ALP to vote on uranium mines policy : Melbourne Indymedia

The Australian Labor Party [Lib/Lab] will vote on its uranium policy at their national conference in Sydney today.

The Member for Lingiari in the Northern Territory, Warren Snowdon, will vote against Labor expanding its uranium mining policy.

His decision compliments Nobody's decision against alleged opposition Leader Kevin Rudd's bid to end Labor's 'no new mines' policy.

Mr Snowdon has told ABC TV's Stateline program the NT Labor branch still has the same concerns over uranium mining as it did decades ago.

"I sought advice and indeed direction if you like from the rank and file of the party and those who attended those meetings were very strong in their view that we shouldn't change the policy," he said.

"So as president of the party I feel it my duty that I represent that view accurately on the floor of conference and I will."

The Australian Nobody party doesn't need to vote on its uranium policy because they've banned uranium full stop. Because a Vote for Nobody is a Vote for Everybody.

Meanwhile businessman and chair of Australia Nuclear Energy, Hugh Morgan, says South Australia should market itself as the hub of the nuclear industry.

He says the state remains one of the world's best options for the growing nuclear industry.

"There are options, quite clearly options I think, of having an international atomic energy agency engaged with international companies, international governments making Adelaide a centre for nuclear physics study and having a waste repository in South Australia," he said.

Nobody, environmentalists, socialists, public education advocates, campaigners for "the Burrup" in WA, and others, were all outside the ALP conference this morning. There was a big focus on opposing uranium mining in the context of the expected decision of this weekend's conference to allow an "open slather" uranium mining policy.

There was some debate in the lead up to this action about whether we should be supporting the ALP's existing "No more uranium mines" policy or whether we should openly call for what we want: "No uranium mining". It was pretty clear that the people that turned up this morning wanted no uranium mining. Full Stop.

Uranium = weapons, waste, health disaster, theft of Aboriginal land and absolutely no answer to the problem of global warming.

A Sydney Morning Herald online article featured a photo of Socialist Alliance member Jakalene X (who added a lot of passion to the protest) and others. The paper reported that: "Members of the Socialist Alliance shouted slogans, saying that an expansion of mining would be all about money and greediness."

But Nobody will change that!

In the recent NSW Election a definite chain of command was in evidence: Socialist Alliance functioned as cheerleaders for the Greens, and the Greens supported Labor. Both organisations promoted illusions that Labor could be pressured at the ballot box, and that it represented a “lesser evil” to the Liberals. In line with this, the Greens concluded a preference deal with Labor’s state executive, while Socialist Alliance allocated first preferences to the Greens and second preferences to Labor.

http://sydney.indymedia.org.au/node/50784

There will be another protest ("public lobby") against uranium mining Sat 28th April at 12 noon at the Darling Harbour convention centre.

Source: http://sydney.indymedia.org.au/node/50803

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200704/s1908753.htm

Related:

VOTE NOBODY!

NEVER MIND THE BALLOTS!

Instead of the current system of pseudo-democracy we believe in Direct democracy which is based on equal participation. In order to be free & happy, we need to run our communities, our workplaces & our own lives.

http://sydney.indymedia.org.au/node/50808

Vote Nobody Next Federal Election

Federal elections are coming up and it's the same old joke as usual - a "choice" that isn't one! Instead of not voting, how about voting for Nobody?

You should vote for Nobody, because:

- Nobody keeps election promises.
- Nobody has all the answers.
- Nobody will represent you.
- Nobody will improve your community.
- Nobody has your best interests at heart.
- Nobody will make a real difference!
- A vote for Nobody is a vote for Everybody!

OK, seriously now...

http://sydney.indymedia.org.au/node/50799

Negotiations have started which could allow Australian uranium to be exported to Russia for its nuclear power industry.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200704/s1908564.htm

War criminal prime minister John Howard is expected to detail extensive plans to develop a nuclear power industry within Australia at today's Victorian Liberal Party [Lib/Lab] conference.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200704/s1908777.htm

Ah yes takes me back to the 1980s when the ALP overturned the anti-nuclear positions of most members and Hawke announced the 3 mine policy as a compromise victory in the National Interest etc.

