The Risks of Nuclear for FNQ Forum

Written by
January 30, 2025

The Risks of Nuclear for FNQ Forum

The Risks of Nuclear for FNQ

This forum is being held on Wednesday 12 March at 6.30pm. It aims to correct the misinformation spread by Dutton and others about nuclear energy. 

Rather than being clean and green, as they would have us believe, nuclear power is in fact too costly and slow to help the climate crisis.

It also has a poor safety record with two catastrophic nuclear disasters in Chernobyl and Fukushima.

Everyone interested in promoting a clean and just energy transition is invited to come along. 

Register here.

The forum is being chaired by

  • Monique Jeffs, Community Organiser at Cairns and Far North Environment Centre (CAFNEC) and
  • Margaret Pestorius, Friends of the Earth Far North Queensland (FoE FNQ) Collective member.

 

Nuclear Power and Its Health Risks

Dr Margaret Beavis will be talking about nuclear power and the various threats it poses to our health. Her recent article Where is the ‘mature debate’ about the health impacts of nuclear power?  outlines some of these health risks.

Formerly a G.P., Margaret now teaches in the medical faculty at Melbourne University and has lectured on nuclear issues to Master of Public Health students. She is also vice-president of the Medical Association for Prevention of War.

 

The Tragic History of Nuclear in Australia

Karina Lester will be sharing her family story with us. She is a Yankunytjatjara woman from the Western Desert region in South Australia. Karina is also a second-generation survivor of British nuclear tests that took place in her Country at Emu Fields on the 15th October 1953.

Karina recently attended COP 29 as an ambassador for the Nobel Peace prize winning organisation, the International Campaign Against Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). There she highlighted the harms felt by Aboriginal people from the nuclear industry. Karina spoke strongly against adopting nuclear power and for peace, demilitarisation and climate justice.

 

Nuclear Power and the Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

Dr. Jim Green will be talking about the link between nuclear power and the proliferation of nuclear weapons. In addition, he'll discuss the potential weaponisation of nuclear power stations.

' Nuclear power plants have been described as “pre-deployed terrorist targets” and pose a major security threat. This would likely lead to an increase in policing and security operations, not to mention the commensurate negative impact on civil liberties and public access to information.'

Jim is the national nuclear campaigner with Friends of the Earth Australia, a member of the Nuclear Consulting Group, and is former editor of the World Information Service on Energy’s Nuclear Monitor publication. Jim has an Honours degree in Public Health and a Doctorate in Science and Technology Studies.

 

 

Fukushima disaster

Fukushima Nuclear Disaster - genpolicy.com

 

Community Opposition

Wendy Farmer is Community Campaigner at Yes2Renewables and president of the Latrobe Valley community group Voices of the Valley.

The Latrobe Valley is one of the proposed sites for nuclear power reactors, which would replace the Loy Yang coal power station.

Wendy will talk about the community opposition to nuclear power in both her and other areas.

 

Health Risks, Nuclear Waste Issue & Poor Safety Record

Other obstacles to nuclear energy will be discussed including:

  • the health risks associated with nuclear radiation

  • the unsolved problem of radioactive waste

  • why nuclear is a dangerous distraction and delays action on climate change

  • the high financial cost and slow roll out of nuclear power stations worldwide

  • the poor safety record of nuclear power stations.

 

A Better Way Forward

In light of the climate crisis, Friends of the Earth Far North Queensland recognises that a transition from fossil fuel energy stations is needed urgently and that fossil fuel industry workers need to be transitioned into green jobs producing energy using renewable sources.

We believe that energy projects should:

  • Not use nuclear energy nor fossil fuels

  • Preserve and increase biodiversity and not contribute to deforestation

  • Have community backing and Traditional Owner approval

  • Be governed by adequate planning laws that protect biodiversity

  • Use land with very low biodiversity & poor environmental values.

It is also important that we drastically reduce energy use, create a circular economy, minimising waste and pollution and stop over-consuming the world's resources.

Come and be part of the discussion and register here.

All welcome.