Friday, 24 November, 2006

by Emma Gumbleton
NT News

HEALTH officials and researchers yesterday dismissed a report that highlights increased cancer rates around a uranium mine in Kakadu National Park.

The report found indigenous people living near Ranger had cancer rates 90 per cent higher than expected. Twenty-seven cases had been reported in the decade before 2004.

The report was presented as a discussion paper under the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies research program.

But the organisation's chairman, Mick Dodson, distanced his institute from the report.

'This paper was neither commissioned nor authorised by the institute's governing council and should not be seen to represent the views of the council,' he said.

'The paper does not represent a finalised report and the institute would be unable to verify its conclusions at this time.'

Chief Minister Clare Martin said there was no evidence linking cancer to the uranium mine.

But she has taken the findings seriously enough to order further investigation, despite the Territory Health Department dismissing the report.

Chief health officer Tarun Weeramanthri said: 'The report does not show that excess cancers in Kakadu are caused by mining'.

'The excess cancers found are not typical of cancers caused by radiation, but rather cover the range of cancers that reflect lifestyle issues, such as smoking, diet and infection.' A statement from Energy Resources of Australia said radiation measures were well within the recommended limits.

Traditional owners, the Mirarr people, have welcomed the report. Deputy director of the Menzies School of Health Research in Darwin, John Condon, contributed to the report.