Chartbusting 80's indeed - let's do the timewarp again its just a (tiny) step to the left and then a (huge) JUMP to the RIGHT.
Ruddy Horror Show looks like John Howard with hair ... just another Corporate tool.

Not to be outdone Howard is going for broke export Uranium to India despite India not signing the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, and that like their theocratic neighbour Pakistan India has exploded nuclear BOMBs to show their nationalism....
nuclear power as the solution to global warming follows on from the pseudo enquiry run by ex Telstra Boss Ziggy Switkowski and as always one must ask qui bono - who profits
looks like the "big end"" of town usual suspects Hugh 'earth raper' Morgan the mining Capo and other exploiters like Ron 'major events' Walker who want more Uranium mined and nuclear power stations for Oz and applaud the upcoming Queensland Talisman Sabre military "exercise" where depleted uranium will be fired during the training.

* Plutocrat: someone who has power because they are rich as in "bloated plutocrats who exploit the workers" abbreviated as "plutes".

Next in most dictionaries following Plotocrats is
"Plutonium": the element that is used in the production of nuclear power.

So plutocrat + plutonium = profit.

The lower level functionary politician serves their Masters thus we live in a Plutocracy thus while we can vote for polly tricksters we cannot vote the rich out without a bloody fight history shows so far.

Thus ends the science of capitalism lesson for today kids.

The head of the mining giant Rio Tinto has criticised Labor's plans to scrap the Federal Government's industrial relations laws.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200704/s1908835.htm

Labor's IR policy will create 'safety net': Gillard

Labor's industrial relations spokeswoman says the party's workplace policy will include new awards and employment standards.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200704/s1908811.htm

Hockey refuses to release AWA data

Federal Workplace Relations Minister Joe Hockey says he will not release data that shows the effects of Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) on employees because it does not give a fair picture.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200704/s1908748.htm

Labor to unveil more IR policies at conference

The Federal Opposition is expected to reveal more details of its workplace policies today.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200704/s1908731.htm

Where is the opposition to No WorkChoices?

http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2007/04/144122.php

Federal Industry and Resources Minister Ian Macfarlane has detailed the Government's nuclear plans for Australia, which he says are designed to help lower greenhouse gas emissions.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200704/s1908836.htm

The bottom line here is that ALP delegates will VOTE for a change or otherwisein policy.

That must rankle the anti-nuclear mob because a free vote is anethma to their view of the world. Things should be as THEY want. The end always justifies the means. What others believe is irrelevant. Their views MUST have primacy. Either through sabotage or the restriction of free speech of pro-nuclear voices.

this comment about choice is particularly misleading. the nuclear lobby has a powerful control over our decision makers, while successive polls continue to show that, despite some shifts in public opinions on nuclear questions, voters remain largely opposed to an expansion of uranium mining - particularly voters in jurisdictions that currently suffer the presence of uranium mining (SA/NT).

Last week, Labor MP Warren Snowdon told the ABC Stateline program that “the rank and file of the party … were very strong in their view” that Labor should not permit any more uranium mines.

Understandably. Further mining can only increase pressure on the Territory to accept the international nuclear waste that is an inevitable product of the uranium we export. This could drastically alter the parameters of the nuclear waste dump this current federal government is attempting to impose on us.

Furthermore, uranium mine sites themselves become radioactive waste dumps. Large volumes of uranium waste remain on site long after the miner has had their way.

Despite these risks, the NT's Chief Minister has vowed to vote against the No New Mines policy.

In doing so, Clare Martin not only neglects the principle of environmental responsibility. In the face of her 2005 election promise, the majority view of Labor members, and the will of Territory voters, this is nothing short of a failure of democracy.

it is the nuclear industry, particularly uranium miners in Australia, and not the anti-nuclear movement, who are afraid of the rule of the principles of democracy.

The Australian Labor Party (ALP) national conference has started heated debate on whether to allow more uranium mining in Australia.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200704/s1908917.htm

To the dickhead...
by The dumbing down is working Saturday April 28, 2007 at 07:32 PM

If both the dominant political parties in this country, i.e. the ALP and Libs, are both pushing the nuclear agenda, where does that leave democracy?

This two party wank show has absolutely nothing to do with democracy. It's a puppet show controlled by corporate hegemony.

