Radioactive Show

On 28 January, 2025, the Bulletin of Atomic scientists moved the Doomsday Clock to 89 seconds to midnight signalling that we are the closest we have ever been to the destruction of life on this planet.  As the old the saying goes "Better active today than Radioactive tomorrow"  and it's never been a more important message.Today we bring you the first in a series of programs that introduces organisations working for an end to the nuclear industry, peace and nuclear disarmament.  We hear from KA Garlick from Nuclear Free WA, Margie Beavis from the Medical Association for the Prevention of War, Romina Beitsen from the Campaign for International Cooperation and Disarmament, Dave Sweeney from the Australian Conservation Foundation, Dimity Hawkins from the Nuclear Truth Project, Kirsten Blair from Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation,  Jaimie Jeffrey from the Anti-AUKUS Coalition, Independent and Peaceful Australia Network and Elbit Out of Victoria, Jacob Grech from Renegade Activists and Renegade Solidarity Audio Force Manju Lahrech from Old Country Calling.

On this show, we present an interview between Uncle Robbie Thorpe (Bunjil's Fire) and nuclear-free superstar Aunty Sue Coleman Haseldine.Aunty Sue is well known to Radioactive Show listeners because of her tireless work fighting the nuclear industry and her involvement with ICAN, the international campaign to abolish nuclear weapons and ANFA, the Australian Nuclear Free Alliance.The struggle to protect country from exploitation from mining companies is compounded by so many other struggles aboriginal people faceThe interview covers just some of the battles Aunty Sue faces, why her work is so important and why she’ll never give up.To learn more about ICAN the international campaign to abolish nuclear weapons, go to www.icanw.org.  To learn more about ANFA, the australian nuclear free alliance, go to www.anfa.org.au.Join the Nukes Free Gathering at Catalyst Social Centre, 140 Sydney Rd, Coburg on 1-2 February.Check out Djuran Bunjileenee Robbie Thorpe's work go to www.crimesceneaustralia.com.

We speak with Rosie Grech about the upcoming Nukes Free Gathering over the weekend of 31 January - 2 February at Catalyst, 144 Sydney Rd, Coburg.  The emphasis for this big weekend-long agenda is movement building. It’s designed to give background or ‘Nuclear 101’ sessions for committed activists who are wanting to get a greater grasp of the nuclear realities, and become more active at this crucial time. Bringing together those deeply immersed in this work with those keen to engage more is a great chance for making connections and strengthening networks.  Register here:  events.humanitix.com/nukes-free-gathering-2025.  Find all the information at Old Country Calling on social media.Then we are joined by Laniyuk, a Larrakia, Kungarakan, Gurindji, and French writer and performer of poetry and short memoir, to talk about the Return Lee Point to the Care of Larrakia People campaign.  There are solidarity actions in major cities on Monday 20 January.  In Naarm Melbourne come to Defence Housing Australia, 120 Bay St, Port Melbourne from 4.30-5.30pm.

On Thursday, 5 December, Mr Seishi Morikawa, a second-generation nuclear survivor from Hiroshima, on tour with the Nuclear Truth Project, visited Friends of the Earth Melbourne to discuss a survey on the health impacts of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 80 years ago. Mr Morikawa is the Deputy Director of the Kanagawa Atomic Bomb Sufferers Association, a member group of Nihon Hidankyo, and led the Health Study Questionnaire by the Kyoto Association of Second and Third Generation Atomic Bomb Survivors  that was released  in February 2024.Read 'To Protect the Health of the Second and Third Generation Atomic Bomb Survivors and Future Generations - Report on the Results of the Health Study Questionnaire for the Second and Third Generation Atomic Bomb Survivors'.Seishi invites you to sign this petition in support of second generation survivors.

As the House of Representatives Inquiry into nuclear power generation in Australia enters its final week of hearings the Dutton Coalition finally announced the costings for its nuclear plans.  We hear recordings from the Melbourne hearing of the Inquiry and speak with Dr. Jim Green National Anti-nuclear campaigner with Friends of the Earth Australia.  We also speak with Anna Chapman from the Conservation Council of Western Australia about the decision by WA Environment Minister to approve Woodside's massive North West Shelf gas expansion project.

On Thursday 28 November Senator Lidia Thorpe's Genocide Bill was due to be debated in the final sitting of parliament for 2024.  Activists from across the continent gathered on the steps of parliament for the "End the Genocide" rally, to bring their powerful testimonies to the ongoing genocide of Aboriginal people perpetrated by the illegal occupation "Australia".  Today we bring you recordings from that gathering featuring Gwenda Stanley, Nioka Coe, Djuran Bunjileenee Robbie Thorpe, Senator Lidia Thorpe adn Adolf Mora.  Song by Gurridyula.

In this week's episode Johan interviews Diné anti-uranium and land protector Leona Morgan. Leona organizes with Haul No! An indigenous-led group collaborating with Indigenous communities and leaders, environmental orgs and community based advocates to stop nuclear colonialism in the SouthWest. Over the next few weeks, Leona will share with us about her people’s continued struggle against the colonial project of the United States, uranium extraction and the intergenerational legacies of harm and ill-health as well as resistance. Leona will also share dreaming for indigenous futurity and a world beyond radioactive racism. Today we will hear Leona talking about the divide and conquer tactics of the colonial project specific to Turtle Island including the 1887 Dawes Act. To support the work of Haul No! or to find out more we encourage our listeners to visit https://haulno.com/ or follow them on instagram @haul_no.

