The Coalition’s proposed nuclear sites in Queensland would not have access to enough water to operate or manage a nuclear incident, according to an explosive new report by the Queensland Conservation Council.&nbsp;

According to the Queensland Conservation Council, the proposed nuclear reactor in Callide would use more than double the water currently allocated to the existing Callide power station, while the proposed Tarong nuclear reactor would use 50 per cent more water than is allocated to the existing coal power station.

We’ve just hit 14 years since the Fukushima nuclear accident. This report shows that during the Fukushima emergency, the nuclear facility was flooded with 1.3 million cubic metres of sea water to prevent the plant from blowing up. There is no such water allocation for emergency response in Queensland dams, nor a storage solution for the potential millions of cubic metres of heavily radioactive water that such a disaster would create.

Queensland Conservation Council Director Dave Copeman says:

“The findings of this report are damning for the Coalition’s nuclear fantasy. There simply is not enough water available in the proposed locations to run nuclear facilities, and no plan for where to store irradiated water required for heat reduction in the case of an emergency. It would be a health and environmental catastrophe if highly irradiated water was returned to these dams.

“The Coalition is not being honest with farmers and the community about the realities of their nuclear scheme. At best it’s impractical, at worst it’s grossly irresponsible and could result in a major incident.

“We’ve seen during droughts that there’s not enough water for existing coal power stations, especially in Central Queensland, so coal units have to wind down their operation.&nbsp;

“So the Coalition’s ‘plan’ is to build the most expensive form of electricity generation that won’t be ready in time to replace our retiring coal power stations, and then won’t be available at times because of water constraints.&nbsp;

“You know what doesn’t use a lot of water? Renewable energy and it’s already powering 40 per cent of Australia.”

The Coalition’s proposed nuclear sites in Queensland would not have access to enough water to operate or manage a nuclear incident, according to an explosive new report by the Queensland Conservation Council.&nbsp;According to the Queensland Conservation Council, the proposed nuclear reactor in Callide would use more than double the water currently allocated to the existing Callide power station, while the proposed Tarong nuclear reactor would use 50 per cent more water than is allocated to the existing coal power station.We’ve just hit 14 years since the Fukushima nuclear accident. This report shows that during the Fukushima emergency, the nuclear facility was flooded with 1.3 million cubic metres of sea water to prevent the plant from blowing up. There is no such water allocation for emergency response in Queensland dams, nor a storage solution for the potential millions of cubic metres of heavily radioactive water that such a disaster would create.Queensland Conservation Council Director Dave Copeman says:“The findings of this report are damning for the Coalition’s nuclear fantasy. There simply is not enough water available in the proposed locations to run nuclear facilities, and no plan for where to store irradiated water required for heat reduction in the case of an emergency. It would be a health and environmental catastrophe if highly irradiated water was returned to these dams.“The Coalition is not being honest with farmers and the community about the realities of their nuclear scheme. At best it’s impractical, at worst it’s grossly irresponsible and could result in a major incident.“We’ve seen during droughts that there’s not enough water for existing coal power stations, especially in Central Queensland, so coal units have to wind down their operation.&nbsp;“So the Coalition’s ‘plan’ is to build the most expensive form of electricity generation that won’t be ready in time to replace our retiring coal power stations, and then won’t be available at times because of water constraints.&nbsp;“You know what doesn’t use a lot of water? Renewable energy and it’s already powering 40 per cent of Australia.”

Electricity / Gas / Resources / Energy

Environment / SGDs / Recycling

Nuclear power would steal agricultural and drinking water and require emergency storage for irradiated water

Australians for Affordable Energy (AFAE) is calling for answers after a widely respected international expert questioned the cost and timeframe of building seven nuclear reactors in Australia.

Leading US climate diplomat Jonathan Pershing has warned the Coalition’s plan to delay the roll out of renewable energy in favour of delivering nuclear technology over a much longer time is a “big bet on an unknown future”.

“Australians have one main concern: dropping the price of their power bills. Important questions remain unanswered about how much nuclear will cost and when it will actually deliver power, and now new questions have now emerged,” AFAE spokesperson Jo Dodds says.

“We need to know why we would press pause on cost-effective and timely solutions in favour of a risky experiment funded by taxpayers?

“Jonathan Pershing is an expert and as he notes in the US, the high cost of building new nuclear facilities has led to nuclear energy declining as a share of the overall energy mix. Across the globe, the evidence shows us the cheapest option for reliable power is a combination of solar and batteries.”

Climate Change Authority Chair Matt Kean’s comments on ABC’s Q&amp;A have also raised new questions about the Coalition’s nuclear proposal.

