Electorate:
Burleigh

Name:
Mike Beale

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Profile:
Mike would firstly like to recognise the Kombumerri people as the traditional custodians of the Burleigh Electorate.
Michael Beale is a structural draftsman with a passion for social justice. He joined The Greens in 2003, inspired by the party's commitment to genuine political representation for all Australians.

The Asia-Pacific climate pact meeting in Sydney is living up to the worst fears of environmentalists, namely that it is a sham to window-dress a meeting of resource deals, Australian Greens climate change spokesperson Senator Christine Milne said today.

"News today that the United States is backing Australia in exporting uranium to China merely confirms the assertion that the climate pact is nothing more than the Asia-Pacific partnership for the export of coal and uranium to China and India," Senator Milne said in Sydney.

US endorsement of Australia's uranium export push follows revelations that China asked last year whether it could evade export controls on Australian uranium if China owned some Australian uranium assets.

The information is contained in answers to questions on notice asked by Senator Milne.

"Australian officials told their Chinese counterparts that this was not possible but the fact that China was thinking along these lines raises serious questions about the nuclear safeguards agreement the two countries are negotiating," Senator Milne said.

"If China is to limit its use of Australian uranium to civilian purposes then why would Chinese officials even consider how to evade Australia's export controls?

"This information adds to my concerns that if Australian uranium were exported to China it could be diverted for weapons use or allow China to redirect uranium from other sources to weapons use.

"Nuclear power, fuelled by Australian uranium, is no solution to climate change. It is dangerous, relies on hefty public subsidies and takes a long time to establish.

"The Howard government should abandon its uranium export push and focus instead on proven renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency to address climate change."

Senator Milne today attended a demonstration organised by community groups outside the Asia-Pacific climate pact meeting in Sydney.

Some book recommendations. Let me know if you have any more and I'll add to the list.

• High noon for natural gas: the new energy crisis. Darley, Julian
• Collapse : how societies choose to fail or succeed. Diamond, Jared
• God under Howard : the rise of the religious right in Australian politics. Maddox, Marion.
• Crossing the rubicon : the decline of the american empire at the end of the age of oil. Ruppert, Michael C.
• Powerdown : options and actions for a post-carbon world. Heinberg, Richard.
• The party's over : oil, war and the fate of industrial societies. Heinberg, Richard
• Good News for a Change: How Everyday People are Helping the Planet. David Suzuki, Holly Dressel
• Axis of deceit. Andrew Wilkie
• Memo for a Saner World. Bob Brown
• The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight. Thom Hartmann
• Tree - A biography. David Sukuki & Wayne Grady

Contact the Gold Coast Branch of the QLD Greens.

If you would like to become involved with the activities of the local branch of the Greens, you may contact one of our executive members either by mail or telephone. If the phone is unattended please leave us a voice message, with your name and contact details. We will endevour to get back to you as soon as possible.

Telephone

Within Australia: (07) 5630 1191
International: +61 (7) 5630 1191

Mail

PO Box 1007
Burleigh Heads,
Queensland 4220
Australia