Indonesia rules out Nuclear Power/ Obama winds back Nuke weapons- Western Australia must re-instate uranium and nuclear power bans!

Tom Allard, Magelang, Central Java
April 5, 2009


INDONESIAN President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono yesterday backed away from a plan to build a nuclear reactor in one of the world's most seismically active countries.


Dr Yudhoyono said Indonesia would develop existing energy sources and explore renewable alternatives before pursuing the nuclear option.


He announced the decision in response to a question at a stage-managed "town hall meeting" with voters in Central Java, where the nuclear power plant was to have been built.


The event marked the last day of open campaigning before Indonesians vote for almost 12,000 candidates for the national parliament on Thursday.


"In 10 years to come, or 20 years or 30 years to come, Indonesia must really develop its existing resources and these should be environmentally friendly," he said, adding that water and wind power options would also be explored.


"If there are still other alternatives, we will not take nuclear resources."


Analysts such as Professor Richard Tanter from RMIT University had been expecting that Indonesia could move to approve up to four nuclear power plants on the Muria Peninsula in the north of Central Java province once the country's elections had finished this year.


While Dr Yudhoyono, favoured to win a second term as President, did not rule out building a nuclear plant to meet Indonesia's chronic electricity shortfall, he made it clear yesterday it would not happen in the forseeable future. Residents of Java - densely populated, home to many volcanos and prone to earthquakes - have vehemently resisted the idea.

Things leap out at you from the story.

First, people don’t want nuclear power stations.

Second, Australian “experts” on nuclear power got it wrong again.

The Western Australian Government of Colin Barnett will pay at the ballot box for uranium and Nuclear plans. Liberal & Nationals will lose seats and the velcro coalition will fall apart.(Yes, County & State people, you will lose their seats if they approve uranium mining!)

It’s not like there isn’t a better way. Clean, job generating, localised, renewable energy is there and it just takes doing.

Colin Barnett WILL change his mind because he’s a reasonable man.

We simply need to show him and the W.A. Business world that renewables are better business,