“A formal Liberal state treasurer has branded his own party as ‘socialist’ and criticised the policy as far too expensive, further reiterating our fears the taxpayer will be left to fund nuclear as private investors avoid it,” Ms Dodds said.

“Energy bills are rising sharply, and households and small businesses are set to bear the brunt if real solutions aren’t found. Our energy future should not be shaped by unrealistic promises, Australians deserve clear answers on how to keep power affordable and reliable.”

Australians for Affordable Energy (AFAE) is calling for answers after a widely respected international expert questioned the cost and timeframe of building seven nuclear reactors in Australia.Leading US climate diplomat Jonathan Pershing has warned the Coalition’s plan to delay the roll out of renewable energy in favour of delivering nuclear technology over a much longer time is a “big bet on an unknown future”.“Australians have one main concern: dropping the price of their power bills. Important questions remain unanswered about how much nuclear will cost and when it will actually deliver power, and now new questions have now emerged,” AFAE spokesperson Jo Dodds says.“We need to know why we would press pause on cost-effective and timely solutions in favour of a risky experiment funded by taxpayers?“Jonathan Pershing is an expert and as he notes in the US, the high cost of building new nuclear facilities has led to nuclear energy declining as a share of the overall energy mix. Across the globe, the evidence shows us the cheapest option for reliable power is a combination of solar and batteries.”Climate Change Authority Chair Matt Kean’s comments on ABC’s Q&amp;A have also raised new questions about the Coalition’s nuclear proposal.“A formal Liberal state treasurer has branded his own party as ‘socialist’ and criticised the policy as far too expensive, further reiterating our fears the taxpayer will be left to fund nuclear as private investors avoid it,” Ms Dodds said.“Energy bills are rising sharply, and households and small businesses are set to bear the brunt if real solutions aren’t found. Our energy future should not be shaped by unrealistic promises, Australians deserve clear answers on how to keep power affordable and reliable.”

Government offices / organizations

Unanswered nuclear questions put Australians at risk

Global mining services provider Thiess has partnered with The University of Queensland (UQ) to co-design three new post-graduate qualifications to provide specialised training in mining disciplines and elevate the standard of mining education.

With two graduate certificates and a graduate diploma in resource development on offer, the program is tailored to engineers who want to gain formal qualifications in mining through real world, on the job learning.

Thiess Operations Director – Australia East Peter Rule said: “This partnership brings together Thiess as a leading mining services provider and UQ as a world class tertiary educator to deliver academically recognised qualifications for engineering professionals wanting to convert across from non-mining disciplines to the mining industry.

“Our inhouse learning and development centre, Thiess Institute, and our experience Technical Services professionals, have worked with UQ to shape and influence course content along with developing a flexible learning model to allow students to continue to work in the industry full-time while advancing their formal mining qualifications.”

Participants will gain advanced technical knowledge and practical skills directly applicable to the mining industry, learning from industry experts in a blended approach of remote and on-the-job learning, and on-campus intensive training.

As stated by Professor Ross McAree, Head of UQ’s School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering:&nbsp; "This collaborative initiative with Thiess represents a transformative approach to mining education, bridging the gap between academic knowledge and industry expertise. By co-designing these specialised post-graduate qualifications, we're not just teaching mining disciplines – we're developing the next generation of industry leaders who can drive innovation, safety, and sustainability in resource development."

Global mining services provider Thiess has partnered with The University of Queensland (UQ) to co-design three new post-graduate qualifications to provide specialised training in mining disciplines and elevate the standard of mining education.With two graduate certificates and a graduate diploma in resource development on offer, the program is tailored to engineers who want to gain formal qualifications in mining through real world, on the job learning.Thiess Operations Director – Australia East Peter Rule said: “This partnership brings together Thiess as a leading mining services provider and UQ as a world class tertiary educator to deliver academically recognised qualifications for engineering professionals wanting to convert across from non-mining disciplines to the mining industry.“Our inhouse learning and development centre, Thiess Institute, and our experience Technical Services professionals, have worked with UQ to shape and influence course content along with developing a flexible learning model to allow students to continue to work in the industry full-time while advancing their formal mining qualifications.”Participants will gain advanced technical knowledge and practical skills directly applicable to the mining industry, learning from industry experts in a blended approach of remote and on-the-job learning, and on-campus intensive training.As stated by Professor Ross McAree, Head of UQ’s School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering:&nbsp; "This collaborative initiative with Thiess represents a transformative approach to mining education, bridging the gap between academic knowledge and industry expertise. By co-designing these specialised post-graduate qualifications, we're not just teaching mining disciplines – we're developing the next generation of industry leaders who can drive innovation, safety, and sustainability in resource development."

