the content of these campaigns we can see that it is not a new trick for governments to use nuclear power as a divergence from the issue of global warming. Malcolm Fraser was adamant that there was little industrial potential for solar energy in the 70s. Today this idea is reincarnated through the base load myth: the claim that renewable energies cannot provide base load power. Nor is it a new trick for debate about nuclear power plants to be stirred whilst mining operations are quietly begun. When debating the Ranger report nearly 30 years ago, then Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser claimed that “an energy-starved world” needed our uranium. Painting nuclear power as a viable energy source has routinely been used to divert public attention from the inception of uranium mines. Howard’s nuclear debate is convenient given the planned $5 billion expansion of Roxby Downs.

In 2007 it is particularly concerning that nuclear power is being presented as part of the solution of climate change. Climate change is on the political plate like never before. Solutions to climate change are now finally being discussed rather than toiling over sceptical political spin. The snag over recent months is that ‘clean coal’ and nuclear power are becoming the dichotomous choice for future energy production. The task for our campaign is to expose the myth that nuclear power is a clean and green energy source and to enable people to imagine and demand truly sustainable energy solutions.

The story of the nuclear federal election so far.

In May 2006 John Howard called for a ‘full-blooded debate’ about the nuclear industry in Australia (ABC, 2006). Since then he has established a Prime Ministerial taskforce to review the viability of domestic nuclear power in Australia as well as uranium mining, enriching and reprocessing. The task force reported that 25 nuclear power plants in Australia by 2030 with a 30 percent reduction in greenhouse gases are tenable. In addition, their review of mining industries and reactors at home and abroad satisfied the group that all aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle were safe. The taskforce chair Ziggy Switkowsky, reported to the National Press Club in November 2006 that ‘radiation risks associated with nuclear power stations, and indeed the nuclear fuel cycle as a whole, are very low.’

Ziggy Switkowsky is director of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), the company operating the reactor at Lucas Heights, Sydney. After concerns about his conflict of interest were raised he assured the public he would exercise his rational and scientific credentials when contributing to this review. Meanwhile, John Howard offered a peer review, set up by own chief scientist Jim Peacock. Peacock is also known to support nuclear energy.

Howard has spent near a year talking about how Australian’s views on nuclear power are changing. Polls began to ask loaded questions linking the words nuclear power to solution and climate change. And last weekend he openly declared the method he would use to ensure this change: a blatant PR campaign. In order to open our minds to nuclear power the Howard promised an ‘information campaign’ (SMH, 28/04/07) to tell the nation what needs to be done and why. This is Machiavellian at best.

Scarily, it seems that this plan is very close to fruition. Howard called on his ministers to begin this campaign immediately and report back to Canberra in September.

Howard said.

“The government’s next step will be to repeal commonwealth legislation prohibiting nuclear activities, including the relevant provisions of the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. This will be addressed soon,’’ he said (SMH 28/04/07).

At the other end of the nuclear fuel chain, the Labor party has played it’s part to expand the nuclear industry in Australia. The ‘no new mines’ policy, recognised the special status the uranium should have. 50 years of the nuclear industry and there is still no solution to radioactive waste. Globally, the nuclear power industry produces 13,000 tonnes of spent nuclear fuel every year, yet there is not a single disposal site anywhere in the world for any of this high-level nuclear waste. 50 years of the nuclear industry and there are still 37,000 nuclear weapons in the world. The only way to put a hold on these unacceptable realities and progress to a safe and peaceful future is to keep uranium in the ground.

The loss of this policy potentially means to an open slather on uranium mining in Australia. The $5 billion expansion of Roxby Downs is set to begin. BHP Billiton proposes to take an additional 120 million litres of Great Artesian Basin water daily – free of charge – for the Roxby expansion. This is additional to the current daily extraction of 33 million litres. Mound Springs, listed as endangered ecological communities under the Commonwealth Environment Protection Act, have already been adversely effected by unsustainable water extraction.

The good news? State control over land use remains regardless of this decision.
Despite the folly of Labor and Liberal Governments at a federal level there is still a chance to halt this nuclear nightmare through state legislation.

In this federal election year, it is imperative that the interests of fossil fuel addicted big business come second to the views of the community. A May 2006 Newspoll found that 66% of all Australians and 78% of all ALP voters are opposed to any expansion of uranium mining. Now is the time to speak out.

I implore all those concerned about global warming to speak out against the nuclear fools this year. Nuclear power is no solution to climate change. Renewable energy, energy efficiency and decreased consumption can provide us with a happy and healthy future.

It is this whirlwind of spin that we will confront along the ride. Like our predecessors we will seek to expose the foolishness of nuclear power. We will be armed with novelty value and insight into the systemic change needed to combat global warming.
We’ll be riding through Melbourne on July 30th Ride with us for all for part of the ride. What ever you can do.

To get involved:

Email: contact (at) canc.org.au
Phone: 0405 105 101

See also:
http://canc.org.au