Government switches on China uranium deal
Tuesday, 28 March, 2006
by Senator Lyn Allison
The Democrats
Australian has a poor record of safety and environmental protection with uranium mining. Handing over exploration and exploitation of uranium to the Chinese hardly instils confidence that the regulatory standards will be met, Senator Allison said.
There is no indication that the government will include in the agreement a commitment to nuclear disarmament within a specified timeframe and effective conditions on uranium enrichment.
China has also in the past refused to commit to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. This should be a condition of buying uranium from Australia.
The Government is also about to sign uranium deal with a government that has attacked and annexed Tibet, killed 1000s of people in Tiananmen Square and has killed and imprisoned members of Falun Gong, without securing any human rights improvements.
The time has come for the Australian states to resist this push by Mr Howard and insist on the first and final say on exploration within their borders.
The rapid growth of China means that if the states and the Australian people roll over and allow these sorts of deals, then we can expect a massive expansion of uranium mining in to areas where it is currently unviable.
The 2003 Senate report in to regulating the Ranger, Jabiluka, Beverly and Honeymoon uranium mines made a comprehensive range of environmental recommendations regarding transportation of uranium and the environmental safeguards about the dispersion of mine waste waters. Weve heard nothing about safeguards.
The Democrats oppose uranium mining, exports and nuclear power because there are no adequate safeguards on proliferation of nuclear technology. The Federal Government is being weak in its dealing with China, concluded Senator Allison.