Australia

Climate change implications of new study on methane emissions in coal seam gas field

Coal seam gas has been touted as a green transitional fuel, far less polluting than coal, but a new study implies it may not be as green or climate friendly as the industry makes out. It hinges on the level of fugitive emissions produced in development and production of a gas field. A study by two scientists from Southern Cross University based in Lismore, northern NSW, detected much higher levels of the strong greenhouse gas methane around the Tara gas field on the Darling Downs of Queensland west of Brisbane.

Action: Getup! have started a Dirtier than Coal? campaign calling on Federal Climate Change Minister Greg Combet to commission urgent research into the climate impacts of coal seam gas, and to make sure that CSG companies start accounting, and paying, for fugitive emissions.

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WGAR News: The Wire: Influential tent embassy activist passes away [Isabel Coe]

Newsletter date: 15 November 2012

Last updated: 17 November 2012 (to include funeral notice)

Contents:
* The Wire: Influential tent embassy activist passes away [Isabel Coe]
* Funeral Notice for Aunty Isabell Edie Coe
* Video: 30th anniversary of the 1982 Stolenwealth Games protests
* Background to the Aboriginal sovereignty movement
* iPetitions: Darug Tribe to regain recognition as traditional owners of Blacktown
* Interview with Shirley Nirrpurranydji: Strong community bonds the key to Indigenous student health

Origin Energy under scrutiny over anti-renewables stance

Origin Energy, Australia's largest energy retailer, came under intense scrutiny today from shareholders at the Annual General Meeting in Sydney over it's energy portfolio placing great emphasis on development of gas, poor investment in wind and solar power, and a campaign by Managing Director Grant King to destabilise the Renewable Energy Target.

At one stage a banner was quickly unfurled infront of the board on the stage which said "Origin: Build wind and solar, not coal and gas". It was just as quickly taken down.

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WGAR News: Council Stops Darug Nation Acknowledgement: SBS Living Black

Newsletter date: 13 November 2012

Contents:
* SBS Living Black: Council Stops Darug Nation Acknowledgement
* SNAICC: Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service calls on Government to put a stop to detaining juvenile offenders in adult custody
* Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation: Yindjibarndi Answer FMG/Wirlu-Murra Weasel Words
* Daily Liberal [Dubbo News]: Activist to speak at school debate
* 9 News: [Isabel] Coe lauded for role in Aboriginal politics
* Map of First Nations Sovereign Embassies in Australia
* Background to the Aboriginal tent embassies

WGAR News: Upcoming Aboriginal rights events around Australia - 18 events from 11 November 2012

Newsletter date: 11 November 2012

Updated 22 November 2012 to include new venue for the Adelaide Book Launch on Sun 9 Dec 12

Click on the links for details of the events ...

Event: Wed 7 to Sun 11 November 2012: Wollongong, NSW
Exhibition: Ghost Citizens: Witnessing the Intervention
Project Contemporary Artspace
"The word ‘intervention’ is popular in the art and
architecture worlds, but in this context it condemns
the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER),
Australia’s "national emergency" policy introduced in 2007.

WGAR News: Anti-Intervention campaigners speak out over sacking of Olga Havnen: STICS

Newsletter date: 11 November 2012

Contents:
* Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education: Olga Havnen Presentation
* STICS: Anti-Intervention campaigners speak out over sacking of Olga Havnen
* Dr Janet Hunt: Inconvenient truths of the intervention
* Bob Gosford: Anderson sacks Havnen - a case of two strong hens in the NT henhouse is one too many?
* Background to Olga Havnen's Report
* Background to 'Stronger Futures' new NT Intervention laws
* Background to the Northern Territory (NT) Intervention
* Natasha Robinson: Lesson in how to play fair [Wadeye, NT]

WGAR News: PM Gillard on the call for Treaty: "There will be no bits of paper!" (Gerry Georgatos)

Newsletter date: 10 November 2012

Contents:
* By Gerry Georgatos: Prime Minister Gillard on the call for Treaty: "There will be no bits of paper!"
* Background to the Aboriginal sovereignty movement
* ABC: NZ group says NT Indigenous education decades behind
* Background to the use of Aboriginal languages in NT schools
* ABC: NLC in talks on additional nuclear waste dump site
* Background to the proposed Muckaty nuclear waste dump
* Petition: Justice for Kwementyaye Briscoe - lay charges against police

Will Australia open uranium floodgates?

By Nuclear Worrier

The Australian government is about to decide whether Western Australia’s first uranium mine will go ahead, potentially setting a huge precedent for the rest of the country, where two other states have dropped decades-old uranium mining bans.

Australia is the world's third-ranking producer, behind Kazakhstan and Canada and possesses 31% of the world’s reserves. Uranium and nuclear power is never much of a public issue in Australia in terms of the dangers.

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