Shouldn't "schmuck" be over at News Ltd licking corporate arse? He'd probably offer his own arsehole for storage of nuclear waste.

The Australian Labor Party [Lib/Lab] national conference has narrowly supported Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd's motion to scrap the "no new uranium mines" policy.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200704/s1908940.htm

======================

The very reason you should vote for Nobody.

in whose interest
by relinquish voting privilege Saturday April 28, 2007 at 08:40 PM

a simple Liberal psyop with a pic of comic character V and all the dimwits forfeit their few rights .. just try and think for once in your masturbatory mindless lives

WHO BENEFITS IN AUSTRALIA BY PROPAGATING A NO VOTE MESSAGE

Just answer that simple question that even wankers like u lot understand, WHO BENEFITS BY NOT VOTING

COS WE ALL KNOW WHO DOES VOTE, DON'T WE .... u bunch of mindless morons...

vote for anyone u fuckin like BUT VOTE before you lose that right ... or r u lot getting accustomed to losing all your rights, ya bunch of tools!

I heard someone say Howard is Rudd with no hair so I guess the reverse is also the case.

Reuters.com

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUST9522220070423

Mon Apr 23, 2007

TOKYO (Reuters) - Residents in a small western Japan town ousted the mayor in a weekend election, aborting his attempt to get millions of dollars from the central government by volunteering his town as a nuclear waste dump site.

The vote by Toyo, which has about 3,400 residents in Kochi prefecture, will affect the country's plan to start operating a nuclear disposal facility in 2033-2038, Takao Kitabata, Japan's Vice Trade Minister, told reporters on Monday.

"This matter related to Toyo was quite disappointing, but we respect the result, which reflected the will of residents," he said, but added: "There will be an impact on our country's nuclear power policy."

Japan has 55 nuclear power units and plans to build more plants. But the country has no place to dump nuclear waste.

In Sunday's mayoral race, Yasutaro Sawayama won with 1,821 votes versus 761 for the former mayor, Yasuoki Tashima. About 90 percent of the population turned out to vote.

Tashima, 64, resigned earlier this month and called for the vote to seek an agreement to house a nuclear disposal site.

In January, Tashima, the mayor of Toyo since 1997, applied to house the disposal site without consulting city council members or support from residents.

He was aiming to get a 1 billion yen ($8.42 million) government grant to conduct a two-year study of the suitability of Toyo as a nuclear disposal site, and potentially more money when construction started.

The town immediately told the Nuclear Waste Management Organization of Japan (NUMO) that Toyo would withdraw its application, a local official said. Government-backed Numo will run a nuclear disposal site, whenever it is built.

No other town or city has applied to house the site since the central
government started seeking volunteers in 2003.

Resource-poor Japan depends on nuclear energy for 30 percent of its
electricity supplies and has the world's third-largest nuclear power
generation capacity after the United States and France.

COMMENT:
I vote that the pro-nuclear self-destructive types get to have the radioactive waste stored at their own places instea dof dumped on cheapest/aboriginal land for example. If it has to be stored meanwhile how about at Ron Walker and Hugh Morgan's houses as they tand to make a lot of $ from the nuclear power industry so the least they can do is store the shit at their places ? I'd vote to see them do that but perhaps that is not what Elections are about ?

That's why you should vote for Nobody, because a vote for Nobody is a vote for Everybody!

Even if we were to PRETEND that nuclear energy and the uranium fuel cycle was:
- safe
- financially affordable
- insurable
and not contributing to:
- greenhouse emssions
- massive water use
- nuclear wastes
- nuclear weapons,
it would merely attempt to address just 36% of global greenhouse gas emissions, ignoring the 64%* of GHG from industry, agriculture, transport and deforestation.

Please, don't be fooled into fighting this issue on the basis of energy use and climate, for we know all the reasons why Nuclear power is, in reality, a moot point.

We CAN, however, re-frame the issue (as our Labor & Liberal parties are want to do) by focussing on the mining and military sectors which actually drive the nuclear industry.

"Safeguards" for uranium exports do NOT guarantee inspections, do NOT apply to military facilities and provide for diversion of uranium reserves from civil to military use. ('The Australian', 2/12/05, "China warning on uranium", paragraph 10).

