New uranium mining laws passed by Federal Parliament yesterday put the interests of uranium mining companies ahead of the environment, Indigenous landowners and Australian taxpayers, the Australian Conservation Foundation said.

“The Uranium Royalty (Northern Territory) Act is biased towards facilitating new uranium mines and fails to address the problems of this controversial and contaminating sector,” said ACF nuclear campaigner Dave Sweeney.

“The Federal Government has missed an opportunity to make good on its rhetoric of ‘best practice’ and ‘the most stringent conditions’ and has instead given a blank cheque to an under-performing industry through an unrepresentative process.”

ACF said the legislation:

·                Fails to ensure future mine rehabilitation will be adequately funded and not require a bailout with public funds.

·                Ignores the reality that decades of mining industry promises have not addressed systemic Aboriginal disadvantage or delivered lasting benefits to Aboriginal communities.

·                Is a product of the Uranium Industry Framework – an initiative of the previous Government that sought to reduce ‘impediments to exploration, mining and export of Australian uranium’.

“The Australian uranium industry has a long history of sub-standard mine rehabilitation and cost shifting from mining companies to the public purse.

“Today in the Northern Territory public funds are again being used to try to clean up the continuing impacts of private uranium operations that took place at Rum Jungle and in the South Alligator Valley decades ago.

“The government needs to send uranium mining companies a clear message about the importance of protecting country and communities from long term risks.

“ACF urges the Federal Government to establish a strong regulatory regime and a dedicated, quarantined levy on uranium mining that avoids cost-shifting and requires companies to clean up the mess they make.”