anti nuclear movement australia nuclear weapons testing mining export nuclear power subject public debate australia anti nuclear movement australia long history origins date debate french nuclear testing pacific debate mining australia groups specifically concerned nuclear issues established mid-1970s including cane environmental groups movement suffered setback newly elected failed implement stated policy stopping mining late 1980s price fallen costs nuclear power risen anti nuclear movement won case cane disbanded proponents nuclear power advocated solution global warming australian government began taking interest anti nuclear scientists australia argued nuclear power significantly substitute power sources mining significant source greenhouse gas emissions australia nuclear power stations prime minister supports nuclear power australia australia mines located south_australia large underground mile honeymoon mines ranger open pit mined australia mainly export australia nuclear weapons nuclear powered vessels history 1950s 1960s established kilometres south darwin local communities consulted site environmental disaster passed legislation act allowed british government access remote parts australia undertake atmospheric nuclear weapons tests general public largely unaware risks testing program stemming official secrecy testing program remote locations test sites ban bomb movement gathered momentum western societies 1950s opposition british tests australia opinion poll taken showed cent australian public opposed tests cent favour featured ban bomb held australian capital cities nuclear power plant proposed south sydney local opposition campaign began covering workers region announced refuse build environmental studies site works completed rounds called evaluated australian government decided proceed project citing economic reasons 1970s debate french nuclear testing pacific groups including trade unions case launched australia new_zealand advocated ordered french cease atmospheric nuclear testing concern came focus mining australia groups formed began voicing concern mining supporting activities grass roots organisations concern environmental effects mining significant factor poor management waste early led significant pollution problem 1970s australian anti nuclear movement acquired initial impetus notable individuals publicly voiced nuclear concerns nuclear scientists poets moss minister environment conservation led branch members expressing concerns effects mining key concern adverse effect mining northern people said nuclear energy creates dangerous persistent waste products experienced planet years saw mining major political issue fox report opening public debate mining groups specifically concerned nuclear issues established including founded formed south_australia environmental groups came australia formed november december people marched streets australian cities protesting mining group formed called year mining april national demonstration brought streets melbourne sydney smaller numbers national signature campaign attracted signatures calling year august demonstration brought people nationally opposition mining looked like potential political force passed motion favour indefinite mining anti nuclear movement acted support help regain office setback movement occurred conference overturned anti policy favour policy won power voted favour policy referred existing mines australia ranger olympic dam articulated support pre existing mines contracts opposition new mining leadership announced plans nuclear power near perth seen year mass anti nuclear demonstration protest inner city perth despite public protest government selected site nuclear kilometres north perth court predicted nuclear power plants needed end century meet rapidly growing power demand 1980s 1990s majority created surrounding including ranger tension mining conservation values led long running controversy mining park region themes hiroshima day march rally sydney sponsored ground nuclear war later year sydney city council officially proclaimed sydney nuclear free action similar taken local councils australia 1980s academic critics discussed deadly connection mining nuclear nuclear weapons linking australia nuclear policy nuclear economy 1980s australia experienced significant growth nuclear activism palm sunday estimated australians participated anti nuclear rallies nation biggest cities growing year year rallies drew participants movement focused halting australia mining exports nuclear weapons removing foreign military bases australia soil creating nuclear free pacific public opinion surveys found half australians opposed mining export visits nuclear warships percent thought use nuclear weapons justified percent favoured building nuclear free world won senate seat soon faded political scene years governments characterised uneasy debate acknowledged community feeling mining reluctant industry palm sunday anti nuclear rallies drew people melbourne seamen union arrival foreign nuclear warships australia nuclear energy education facility closed late 1980s price fallen costs nuclear power risen anti nuclear movement won case disbanded years disaster government policy preventing new mines continued 1990s despite occasional reviews debate following protest marches sydney melbourne brisbane proposed blocked proposal international consortium establish nuclear waste dump western_australia plan store cent world spent nuclear fuel weapons material publicly condemned abandoned 2000s ranger northern territory south_australia continued operate closed operating advanced projects honeymoon northern territory hold political indigenous opposition anti nuclear demonstration involved protesters protesters police later awarded damages south australian government following large clean completed south_australia nuclear testing 1950s contaminated region cleanup lasted years cost million controversy methods success operation prices began rising proponents nuclear power advocated solution global warming australian government began taking interest june senate passed motion opposing nuclear power australia november released pro nuclear report australia late early prime minister widely reported statements favour nuclear power environmental grounds faced proposals examine nuclear power possible response climate change anti nuclear scientists