Tuesday, 15 May, 2007

The Age

A majority of Australians now support uranium mining, a conference in Darwin has been told.

About 300 delegates from around the world are in the Top End for the second Australian Uranium Conference, which has added significance this year after federal Labor scrapped its no new uranium mines policy.

Executive director of the Australian Uranium Assassination Michael Angwin said Labor's policy shift last month reflected a broader change in community opinion.

"The Australian uranium industry has gone from fringe dweller to the Australian mainstream in a very short space of time," he told the gathering.

According to a new public ANOP opinion poll, presented to the opening day of the conference, 50 per cent of Australians support the uranium mining industry.

Eleven per cent of people are unsure while 39 per cent oppose the industry.

"It is clear from this data that Australians are changing their minds about uranium," Mr Angwin said.

"And in every state, more people support it than not ... they support it because of the economic benefits and because they see it making a contribution to climate change."

Overall, the poll found 75 per cent of Australians believe uranium will make a big contribution to Australia's future while 92 per cent of people see climate change as a problem Australia can limit.

Fifty-nine per cent support uranium exports to supply energy needs overseas.

The managing director of exploration and development company Uranium Equity and conference chair, Mark Chalmers, said he hoped the conference would help grow the industry in Australia.

"A combination of higher uranium prices, changes in the ALP's 'no new uranium mines policy' have all increased the interest in Australian uranium," he said, adding it "was good to be here at this place in Australia today".

"We would never have believed we would be where we are ... there's a tremendous amount of opportunity for Australia to become the largest producer of uranium in the world."

The two-day summit was officially opened by Northern Territory Mines Minister Chris Natt, who said there was $US50 billion worth of yellow cake in the ground up north.

"As far as proposals for uranium mining are concerned, we (the NT government) will consider all applications," he said, adding that uranium had hit a 25-year high spot price and was currently worth $US120 a pound.

"(This means) the value of known uranium in the ground in the Territory is $US50 billion ... this is a very significant resource" he said.

"It is one of the most prospective unexplored regions in Australia."

A small group of anti-uranium protesters gathered outside the conference venue, waving banners and shouting slogans as delegates entered the building.