The Wo! Front

The pdf for Issue four is now live. Download here or read the magazine online.

Well the waste it produces glows that colour anyway. It’s no surprise that the Government’s handpicked taskforce came to the conclusion that Nuclear power is “green”. I wish I’d seen David Suzuki’s address to the National Press Club. Apparently he slammed this assertion and many others:

He went on to praise — sarcastically — Mr Howard for acknowledging global warming. “Mr Howard has now acknowledged that global warming is happening. Thank God, it’s about time,” Dr Suzuki said.

“So ‘boom’, right away the solution is nuclear power. This guy ought to be booted out of office for that kind of approach to the problem, I mean, it’s crazy.”

And from here:

He described the Prime Minister’s endorsement of nuclear fuel as “the biggest crock of baloney I’ve heard”.

“How can you talk about a serious alternative form if you can’t even answer questions about cost, reliability, protection from terrorism and nuclear waste? I mean it’s crazy. Especially when there are so many other opportunities.”

Dr Suzuki said Australia should be making use of its climate to become a leading exporter in solar technology.

“You’ve got something most countries would kill for called sunlight. Every bit of water in this country should be heated by the sun. The roof of every house in this country should be solar collectors and water collectors and right away you’re dealing in a serious way with two big issues, water shortages and energy.”

Also below is a media release I received last night from the Medical Association from the Prevention of War about the flaws with the taskforce:

MEDIA Release
21 November 2006

Concerned doctors anticipate disaster for nuclear inquiry

Doctors from the Medical Association for Prevention of War (MAPW) expressed

concern today as they anticipate a strongly pro-nuclear report from Dr Ziggy Switkowski.Dr Switkowski is expected to release the results of the Prime Minister’s taskforce inquiry into uranium mining, processing and the contribution of nuclear energy in Australia at the National Press Club in Canberra today.

“The great concern is that this taskforce report, by its very nature, will be doomed to a pro-nuclear finding,” stated Dr Bill Williams, Vice President of MAPW. “From the beginning, this inquiry lacked the scope needed to examine the nuclear question in its entirety and comprehensively failed to address the range of renewable energy options and energy efficient technologies that have a vital role to play in Australia’s energy future. It would seem the inquiry was biased towards a positive result for the nuclear industry.”

Within both the terms of reference and the issues paper outlined by the Taskforce there was little opportunity to address in detail of the broader issues of the nuclear industry, particularly the risks associated with nuclear weapons, nuclear waste and nuclear accidents or terrorism, all of which are inseparable from any real exploration of nuclear power.

Given the stated objective of the inquiry to explore Australia’s future energy needs, there is also a decided lack of review and examination of other possible energy sources to meet national and international demand.

“MAPW regards the nuclear weapons proliferation dangers associated with the nuclear industry, including nuclear power generation, as a decisive and fatal flaw,” stated Dr Jenny Grounds, MAPW Treasurer, who represented MAPW at public hearings to this inquiry in October. “Given the unique magnitude of the risks involved, short-term, monetary, political or vested interests have no place in decision-making.”

In a detailed submission to the inquiry, MAPW recommended that Taskforce Members make recommendations based on an objective assessment of the best available evidence, and that their analysis should include the uncertainties and long-term interests of the global human population and environment.

“Any expansion of uranium mining or the adoption of uranium enrichment in Australia would inevitably add to the global danger of nuclear weapons proliferation and use,” concluded Dr Williams.

This is pretty poor form.

The Boy from Oz, the theatre production about the life of Peter Allen, has censored a gay kiss for Australian audiences. Hugh Jackman is starring in the role as Allen, and one can only assume that he didn’t have anything to do with it as he performed the production on Broadway, gay kiss in tact.

gay commentators have criticised the scrapping of the kiss, saying the stadium show has been “Disney-fied” for mainstream audiences.

“If people are prepared to see a story about a great Australian and a great gay Australian, then really there shouldn’t be a problem with two men kissing,” NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby spokesman David Scamell said. The Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby said the move was a backwards step.

“People are going to go and watch The Boy From Oz and they are going to definitely know about Peter Allen’s life and I think a simple kiss, if that’s offending Australians, there’s something wrong with progressive Australia,” said spokesman Gerard Brody.

“It’s just strange; Peter Allen was an Australian icon and his sexuality was well known and I can’t see how Australians could be offended by it, in any way.

“I hope they change their mind and let the true story be told.”

>>Full Story

I seriously doubt that audiences going to see Boy from Oz would be offended by a gay kiss. If Channel ten’s Big Brother can air the embrace of gay housemate David and his lover upon eviction, surely a kiss in a musical about a well-known gay Australian would be not that remarked at.

Technorati Tags: The Boy from Oz, gay kiss, Hugh Jackman