Tuesday, 9 October, 2007

by Katharine Murphy
The Age

INDIGENOUS communities will be offered sweeteners to help pave the way for a dramatic expansion of uranium mining under a plan being considered by the Howard Government.

The Age understands the Government is considering options for a new royalty regime to apply to uranium mines in the Northern Territory, which would return profits to communities on Aboriginal land.

A high-level uranium advisory group is also developing plans to remove impediments to new uranium mines, and pressing ahead with options designed to relax restrictions on transporting uranium ore on roads and through the nation's ports.

The Age has been told the group has also discussed whether strict federal environmental approvals — like those required of large-scale developments such as the BHP Billiton Olympic Dam expansion in South Australia — should apply to smaller-scale uranium mines.

The group, led by uranium industry executive Mark Chalmers, was appointed by the Government early this year to provide advice on how to speed up the industry's expansion.

Over the past few months the Government has toned down its rhetoric in favour of more uranium mining and its support for the industry recommended by the landmark Switkowski review.

But the Coalition is continuing to lay the groundwork for reforms that will smooth the path for new uranium developments and nuclear power. Prime Minister John Howard has signalled he will legislate on key nuclear issues if he wins the election.

Four working groups have developed options to cut regulation covering the industry, provide economic incentives to indigenous communities, make it easier to transport uranium products and expand the skills base of the industry. Options put forward include:

â– A new national radiation dose register covering all workers employed by uranium mining companies, and a safety course starting in 2008 to train radiation workers.

â– A communications strategy to help Australia's uranium mining companies explain their proposals to traditional owners.

â– New measures to encourage companies owned by indigenous people to engage in exploration and uranium mining.

A project is also under way to map all the transport links covering mine developments and identify barriers to moving ore to ports for export.