Howard prioritises uranium exports over global security
Thursday, 8 September, 2005
by Senator Milne
The Greens
"The Prime Minister was prepared to commit Australian troops to the war in Iraq because of the unproven claim of weapons of mass destruction, yet is prepared to sell uranium to countries with nuclear weapons programmes," Senator Milne said.
"Labor seems set to abandon nuclear non-proliferation as well and no one will be happier than those in the board room of BHP Billiton," Senator Milne said.
The Coalition and Labor voted down Senator Milne's motion today calling on the government to heed the extensive environmental, economic and social costs of the Chernobyl nuclear accident and stop the promotion of nuclear power as a clean and safe energy option. *
"Federal government ministers are talking up nuclear power because they know they cannot sustain an argument which says that nuclear power is not safe in Australia but is safe for the Indians and the Chinese," Senator Milne said.
Senator Milne was speaking after the release of a report today by peak environment, physicians and public health groups which sets out clearly why claims that nuclear power is a solution to climate change are wrong.
"Nuclear power is neither clean nor cheap, and it cannot make any serious contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions," Senator Milne said.
"To seriously address climate change in Australian and internationally, the federal government needs to abandon its pursuit of uranium and coal, and focus on proven renewable technologies and improve energy efficiency.
"The government could start immediately by increasing the mandatory renewable energy target and shifting the bias in research funding from coal to clean energy.
"As long as the government insists on pushing nuclear power as a solution to climate change it delays the measures we must take to solve global warming."