Earlier this year it was revealed that the Federal Government will use taxpayers’ money to fund a $917 million contract with Elbit Systems – Israel’s largest privately-owned arms company.  Today we're joined by organiser with the Elbit Out of Victoria campaign Nat to take a close look at just one of the military partnerships the Australian Government is using our money to fund, the various ways that these relationships are enabled and the influence they have on our community locally and globally.We open the program with an excerpt of independent political analyst Hashmat Moslih, speaking at the ‘Your Taxes Fund Weapons’ Community Forum held at the Coburg Town Hall on 29 October and you can watch the full presentation on the Renegade Activists you tube channel.Elbit produces numerous weapons, is a key research and development partner to the Israeli Ministry of Defense, and Elbit surveillance technology and military equipment is used to maintain Israel’s illegal occupation of the West Bank and blockade of the Gaza Strip. Elbit markets its weapons systems, including drones, as “battle-proven”, meaning that they have been used against Palestinians living under Israel’s deadly military occupation. The company has been involved in many controversial arms deals, and has been previously banned for producing illegal weapons such as cluster munitions and white phosphorous. Elbit systems also supplies weapons to the Myanmar Junta to attack the Rohingya and the Indonesian military to oppress the West Papuan population, among others.  In 2021 the Australian Defence force began stripping Elbit systems out of their equipment due to serious security risks they believed the systems posed.  There have been many successful Boycott Divestment and Sanction campaigns against Elbit:  the Royal Flying Doctor Service rejected Elbit’s tender for flight training equipment following a campaign by Palestinian supporters, including BDS Australia in 2017; HSBC and AXA Investment Managers divested from Elbit in 2018 due to its involvement in the production of cluster munitions and white phosphorus shells; the City of Liverpool in the UK cancelled the 2020 Elbit-sponsored Electronic Warfare Europe arms fair after a campaign of 40,000 emails protesting at the city’s involvement; and the 2021 arms fair in Seville, Spain, was cancelled by the City Council, also on ethical grounds. Japanese trading giant Itochu Corp’s aviation arm announced in February that it was suspending all work with Elbit “Taking into consideration the International Court of Justice’s order on January 26, and that the Japanese government supports the role of the court".Links & Events:Music on the show is 'First Casualty' by Pataphysics from his 2017 album Tip of the Spear. Pataphysics will be joining an epic line up of guests to play at the 'Stop Genocide' humanitarian fundraiser to raise funds for Sovereign grassroots activists so they can keep up the fight to stop genocide here and globally, at Miscellania, 401 Swanston St on Sunday 3 November from 2pm - 1am.Sunday 3 November at 10.30am there’s the 'Rally for Native Forests' organised by the Bob Brown foundation and in Naarm it starts at Princes Park.The weekly Rally for Palestine is at midday at the State Library.There’s a fire ceremony at Camp Sovereignty at 2pm with Djuran Bunjileenee Robbie Thorpe.Don't Nuke the Climate invites you to attend our online session on 'Defeating Dutton’s Nuclear Power Plans / Federal Parliamentary Inquiry' this coming Wednesday November 6.To learn more about the inquiry and to make a submission: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Select_Committee_on_Nuclear_Energy/NuclearpowerThese notes might be helpful in making your submission: https://assets.nationbuilder.com/friendsofearthmelbourne/pages/9246/attachments/original/1730077881/2024_federal__nuclear_power_inquiry_notes.pdf?1730077881If you don’t have time to make your own submission, please take a minute to sign this pro-forma submission: https://www.melbournefoe.org.au/nuclear_power_submission_2024

To discuss the latest governmental inquiry into nuclear power for Australia, first up we'll hear from Dr.Jim Green Friends of the Earth's Anti-nuclear campaigner.  Followed by Wendy Farmer, President of Voices of the Valley, a community advocacy group that formed during the catastrophic 2014 Hazelwood brown coal mine fire in Victoria with the aim of dealing with the impacts of the coal industry on their community and planning what the community would look like as they transition away from coal. She is also Gippsland organiser with Yes to Renewables - Friends of the Earth's campaign for 100% renewable energy, climate jobs, and strong communities.On 19th June Opposition Leader Peter Dutton revealed the details of his pledge to build nuclear reactors in Australia with public funding under a government-owned business model. The Coalition plans would see seven nuclear plants be built at the sites of former coal power plants: Lithgow and the Hunter Valley in NSW, Loy Yang in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley, Tarong and Callide in Queensland, Collie in Western Australia and Port Augusta in South Australia.In response Prime Minister Anthony Albanese established The House Select Committee on Nuclear Energy on 10 October 2024 to inquire into and report on the consideration of nuclear power generation, including deployment of small modular reactors, in Australia.The House Select Committee on Nuclear Energy is seeking submissions by Friday, 15 November 2024. The Committee will consider late submissions. If you are unable to submit by the above date, please advise the secretariat of your intention to submit and the date on which you plan to provide your submission.Friends of the Earth Melbourne have prepared information to support you making a submission.The International Energy Agency's renewables market report.