School / University

Thiess partners with The University of Queensland to develop new learning pathways for mining

- Jemena proposes to deliver significant electricity bill savings to customers over the five-year period beginning 1 July 2026.

- A typical residential customer’s average annual bill will be $156 lower by the end of the next period compared to an annual bill in 2025-26.

- Jemena’s proposal is informed by nearly 300 hours of customer engagement over a two-year period.

- Jemena’s customers provided 16 recommendations which form the basis of the proposal.

Energy infrastructure company, Jemena, has submitted its 2026-31 Proposal for its electricity network to the Australian Energy Regulator (AER).

The proposal outlines Jemena’s service delivery and prices for its electricity network – which services more than 380,000 customers across north-west Melbourne – for the financial years covering 2026-31, and the role it will play in Australia’s energy transition.

Jemena’s Executive General Manager of Networks Shaun Reardon said, if endorsed by the Australian Energy Regulator, a typical residential customer’s annual bill will be $156 lower by the end of the next period compared to an annual bill in 2025-26.

“This price reduction is enabled by an increase in electricity consumption across our network, driven by data centres and major connections, and increased utilisation by existing customers as they increasingly use electricity to heat their homes and cook their meals,” said Mr Reardon.

“To develop this proposal we engaged with thousands of customers across multiple channels which included visitors to our GridTalk website, sessions facilitated in-person including our People’s Panel and virtual engagement. We held 80 engagement events and spent nearly 300 hours with customers over the past two years.

“This proposal reflects the needs of our customers and communities today, while also preparing our electricity network for a more sustainable energy future.

“Many of our customers told us that energy affordability and cost-of-living continue to be their top priority. Our customers also said that maintaining the reliability of the electricity network and increasing resilience to withstand and recover from extreme weather events were important priorities.

“Throughout our engagement process we sought feedback from a diverse range of residential, large commercial, industrial, small, and medium-sized business customers.”

The 2026-31 Proposal&nbsp;outlines the following actions shaped by our customers:

A typical residential customer’s average annual bill will be $156 lower by the end of the next period compared to an annual bill in 2025-26.

Connect over 33,300 new residential customers and 2,585 businesses in north-west Melbourne.Introduce new tariff structures that encourage better network utilisation and improve price equity between solar and non-solar customers.Introduce new digital technologies to improve electricity system management and enable new sustainable products and services.Deliver a broad-based zone-substation redevelopment program to maintain current reliability levels.Build large-scale assets to serve new large customers such as data centres and hospitals.

Upgrade systems to keep customers better informed with near real-time information at times they need it the most.Develop a new portal to provide tailored information based on customer preferences and language needs with energy information.

The AER will now review and assess Jemena’s 2026-31 Proposal and provide a draft decision later this year. Jemena will then submit a revised proposal with the AER’s final decision taking effect from 1 July 2026.&nbsp;

To view the initial 2026-31 Proposal visit:&nbsp;<a href="https://gridtalk.com.au/2026-2031-proposal" target="_blank">https://gridtalk.com.au/2026-2031-proposal</a>

- Jemena proposes to deliver significant electricity bill savings to customers over the five-year period beginning 1 July 2026.- A typical residential customer’s average annual bill will be $156 lower by the end of the next period compared to an annual bill in 2025-26.- Jemena’s proposal is informed by nearly 300 hours of customer engagement over a two-year period.- Jemena’s customers provided 16 recommendations which form the basis of the proposal.Energy infrastructure company, Jemena, has submitted its 2026-31 Proposal for its electricity network to the Australian Energy Regulator (AER).The proposal outlines Jemena’s service delivery and prices for its electricity network – which services more than 380,000 customers across north-west Melbourne – for the financial years covering 2026-31, and the role it will play in Australia’s energy transition.Jemena’s Executive General Manager of Networks Shaun Reardon said, if endorsed by the Australian Energy Regulator, a typical residential customer’s annual bill will be $156 lower by the end of the next period compared to an annual bill in 2025-26.“This price reduction is enabled by an increase in electricity consumption across our network, driven by data centres and major connections, and increased utilisation by existing customers as they increasingly use electricity to heat their homes and cook their meals,” said Mr Reardon.“To develop this proposal we engaged with thousands of customers across multiple channels which included visitors to our GridTalk website, sessions facilitated in-person including our People’s Panel and virtual engagement. We held 80 engagement events and spent nearly 300 hours with customers over the past two years.“This proposal reflects the needs of our customers and communities today, while also preparing our electricity network for a more sustainable energy future.“Many of our customers told us that energy affordability and cost-of-living continue to be their top priority. Our customers also said that maintaining the reliability of the electricity network and increasing resilience to withstand and recover from extreme weather events were important priorities.“Throughout our engagement process we sought feedback from a diverse range of residential, large commercial, industrial, small, and medium-sized business customers.”The 2026-31 Proposal&nbsp;outlines the following actions shaped by our customers:Affordability:A typical residential customer’s average annual bill will be $156 lower by the end of the next period compared to an annual bill in 2025-26.Preparing for the future:Connect over 33,300 new residential customers and 2,585 businesses in north-west Melbourne.Introduce new tariff structures that encourage better network utilisation and improve price equity between solar and non-solar customers.Introduce new digital technologies to improve electricity system management and enable new sustainable products and services.Deliver a broad-based zone-substation redevelopment program to maintain current reliability levels.Build large-scale assets to serve new large customers such as data centres and hospitals.Keeping our customers informed:Upgrade systems to keep customers better informed with near real-time information at times they need it the most.Develop a new portal to provide tailored information based on customer preferences and language needs with energy information.The AER will now review and assess Jemena’s 2026-31 Proposal and provide a draft decision later this year. Jemena will then submit a revised proposal with the AER’s final decision taking effect from 1 July 2026.&nbsp;To view the initial 2026-31 Proposal visit:&nbsp;<a href="https://gridtalk.com.au/2026-2031-proposal" target="_blank">https://gridtalk.com.au/2026-2031-proposal</a>

