AUSTRALIAN ELECTION
NUCLEAR and URANIUM Well, you'd be forgiven for thinking that no Australian political party is the slightest bit interested in nuclear and uranium issues. However, there's an underlying push in the Liberal Party to overturn Australia's law against importing international nuclear wastes. And some Labor heavies join in that push. The Liberal Coalition's goals of weakening environmental regulation will of course impact on the uranium mining industry. The Australian Greens remain steadfast - in both opposing these dirty and dangerous industries, and in promoting clean and practicable renewable energy solutions. Choose Nuclear Free is the place to go For detailed analysis of party policies.
Both Liberal Coalition and Labor are hellbent on getting rid of Scott Ludlam from the Senate. That's understandable. He is far too intelligent, far too articulate - and worse too ethical, too courteous. The mad monk could well say of Ludlam - "Who will rid me of this troublesome priest?"
CLIMATE. Words almost fail me (you might be glad to know?) But Tony Abbot has abdicated from any pretense of action on climate change. I don't think he's all that bright. He thinks that the environment, climate change, action etc, might be tacked on at the end of he economy, if there's a bit of spare money. He has no concept of the basic role of environment and climate underlying the economy.
By the way - Tony's a Rhodes scholar. You might think that that means he's really intelligent. However - major criteria for Rhodes scholarship are not so much brains. More emphasis is on " fondness for and success in sports" and on " instincts to lead". - i.e. desire To Be Topp
INTERNATIONAL
Well, the Australian election might seem to be serious, but it pales into insignificance compared to what's going on in Japan.
The Fukushima crisis is deepening,. More radioactive leaks found. The ground under the nuclear reactors is subsiding. Radioactivity levels are spiking high around Fukushima. They're going to have to empty radioactive water into the sea - and that is disturbing Pacific neighbours. It is developing as an international problem (which it always was, really). They are going to build an ice wall under the reactors.
Prime Minister Abe has staked his reputation etc on accelerating Japan's economy by restarting nuclear reactors, and marketing Japan's nuclear reactors overseas. So now he is making announcements about the government putting more effort into cleaning up Fukushima. On September 15 the last of Japan's two operating nuclear reactors will shut down - for maintenance - for an indefinite period.
Japan is right now bidding for the Olympic Games - there's a worry that Fukushima might muck that up.
The world's commercial nuclear industry is anxiously watching things in Japan. But no worries - the world's military nuclear industry rolls on.
