Federal Government assurances this morning that it will not continue Australia’s membership of the  exclusive Global Nuclear Energy Partnership have been exposed as misleading by the release of a letter that confirms it is still considering it.

The letter to The Wilderness Society from Energy Minister Martin Ferguson on June 30 confirmed the Federal Government was still considering Australia’s involvement.

“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 in an exclusive global nuclear club that opens the way for a nuclear industry and waste dump in Australia,” Alec Marr Executive Director of The Wilderness Society said.

Following revelations today of a secret Cabinet submission on GNEP, The Wilderness Society called for the Rudd Government to make public documents signed by former Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer that set out conditions for Australia’s involvement in the nuclear club.

In September last year, Mr Downer was reported as having reserved the right for Australia to develop a nuclear enrichment industry through its membership of the GNEP.

“The Rudd Government now has responsibility to inform the public if it is considering setting up a toxic enrichment industry in Australia,” Mr Marr said.

“An enrichment industry generates waste and this means a nuclear waste dump will have to be built if Australia continues its involvement in GNEP, the two are interlinked.”

Mr Marr called on the Federal 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,”

“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.

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.