Indymedia Australia | News and views from the progressive grass roots.

A world without nuclear weapons is possible

Submitted by takver on Mon, 06/04/2009 - 4:14am

In Prague today before a 20,000 strong crowd US President Obama called for a world without nuclear weapons. There are currently 26,000 nuclear weapons held amoung nine countries. At the Palm Sunday rally in Melbourne Dr Ruth Mitchell from the Medical Association for the Prevention of War spoke detailing the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) and the need to keep the pressure on politicians and Governments on this issue. (Photos 1 | Melbourne Protests Photos | Youtube Video )

President Obama told the large crowd in Prague "I state clearly and with conviction America's commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons. This goal will not be reached quickly -- perhaps not in my lifetime. It will take patience and persistence. But now we, too, must ignore the voices who tell us that the world cannot change."

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Dirty politics with defence minister

Submitted by Flowerpower on Sun, 29/03/2009 - 3:56pm

Covert investigations operations into a minister by unknown intelligence forces, accusations of allegiances to a foreign communist power. All of this brings back shades of how the defence/intelligence establishment help bring down Whitlam mininsters 30 years ago. What's behind the latest intrusion into our democracy by shadowy intelligence forces?

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Aboriginal people brief Barack Obama before he meets Prime Minister Kevin Rudd

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 24/03/2009 - 1:57am

Aboriginal people from many parts of Australia, including the Northern Territory homelands, are expressing their strong opposition to their treatment by the Australian Government in statements sent to President Obama this week. Dr Djiniyini Gondarra, a Traditional Owner of Elcho Island said "I am writing to you as a fellow black citizen of the world, to express my concerns about Australian Government policy, both past and present, which has suppressed Aboriginal culture, languages, land, law and its people since invasion over 200 years ago."

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Protest in Canberra against net filtering

Submitted by takver on Sun, 22/03/2009 - 3:09am

About 150 people gathered on the lawns of the Federal Parliament House on March 21 to protest the Federal Government's proposed mandatory internet filter. Most of the people who gathered were Canberra locals.

Speakers included John Kaye from the Greens, Fiona Patten from the Sex Party, and Jim Stewart from Search Engine Optimisation company Stewartmedia.biz.

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UN report: Forests rapidly vanishing

Submitted by takver on Thu, 19/03/2009 - 12:04am

World Forests are disappearing rapidly according to the 2009 State of the World's Forests report by the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO). The report notes that expansion of large-scale monocultures of oil palm, soy and other crops for agrofuel production has been a key factor in the failure to halt deforestation.

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Ranger uranium mine contaminating Kakadu

Submitted by takver on Wed, 18/03/2009 - 7:53pm

The Ranger Uranium Mine in Kakadu is leaking 100,000 litres of contaminated water from the tailings dam everyday, according to the Commonwealth supervising scientist, Alan Hughes.

Uranium tailings are the residues from the mining process and contain around 80 per cent of the radioactivity of the original ore. According to the Australian Conservation Foundation they pose a long term hazard to humans, animals and plants.

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Oil spill causes environmental disaster on Queensland beaches

Submitted by takver on Wed, 18/03/2009 - 4:43pm

On Tuesday March 10 the container ship, The Pacific Adventurer, lost overboard thirty-one containers holding the volatile explosive ammonium nitrate, spilling three tonnes of the chemical on deck, with the hull and two fuel tanks being punctured in the heavy seas. The ship had run straight into 9 metre swells churned up by Category 5 Cyclone Hamish off the coast of Queensland.

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