This fact alone, if Rudd and Howard would comprehend it, is reason enough to end the nuclear cycle initiated here in Australia.

Demand nothing less.

“Radical change cannot be negotiated by governments; it can only be enforced by people.”
- Arundhati Roy in The Nation, 9 February 2004.

"If the people will lead, the leaders will follow."
- David Suzuki.

* International Energy Agency.

Oh, what a surprise. The Labor Party are a pack of untrustworthy BASTARDS who will force uranium mining onto us.

OK. A question for Labor hacks. In which year did I first say the quote above?

Answer: 1978.

To hell with Labor and all their idiot supporters in the anti-nuke movement who keep telling me "Don't criticise Labor. We're working really hard on a few key members and we're on the verge of a critical breakthrough decision."

I've heard exactly that since 1978 as well.

If anyone seriously believes that the ALP is anti-nuclear, I have a jar of specks of light I can sell you, for any offers over $100. For another $100 I'll throw in a progressive ALP policy that has actually been carried out since 1972.

Too right Mar and now hear come the Lib/Lab head kickers so Howard can win! Their object is not to attack Lab really but to have you and I swallow the grand illusion of the election and that is that there are two parties vying for the top job when in reality it is just a grand set up so that things just stay the same. Labor know it they have to be the fallguys. The mass media play their part.

=======================

Four Corners [Walls] Howard Gov't super duper propaganda machine!

How did politicians and bureaucrats fall under the spell of Brian Burke? Liz Jackson tells how ruthless lobbying eroded the public's faith.

=========================

Ps) No link provided because I couldn't do it me self!

=========================

Similarly this comment:

Rudd gets his way on uranium mines

The Australian Labor Party [Lib/Lab] national conference has narrowly supported Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd's motion to scrap the "no new uranium mines" policy.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200704/s1908940.htm

======================

'narrowly supported' are the key words that makes it look like a real deal when in fact it was all bullshit!

The very reason you should vote for Nobody.

How disappointingly sectarian and apolitical.

Please check out the original that I wrote at:
http://sydney.indymedia.org.au/node/50803

This post has nothing to do with the post you crapped out on SIMC!

Wake up to yourself mate and go and read the responce to the bullshit your wrote!

I like the way the loser writes Citizan what does that make us? Seems the further up the political ladder they get the more important that they think they are?

The choreography was near Stalinist in its execution. Peter Garrett "the legitimate voice of anti-uranium dissent" does his token tantrum Saturday morning. It's all handshakes by the evening and Rudd and Garrett appear on the Sunday evening news holding hands and doing the water tank and solar energy tango.

Yes the same Garrett who would have waltzed into a senate seat as a Nuclear Disarmament Party candidate in 1984 if the same ALP had not directed their preferences against him. How do you explain Garrett? How did he end up in the Labor Party, weren't the Greens the more obvious choice? Forget ideology, think ambition! Whatever the dance moves and the lyrics this is an elite private school boy who believes he can be Prime Minister one day. A soft left version of Alan Jones. Instead of Rugby and Talk Back he has used Rock ' Roll to lift his profile and brand recognition.

What is a concern for those serious about resisting the war and the nuclear industry is the role of Garrett's long time buddy David Bradbury.

Bradbury's ambitions are less garndiose - presently moving DVD sales while bedding peace activists half his age; but most significantly not alienating Garrett or those who will be handing out the funding in a new Rudd Labor Government. Bradbury is sychophantic to Garrett and will do nothing to alienate his old private school buddy, Garrett is subservient to Rudd and will do nothing to alienate him, Rudd has just been to the future PM check up with Rupert Murdoch and got the all clear, Rudd will do nothing to alienate Murdoch or the U.S.

If Labor wins the election, Rudd may follow Blair in withdrawing Australian forces from Iraq. No big deal, the significance of the small Australian deployment was always symbolic and essential in the early stages of the invasion when cheerleading and internationalising the coalition were most important. Rudd and an ALP government will ask no questions of Pine Gap and its more essential role of targetting U.S. air strikes.

