Friday, 8 December, 2006

by Senator Milne
The Greens

Labor has backed the federal government's move to bypass environmental assessment of uranium mines, nuclear waste dumps and the transport of nuclear material, the Australian Greens said today.

"Ever since Prime Minister John Howard embraced US President George Bush's Global Nuclear Energy Partnership earlier this year, the government has been on a fast track to wipe out any legislative impediments to expanded uranium mining, operation of nuclear waste dumps and the transport and export of nuclear materials," Greens energy spokesperson Senator Christine Milne said in Canberra.

"Labor has been right there supporting the government's every move to expand Australia's role in the global nuclear fuel cycle.

"Early this week Labor MPs including resources spokesperson Martin Ferguson signed off on a controversial House of Representatives report on Australia's uranium future, which encouraged state governments to overturn their opposition to uranium mining and abolish 'legislative restrictions' on uranium mining and exploration.

"As if this isn't bad enough, they also wanted to 'streamline' processes associated with land access, native title assessment and approvals, and address transport 'impediments'.

"On the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) legislation, Rudd's Labor put these aspirations into effect by backing the government's loopholes such that nuclear actions - uranium mines, waste dumps and transport nuclear fuel - can be exempted from environmental assessment processes.

"The amendments Labor backed allow the Minister for the Environment to declare that a nuclear waste dump does not have to be assessed for environmental impact if it occurs in the context of a bioregional plan, a strategic assessment, a conservation agreement or bilateral agreements.

"Rudd's Labor will be seen to be weeping crocodile tears when the government fast-tracks a high-level nuclear waste dump on Aboriginal land in the Northern Territory whilst exempting it from environmental assessment.

"Labor has failed this early test to provide a genuine policy alternative and not be merely an echo of the government. The echo in the Senate chamber last night was deafening."