Aboriginal Land – Australian Student Environment Network

Film screening of Heritage Fight

August 24, 2016 by agnes Comment Closed

Written by Agnes McKingley

heritage fight

Tonight Cinema Politica organised a film screening of Heritage Fight for Radical Education Week at University of Sydney. Radical Education Week has seen a display of different workshops, skill-sharing events and discussions surrounding a range of subjects which are deeply relevant to the emerging citizens among Syndey Uni’s youth. The workshops are free and open to anyone, not just uni students.

Heritage Fight followed the efforts of a community which would not allow unethical and damaging industrialisation to enter its borders.

I decided to go see Heritage Fight because I am planning on moving to Western Australia next year, and the film takes place in the Kimberley, in Western Australia. I thought it would be a good, if somewhat humble, attempt at beginning to familiarise myself with some of the landscape, stories, geography and things that need doing there.

I started to spend time with members of the Australian Student Environment Network at the end of last year, in the build-up towards the Sydney Climate March, which took place in relevance to the Climate Talks in Paris. I will be sad to leave the Sydney community here, but excited to meet members of Western Australia, see what they are up to, and check out whether they are looking to work in solidarity with elders of the different Western Australia communities.

Anti-Uranium Protesters Arrested at Breakfast

July 17, 2012 by incubateNo Comments

This morning three student activists were arrested at the Lizards Revenge anti-nuclear festival. Thirty protesters were breakfasting on the road to the Olympic Dam uranium mine in order to blockade trucks entering the mine site.

Six people were arrested in total while eating toast with intent. They have been taken to Roxby Downs police station and are likely to be held without bail overnight. Many others have driven to town in solidarity to wait for the arrestees’ release.

The blockade was part of a week of peaceful non-violent protest to promote creative alternatives to the nuclear industry. Lizards Revenge is in solidarity with the Arabunna and Kokatha indigenous nations in opposing the expansion of the Olympic Dam uranium mine on their sacred desert lands. Think Priscilla with a cause.

Asked why he opposed the mine’s expansion, one protester explained:

‘uranium leaves radioactive waste for thousands of years, it’s used in nuclear weapons, and any accidents – like at Fukushima – are really dangerous. We can’t handle that, and we have alternatives like wind and solar’.

The six arrestees hope that their action will inspire all Australians to consider whether the nuclear industry should be allowed to continue.

Anti-Uranium Protesters Arrested at Breakfast

July 17, 2012 by ASENadminNo Comments

This morning three student activists were arrested at the Lizards Revenge anti-nuclear festival. Thirty protesters were breakfasting on the road to the Olympic Dam uranium mine in order to blockade trucks entering the mine site.

Six people were arrested in total while eating toast with intent. They have been taken to Roxby Downs police station and are likely to be held without bail overnight. Many others have driven to town in solidarity to wait for the arrestees’ release.

The blockade was part of a week of peaceful non-violent protest to promote creative alternatives to the nuclear industry. Lizards Revenge is in solidarity with the Arabunna and Kokatha indigenous nations in opposing the expansion of the Olympic Dam uranium mine on their sacred desert lands. Think Priscilla with a cause.

Asked why he opposed the mine’s expansion, one protester explained:

‘uranium leaves radioactive waste for thousands of years, it’s used in nuclear weapons, and any accidents – like at Fukushima – are really dangerous. We can’t handle that, and we have alternatives like wind and solar’.

The six arrestees hope that their action will inspire all Australians to consider whether the nuclear industry should be allowed to continue.

Uranium 'UnAustralian' say Protesters

July 17, 2012 by incubateNo Comments

Scoring a six never felt so good. Today anti-nuclear protesters played a cricket match against uranium at the Lizard’s Revenge festival at Roxby Downs. The demonstrators called the nuclear industry ‘UnAustralian’.

‘It’s not welcome here’ said Tim Johnson, ‘it risks our water, land and people. We don’t want any part of the nuclear chain – the mines, the power or the waste’.

Yesterday the protest turned glamorous with a parade of Frocks on the Frontline, synchronised mass dances and performances. More solemn expressions of dissent included three minutes of silence to remember Fukushima – the Japanese power plant that exploded in 2011 and spread radioactive dust as. Several protesters and police officers shed tears during the silence. The uranium used in Fukushima was mined at Olympic Dam.

Later today, a wind and solar-powered cinema night is planned to demonstrate that sustainable energy sources are viable alternatives to nuclear power.

Over three hundred protesters have gathered from all around Australia to voice their dissent to the mine’s expansion. If expanded, the Olympic Dam uranium mine will be the largest open-pit uranium mine in the world. It will use 42 million litres of water from the Great Artesian Basin each day in the driest state on the driest inhabited continent on earth. The South Australian government provides that water to BHP at no charge. Eight million litres of radioactive waste will leak into the underground aquifer each day. By the end of the mine’s life, radioactive tailings equivalent to nine Sydney Harbours will be left on the surface of the land forever.

Uranium ‘UnAustralian’ say Protesters

July 17, 2012 by ASENadminNo Comments

Scoring a six never felt so good. Today anti-nuclear protesters played a cricket match against uranium at the Lizard’s Revenge festival at Roxby Downs. The demonstrators called the nuclear industry ‘UnAustralian’.

‘It’s not welcome here’ said Tim Johnson, ‘it risks our water, land and people. We don’t want any part of the nuclear chain – the mines, the power or the waste’.

Yesterday the protest turned glamorous with a parade of Frocks on the Frontline, synchronised mass dances and performances. More solemn expressions of dissent included three minutes of silence to remember Fukushima – the Japanese power plant that exploded in 2011 and spread radioactive dust as. Several protesters and police officers shed tears during the silence. The uranium used in Fukushima was mined at Olympic Dam.

Later today, a wind and solar-powered cinema night is planned to demonstrate that sustainable energy sources are viable alternatives to nuclear power.

Over three hundred protesters have gathered from all around Australia to voice their dissent to the mine’s expansion. If expanded, the Olympic Dam uranium mine will be the largest open-pit uranium mine in the world. It will use 42 million litres of water from the Great Artesian Basin each day in the driest state on the driest inhabited continent on earth. The South Australian government provides that water to BHP at no charge. Eight million litres of radioactive waste will leak into the underground aquifer each day. By the end of the mine’s life, radioactive tailings equivalent to nine Sydney Harbours will be left on the surface of the land forever.