Thursday, 18 January, 2007

Nine MSN

The federal government has dismissed suggestions its push for more uranium sales and nuclear power helped move the world Doomsday Clock closer to nuclear Armageddon.

Anti-nuclear groups and opposition parties pointed at the government when scientists - alarmed about nuclear proliferation and climate change - advanced the hands of the symbolic Doomsday Clock closer to midnight.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has kept a Doomsday Clock since 1947 as a reminder of the dangers of nuclear proliferation.

In simultaneous events in London and Washington, the clock's minute hand was pushed forward, its sixth move since the end of the Cold War with the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Australian Democrats leader Senator Lyn Allison said the government must take note of the eminent scientists, among them physicist Steven Hawking, who believe nuclear weapons proliferation is taking the world into a Second Nuclear Age.

"This should be a warning to our prime minister to resist selling uranium to the very countries that are developing nuclear weapons," Senator Allison said.

"The Howard government's determination to expand uranium mining and export (it) undermines the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), bringing the clock closer to midnight.

"A lack of political will has seriously undermined nuclear non-proliferation."

The government has made no secret of its desire to expand uranium sales to China and has had discussions with India on the subject, even though India is not a signatory to the NPT.

The Greens, Greenpeace and the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) all linked these aims with the scientists' warning that expanded sales of uranium as a supposed bulwark against Greenhouse gas emissions was dangerous.

But Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane poured cold water on the link.

"I understand that part of the reason for justifying moving the Doomsday Clock forward was the increase in global greenhouse gas emissions," Mr Macfarlane said.

"Rather than trying to scaremonger, Senator Lyn Allison should be honest enough to acknowledge that the peaceful use of uranium to generate electricity significantly lowers the emission of greenhouses gases around the world."

Mr Macfarlane said the government was committed to nuclear non-proliferation and preventing Australian uranium ending up in the wrong hands or being used for non-peaceful purposes.

"This is why our government has put in place the most stringent rules and safeguards for exports of Australia's uranium," he said.

Federal Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd, who favours a change in Labor policy to allow increased uranium sales, said the government had been missing in action when it came to stopping nuclear proliferation.

"Australia was once a proud leader in the cause of nuclear disarmament around the world through our activities on the Committee on Disarmament (Peace and Security) at the United Nations and elsewhere in the establishment of such bodies as the Canberra Commission," he said.

"For 10 years Mr Howard's government has been missing in action when it comes to any form of credible disarmament initiatives, most particularly in the area of nuclear disarmament."

Greenpeace chief executive Steve Shallhorn said Australian uranium clients included four nuclear weapons states - USA, France, UK and China.

"And if the prime minister has his way this will soon include India," he said.

ACF nuclear Campaigner Dave Sweeney said the government's desire to expand uranium sales had contributed to the clock's ticking closer to midnight.

"There are clear, proven and continuing links between many nations' civil and military nuclear programs," he said.

Greens senator Christine Milne urged Australians to use this election year to repudiate the government's nuclear ambitions which she said were fuelling an escalating threat to civilisation.