Wednesday, 14 March, 2007

by Dave Sweeney
ACF

Australia's largest National Park faces the threat of radioactive and heavy metal contamination from flooding at the controversial Ranger uranium mine in Kakadu.

Operations have been halted and workers evacuated from Energy Resources of Australia's mine after access was cut by rising water.

There are serious concerns over the risk of contaminated water and mine wastes from Ranger being spread through the wider Kakadu environment.

In 2003 a Senate Inquiry into Ranger concluded that 'the intense and highly seasonal wet season of the NT makes the dispersion of mine waste waters the main threat to ecosystems' and found 'a pattern of underperformance and non-compliance'.

ACF has called for the urgent implementation of the Senate recommendations and an independent review of water and waste management at the Ranger mine in the light of the latest flooding and contamination risk.

"As the flood waters and radioactive risks continue to rise the federal government remains complacent," said ACF nuclear campaigner Dave Sweeney.

"For four years the government has failed to implement a set of commonsense recommendations. It has found time to try and dump radioactive waste in the NT and promote domestic nuclear power but not to protect World Heritage Kakadu."

"This latest flooding shows the real impacts and risks of uranium mining," said Dave Sweeney. "ERA wants to extend the life of Ranger mine, instead they should be cleaning up and clearing out - this industry is neither foolproof nor waterproof."

"Uranium mining is not a clean trade. Federal Labor should not consider new uranium mines when the existing ones are leaking, dangerous and deficient."