Daily necessities / Household goods

Jemena Releases Electricity Pricing and Services Plan for 2026-31

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: 21 January 2025,&nbsp;&nbsp;Australian copper producer and explorer, Austral Resources Australia Ltd (ASX: AR1), is pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with New Frontier Minerals (ASX: NFM) to form a strategic alliance. This collaboration aims to enhance production at Austral’s Mt Kelly processing facility through the potential processing of copper ore supplied by NFM.

Under the agreement, Austral will work closely with NFM to evaluate the suitability of ore from NFM’s NWQ Copper Project, including the Big One Deposit (Mineral Resource Estimate: 2.1Mt @ 1.1% Cu), for processing at the Mt Kelly facility. The alliance represents an opportunity to leverage both companies' assets and expertise to unlock significant value from the Mt Isa copper belt region.

Austral Resources’ Chairman, David Newling, commented:"I would echo the comments of (NFM Chairman) Ged in relation to the positive outcome for both groups from this MOU. Whilst there is still some metallurgical work yet to be completed in relation to suitability of NFM’s ore for the Mt Kelly processing facility, the MOU is demonstration that the Company has assets that are attractive to third parties, and we would welcome others to the table as well.

The Mt Isa region is primed for consolidation in the copper industry, and Austral remains focused on these opportunities where it has the potential to add significant value for shareholders."

The alliance includes a framework for potential ore processing agreements, metallurgical test work, and further exploration to assess other prospective copper deposits within NFM’s project areas. The partnership not only facilitates a path to production for NFM but also allows Austral to potentially secure a new, consistent source of copper ore feedstock.

This agreement reinforces Austral’s commitment to maximising the value of its assets while contributing to the consolidation of the Mt Isa copper belt region.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: 21 January 2025,&nbsp;&nbsp;Australian copper producer and explorer, Austral Resources Australia Ltd (ASX: AR1), is pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with New Frontier Minerals (ASX: NFM) to form a strategic alliance. This collaboration aims to enhance production at Austral’s Mt Kelly processing facility through the potential processing of copper ore supplied by NFM.Under the agreement, Austral will work closely with NFM to evaluate the suitability of ore from NFM’s NWQ Copper Project, including the Big One Deposit (Mineral Resource Estimate: 2.1Mt @ 1.1% Cu), for processing at the Mt Kelly facility. The alliance represents an opportunity to leverage both companies' assets and expertise to unlock significant value from the Mt Isa copper belt region.Austral Resources’ Chairman, David Newling, commented:"I would echo the comments of (NFM Chairman) Ged in relation to the positive outcome for both groups from this MOU. Whilst there is still some metallurgical work yet to be completed in relation to suitability of NFM’s ore for the Mt Kelly processing facility, the MOU is demonstration that the Company has assets that are attractive to third parties, and we would welcome others to the table as well.The Mt Isa region is primed for consolidation in the copper industry, and Austral remains focused on these opportunities where it has the potential to add significant value for shareholders."The alliance includes a framework for potential ore processing agreements, metallurgical test work, and further exploration to assess other prospective copper deposits within NFM’s project areas. The partnership not only facilitates a path to production for NFM but also allows Austral to potentially secure a new, consistent source of copper ore feedstock.This agreement reinforces Austral’s commitment to maximising the value of its assets while contributing to the consolidation of the Mt Isa copper belt region.