australia emphasised claims nuclear power significantly substitute power sources mining significant source greenhouse gas emissions anti nuclear campaigns given added impetus public concern sites possible fears exploited anti nuclear power political parties lead national election labor government elected opposed nuclear power australia anti nuclear movement continues active australia opposing expansion existing mines lobbying development nuclear power australia criticising proposals nuclear waste disposal sites main candidate station april construction begun south_australia honeymoon october australian government continuing plan nuclear waste dump opposition indigenous people government wider community november anti nuclear protesters assembled outside alice springs parliamentary urging approve nearby site 2010s australia nuclear power stations labor government opposed nuclear power australia australia operating mines olympic dam south_australia north ranger northern territory australia nuclear weapons australia operates research produces medical early april indigenous people gathered oppose radioactive waste dump built western_australia significant share australia reserves statewide ban mining force ban lifted voted power state companies exploring western_australia industry major players mining company planned develop project billion dollar project projects western_australia advanced project pursued lake project pursued unlikely new projects enter active development market improves prices low late calls australians debate nation adopt nuclear power energy mix nuclear power seen divisive issue deep following march nuclear emergency japan nuclear damaged explosions sees nuclear power option risky australia says nuclear power expensive problems associated waste disposal weapons fast response address climate change advocates energy quicker expensive dangerous nuclear nuclear banned queensland tasmania mining previously prohibited new_south_wales prohibition act premier barry amended legislation allow mining state december sale india contentious issue mps clashed issue protesters marched sydney convention centre prime minister motion remove party ban sales india narrowly supported votes long time anti nuclear spoke motion march hundreds anti nuclear australian headquarters global mining giants strong march southern melbourne called end mining australia included speeches performances representatives japanese community australia indigenous communities concerned effects mining near tribal lands events sydney site considered australia low level intermediate level radioactive waste storage disposal facility plan subject challenge heard early people joined march olympic dam site july anti nuclear activists including elder protested expansion industry company government short term economic gain ahead environmental health concerns said police harassed protesters demanding identification controlling access august announced expansion postponed indefinitely pending investigation new cheaper design historically prospective australian mines constrained active opposition state governments approved development western_australia queensland unlikely new projects enter active development market improves prices low placed project hold market prices improve stated project proposals need higher market prices proceed wants proposal development phase successful attracting equity investors market prices development justified projects need years proceed production prime minister supporter nuclear power saying nuclear power proven way generating base load power australia needed producing carbon pollution policy says coalition agreement sell india south australian premier announced held investigate state role nuclear fuel cycle south_australia currently home australia mines possibility state developing nuclear power generation waste storage facilities previously proven contentious issues comes time economic south_australia suffering job losses mining manufacturing sectors immediately following announcement emeritus suggested current inquiry risks old ground covered previous public inquiries proposals nuclear referred review finding substantial government subsidies required support nuclear industrial development australia fox report drew attention problems nuclear weapons nuclear waste april selected members nuclear fuel cycle royal commission expert advisory committee issues case nuclear power mining australia concerned environmental political economic social cultural impacts nuclear energy shortcomings nuclear power energy source presenting sustainable energy strategy prominent adverse impact nuclear power seen potential contribution nuclear weapons example report stated nuclear power industry unintentionally contributing increased risk nuclear war hazard associated industry health risks associated nuclear materials featured prominently australian anti nuclear campaigns case worldwide accidents like disaster australian concerns involved specific local factors controversy health effects nuclear testing australia emergence prominent anti nuclear medical practitioners economics nuclear power factor anti nuclear campaigns critics arguing power australia particularly given country abundance coal resources according anti nuclear movement problems nuclear power today 1970s nuclear accidents occur convincing solution problem long lived radioactive waste nuclear weapons continues occur notably pakistan north_korea building facilities expertise civilian nuclear operations alternatives nuclear power efficient energy use energy especially wind power developed public opinion poll conducted found australians years age group opposed nuclear power generation raised cold war experienced anti nuclear movement 1970s witnessed partial usa disaster generation subject cultural influences including feature films nuclear industry china syndrome apocalyptic younger people resistant idea nuclear power australia analysis opinion polls shows significant decrease favourable views nuclear power following nuclear disaster indigenous land owners consistently opposed mining spoken adverse impact communities british nuclear tests found left significant radiation hazards land given people issue continues cause indigenous opposition active groups individuals prominent australians publicly expressed anti nuclear views
Anti-nuclear movement in Australia