Wednesday 2 August 2006
Arid Lands Environment Centre / Beyond Nuclear Initiative

Territorians concerned about potential changes to Labor's uranium policies will this morning confront Kim Beazley at a breakfast function at the Alice Springs Golf Club. The group is angry that Beazley is working to overturn Labor's no new (uranium) mines policy, citing reasons of strong community opposition, the industry's history of environmental contamination and unresolved issues of long term radioactive waste management.

"When asked at a function here in Alice last night, Beazley agreed that a radioactive waste dump should not be forced onto communities. While we applaud this stance, and verbal commitment that a federal Labor government would work to overturn legislation imposing a dump on the NT, there is an inherent contradiction in his position" stated Natalie Wasley, from the Arid Lands Environment Centre-Beyond Nuclear Initiative, Alice Springs.

"Radioactive waste is part of the nuclear chain that begins with uranium mining. While it is obviously not responsible management of radioactive materials to be pursuing a dump in the desert like Howard, it is also ridiculous to advocate expanded involvement in the uranium mining industry, given that there is no solution for the end product. There is already a strong push for Australia to become the world's dumping ground. If our mining industry is expanded, will we also allow Australia's exported uranium return to here at some stage in the future, in the form of high level radioactive waste?" Ms Wasley added.

Tim Collins, Arid Lands Environment Centre (ALEC) coordinator added; "Beazley's determination to allow more U mines in Australia demonstrates that both the Liberal and Labor leaders share the nuclear industry's casual indifference in regard to health of workers and the environment. Mines across the country have been plagued with leaks and accidents. Numerous examples of radioactive contamination of drinking water, accidents and spills at mine sites are further evidence that safety of workers and operations cannot be guaranteed on uranium mine sites. Rather than playing policy catch-up with Prime Minister Howard, Beazley should listen to Labor party members, the majority of whom oppose an expansion of uranium mining. We call upon ALP members to oppose plans by their out-of-touch leadership to expand uranium mining".