The Rudd Government has failed to distance itself from the nuclear legacy of the Howard Government and instead is moving to entrench Australia’s membership of an exclusive global nuclear club that opens the way for a nuclear industry and waste dump in Australia.

Following revelations today of a secret Cabinet submission, The Wilderness Society called for the Rudd Government to completely withdraw Australia from the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership and the Generation IV International Forum (GIF).  Both are based on using plutonium as a fuel to supply new nuclear power technology.

“Membership of these exclusive clubs gives support for a highly dangerous ‘plutonium economy’ that Australia should reject outright,” Alec Marr Executive Director of The Wilderness Society said.

“The Rudd Government has not distanced itself from the nuclear legacy of the Howard Government.  Instead it is moving to entrench Australia’s place in an exclusive nuclear club that is focused on spreading a lethal industry across the world.

“It is astounding that Australia is even considering this when we have committed to a world free of nuclear weapons.”

The Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) involves a small number of countries enriching uranium, leasing the nuclear fuel to other countries eager to develop nuclear power and taking back the spent fuel for reprocessing and disposal.  Both GNEP and GIF are premised on using plutonium as a fuel stock to supply new nuclear power technology.

The Howard Government quietly signed Australia onto the GNEP in September 2007 and also started the process of gaining membership to the GIF.  The Rudd Government is considering Australia’s ongoing involvement in these processes, despite having ruled out the nuclear power as an option for Australia.  Since the ALP was elected in 2007 Australia has participated in two meetings of the GNEP in December 2007 and May 2008.

“It was always unclear whether Howard’s nuclear agenda was about developing a domestic nuclear power industry or whether it was really about developing an enrichment industry and nuclear fuel supply system, tied in with Australia almost inevitably becoming an international nuclear waste dump” Mr Marr said.

“Before the 2007 election the ALP clearly ruled out domestic nuclear power and strongly gave the impression that it had ruled out enrichment and the international nuclear waste dump in Australia.  Given the Labor Government is now considering participation in these international nuclear forums can only mean that both a nuclear enrichment industry and a longer term nuclear waste dump are still on the table for Australia.

“GNEP and GIF are paper science.  Plutonium reprocessing technology has failed in the past, has been incredibly expensive and left unresolved ecological messes.  It is deceptive for Australian uranium suppliers and the Australian Government to support nuclear enrichment and reprocessing through participation in the GNEP and GIF while maintaining a public façade of opposition to these industries domestically.”