A concern for the movement is the role of Bradbury and his groupies in the present organising around the forthcoming protests at Operation Talisman Sabre. If you are militant and serious abourt resisting the war & exercises and planning to travel to Talisman Sabre WATCH YOUR BACK! There are all sorts of hidden agendas and alliances at play. Don't be a patsy, Bradbury-Garrett-Rudd are not to be trusted. They will use all their influence to reduce the protests at Operation Talisman Sabre to the tokenism and moral grandstanding of Garretts behavior this past weekend.

Because Peter Garrett want's to get up there and change things but it's a hard call. He's up against PNAC, WTO, AMIC, World Bank, IMF. He won't make it they'll stab him in the back, like Latham, before he could get in power.

However, John Howard will get in again if we don't watch out again. That's going to be a major problem.

When you say Kevin Rudd went over to the US and went down on Rupert Murdoch that was all part of the 'show'. The grand illusion for all to see. That makes it look like he's fairdinkum and that he may somehow take power.

The only way out now is to radically change the program and make a protest vote. Boycott the election because it doesn't represent you.

If we don't do that John Howard will be manurvered in by the media giants on the death.

They will discredit Rudd 'the fall guy and he will unwitingly help them because he's in on it too. Otherwise he wouldn't be there.

How would the gang mentioned above on the first line of this comment let Labor rule central government, and all states and territories?

They won't.

On guard!

A vote for Nobody is a Vote for Everybody. Boycott the election because Nobody represents you!

Adam Ant!

Govt closing in on Labor's lead???

The Government has again closed the gap on the ALP in the latest Newspoll out today but Labor still holds an election-winning lead.

The poll has Labor's primary vote slipping 2 per cent to 48 compared to the Coalition's 2 per cent rise to 37 per cent.

On a two party preferred basis, Labor's lead has dropped by 4 per cent to 14 per cent.

Kevin Rudd still leads John Howard as preferred prime minister but that gap has narrowed from 12 to 7 per cent.

Labor deputy leader Julia Gillard says the trend is predictable.

"I'll make a further prediction - I believe the polls will come in again after Mr Howard has a big spending Budget," she said.

Mr Howard is today expected to offer small business a pre-budget sweetener with $1.4 billion to promote innovation.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200705/s1910627.htm

==================================

Now why would the gap just narrow? Because the Media Giants said and just told 90 percent of the population that it did!

===================================

Bush (Custer) Last Stand In Iraq - War Drums in Washington

The majority of American citizens have the delusion that they actually decide who governs them, when in practice the Democrats and Republicans are only two wings of the same ruling class that owns Congress, just as it owns the land, the banks and big corporations, the newspapers, and radio and television companies.

http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2007/02/139901.php

Stop Voting - Stop Supporting Pseudo Democracies

Just as communicating with the Feds about abandoning the way we live now is a futile process that only buttresses the legitimacy of old ways of thinking and living, continuing to vote within centralised political processes only reinforces their continuing relevance. Citizens who continue to reside within totalitarian-democracies can, at least partly, abandon them by not voting at elections that will never lead to abundance and a better way of living.

http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2006/05/113003.php

Hello

its great how people slander other committed activists without saying who they are.

David Bradbury has made his latest film with no funding and will be using dvd sales to pay his own bills. He has no job and must survive somehow. I was on the phone to him just yesterday and he was expressing his disappointment that the Talisman Sabre protests didnt look like being anywhere near as big as he wants.

So put that up your pipe and smoke it!

Why should Bradbury be surprised with Operation Talisman Sabre protests shaping to be a nonevent like last Saturday?

Like the ALP Bradbury is into celebrity driven protest where the grassroots don't count (remember how they were abandoned at Jabiluka?, remember how Bono and Bob abandoned them at Gleneagles?).

The turn out in Sydney in
such a huge metropolis this past weekend was pathetic. The self appointed movement celebs and leadership treatr the rank and file like shit and wonder why they don't come a running at their beck and call. The Labor Party are having the same problem in the Scottish elections presently...they have treated their grassroots like shit for the last ten years and the grassroots aren't responding.

Anon.=,coward. A person that writes vitriol & attempts to pass it of as political comment, whilst concealing their identity.Declare your self.Stand openly by your words,then you may have more credit as to their worth.