M E D I A R E L E A S E – F O R I M M E D I A T E R E L E A S E
Socialist Alliance Newcastle
472 Hunter Street
Newcastle NSW 2300
02 4926 5328
People and Planet before profits
newcastle@socialist-alliance.org
What is the ‘sustainable population’ of
coal and uranium mines? Or livestock?
Socialist Alliance candidate for Newcastle Zane Alcorn believes that ‘population’- and boat people – are being used as a scapegoat for further climate inaction.
Talk of actual concrete programs to make any substantial reduction in Australia’s massive carbon emissions – for instance by replacing coal fired power with renewables- is conspicuously absent from the mainstream election debate. Dick Smith is promoting his concerns with the effect of population on water supply.
Alcorn believes there are other ways to save water than denying refugees their universal human right to seek asylum: “I was recently part of a protest at Olympic dam, the worlds largest uranium mine, which uses 37million litres of water per day, against the wishes of the traditional owners, the Arabunna people. If we need to conserve water why don’t we shut down that mine?”
“In December I will be attending climate camp at Bayswater power station; its water cooling system uses vast amounts of water. The coal burned in it is first washed with huge quantities of water. Wind and baseload solar energy, by comparison, use miniscule amounts of water. Why aren’t we reducing the population of coal mines and coal fired power stations?”
Alcorn says “I am not a vegetarian myself but I know many people who are – on ecological grounds – and I think they have a good point. According to the world water council it takes 13,000litres of water to produce one kilogram of beef; compared to 1000 litres for a kilo of wheat. Australia is home to over twenty million beef cattle; couldn’t we reduce that number by a few hundred thousand a year to save water?”
“The amount of water that is used to graze cattle is immense. The methane emissions are formidable. I’d rather see everyone eat a bit less meat than send Tamil asylum seekers to Sri Lanka to get tortured and killed.”
“I’d rather see rainwater tanks and greywater recycling systems on every Australian house than send Afghan asylum seekers back to a country still occupied by a heavily armed and trigger happy US and Australian invasion force”.
“Australia could comfortably take many more refugees than we currently do. There is plenty of work to be done here- we have a renewable energy grid to build and an ageing population to take care of. What I want to know from the Liberal and Labor candidates is this: what do they think is a ‘sustainable population’ of coal mines? Or Uranium mines? Or beef cattle?”
“And when are we going to see a steep increase in the population of baseload solar thermal plants and wind turbines?”
For interview or comment call Zane Alcorn on 0401 466 831.
Authorised by Simon Cunich for the Socialist Alliance Newcastle.
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