Hello friends of Friends of the Earth,

We'd like to share with you a summary of the Anti-nuclear and Clean Energy (ACE) collective's work over the past year, and to send a big THANKS! to everyone who has supported our work.

But first, a quick snapshot of broader developments:
* The global nuclear renaissance isn't happening. Nuclear power continues to stagnate and growth over the next 20 years will be, at most, modest. (www.choosenuclearfree.net/renaissance)
* Nuclear power will be a major debate in 2011 in Australia, with a small group of ALP politicians pushing to have the issue debated at the December 2011 ALP national conference.
* Uranium mining production and revenue fell by about 25%, mainly because of a 2009 accident at Olympic Dam. There are still only three operating uranium mines in Australia. In addition to the potential for new mines, expansion of the three operating mines is a major concern.

Dump the Dump!

Supporting Muckaty Traditional Owners in their battle to stop a nuclear waste dump being built on their land in the NT has been a major focus for ACE in 2010.

ACE activists travelled to Tennant Creek in March to join a 300-strong protest against the dump and to participate in campaign planning meetings.

In April, ACE hosted a public meeting in Northcote Town Hall with Muckaty Traditional Owners Dianne Stokes and Mark Chungaloo. About 230 people attended.

ACE held numerous protests outside Martin Ferguson's office in Preston. Mr Ferguson is the minister for dumping on the NT, the minister for coal, a fervent promoter of uranium mining, and he could be in the forefront of the push next year for the ALP to dump its policy of opposing nuclear power.

ACE launched the Nuclear Freeways campaign in July. We spent three weeks travelling the transport corridor from the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor site (south of Sydney) to the proposed dump site at Muckaty − a distance of over 3000 kms. We spoke to nine local councils, many Traditional Owners, media, and schools. Immediate outcomes included excellent media coverage and resolutions from the Mildura City Council and the Swan Hill Council opposing the trucking of nuclear waste through their communities on the way to a contested dump site. Nuclear Freeways finally made it to Tennant Creek and Muckaty Traditional Owner Dianne Stokes and her family welcomed us to country with traditional singing and dancing. FoE will continue with the Nuclear Freeways project in 2011. More info, photos, and a travel blog are posted at www.nuclearfreeways.org.au and see also www.sydney.foe.org.au/projects/nuclear-free

Australian Nuclear Free Alliance

In August ACE activists were Alice Springs for the annual meeting of the Aboriginal-led Australian Nuclear Free Alliance (www.anfa.org.au)> FoE has played a big role helping to organise the annual Alliance meetings and we are represented on the Alliance's national committee.

Radioactive Exposure Tour

FoE hosted the Radioactive Exposure Tour in May, taking people to the beautiful desert of SA juxtaposed with the Olympic Dam and Beverley uranium mines. Since the 1980s, these tours have exposed thousands of people first-hand to the realities of 'radioactive racism' and to the environmental impacts of the nuclear industry. These trips are akin to a rights of passage for anti-nuclear campaigners and ensures that the fires keep burning in our hearts and minds to keep working towards a nuclear free future.

BHP Billiton

FoE put a submission in response to the draft EIS for the expansion of BHP Billiton's Olympic Dam mine. ACE members also travelled to Perth to attend BHP's AGM to raise issues of concern about Olympic Dam expansion and uranium mining at this operation.

Choose Nuclear Free

FoE is working on the 'Choose Nuclear Free' project in collaboration with the Medical Association for Prevention of War, and the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons and Friends of the Earth, Australia. The main aim of the project is to provide detailed, accurate information and arguments in support of a clean energy, non-nuclear future for Australia. Check out the website: www.choosenuclearfree.net

The Choose Nuclear Free partners initiated a joint national NGO statement against nuclear power which was released in December. The statement was endorsed by all major national environment groups, all state conservation councils, key climate change action groups networks, and public health NGOs. The statement is posted at <www.choosenuclearfree.net>.

Some other ACE activities in 2010:

* O'week stalls, talks and guest lectures at unis
* Actions and protests at Ferguson's office, in the CBD, and elsewhere.
* 'Vote Nuclear Free' public outreach and education in the lead up to the federal election.
* We were in Canberra in March at the national nukes campaign planning day, and we held a workshop at the national climate summit.
* Participation in the Students of Sustainability conference in Adelaide
* Participation in 'Close Hazelwood' protests in the LaTrobe Valley and the Melbourne CBD.
* Participation in a successful debate on nuclear power vs clean energy at Melbourne Town Hall in March (http://www.iq2oz.com)
* Lots of fundraising work to sustain the ACE collective and to support Muckaty Traditional Owners. Catering, the annual ACE art auction, and donations are the mainstay of our fundraising.

Some FoE media articles in 2010:

-- Clean And Green Doesn't Have To Be Nuclear
http://newmatilda.com/2010/12/08/clean-and-green-doesnt-have-be-nuclear
-- There's No Nuclear Power Without Waste
http://newmatilda.com/2010/12/03/theres-no-nuclear-power-without-waste
-- 'Choose Nuclear Free' election opinion piece
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=10818
-- 'Can Russia be trusted with our uranium?'
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/can-russia-be-trusted-with-our-ur...
-- Rolling the nuclear dice with Australian uranium
http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/rolling-the-nuclear-dice-with-austra...
-- Time to rethink uranium safeguards,
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=10356
-- North Korea on the brink in a nuclear world
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/north-korea-on-the-brink-in-a-nuc...

Thanks for all your support and wishing you a nuclear-free 2011!

Madeline, Tully and Jim
on behalf of the ACE collective at Friends of the Earth

* Contact ACE
(Melbourne): <[email protected]>.
Madeline on 0407702139 or Tully 0410 388 187
National: ph Jim 0417 318368 <[email protected]>

* ACE websites:
Melbourne: <www.melbourne.foe.org.au>
National:<www.foe.org.au/anti-nuclear>

* Come along to Anti-nuclear & Clean Energy Campaign meetings at Friends of the Earth, each Wednesday, 6.30pm at the FoE office, 312 Smith St, Collingwood.

* Subscribe to our email newsletter No Nukes News - send an email with 'Subscribe NNN' in the subject line to <[email protected]>

* Donate to FoE's Anti-Nuclear & Clean Energy Campaign:
<www.foe.org.au/donate>