[Greens-Media] Major parties abandon NT over uranium mining expansion

[Willis, Katrina (Sen C. Milne)]

MEDIA RELEASE

Thursday, 11 August 2005

Major parties abandon NT over uranium mining expansion 

Labor and Coalition senators have abandoned the people of the Northern
Territory to a high-risk future, and the world to the threat of more
nuclear weapons, Australian Greens Senator for Tasmania Christine Milne
said today.

"The Howard government has ignored the wishes of the NT Labor government
yet Labor senators sided with the Liberals and Nationals, endorsing the
coalition government's grab for power to expand uranium mining," Senator
Milne said today.

"This comes on top of the coalition foisting a nuclear waste dump on the
NT.

"Foreign Minister Downer continues to mislead the public by claiming
that fuelling nuclear power with Australian uranium is doing the world a
favour by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but he has nothing to say
about disposal of the additional toxic waste.

"Now we have the federal Science Minister Brendan Nelson stating that
Australia should consider developing a nuclear power industry. 

"Uranium mining and nuclear power production entail unacceptable risk.
The risk of leakage for weapons manufacturer is high.

"Australia should be developing its energy efficiency and renewable
energy technologies, for domestic use and for export. 

"These threaten no one, except the entrenched interests of coal and
uranium mining companies which the Howard government seems so willing to
serve."

Senator Milne's motion was defeated 54 votes to eight. The motion read: 
That the Senate:
	a)	Notes the federal government's intention to override the
Northern Territory government in pursuit of expanding uranium mining,
announced on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the United States of
America dropping the first atomic bomb, killing around 140,000 people in
the Japanese city of Hiroshima;
	b)	Rejects the expansion of uranium mining because of its
potential to cause grave harm to people and the environment, and the
risk of Australian uranium being diverted to the production of nuclear
weapons; and
	c)	Calls on the federal government to abandon the expansion
of uranium mining and instead support the expansion of energy efficiency
and renewable energy to address the challenge of climate change.

Contact: Katrina Willis 0437 587 562 or 02 6277 3063