[Greens-Media] Senator Milne - Prime Minister should recognise SA renewables potential instead of talking up uranium exports

[O'Connor, Cassy (Sen C. Milne)]

Monday, 2 April 2007

Prime Minister should recognise SA renewables potential instead of
talking up uranium exports 

A responsible and responsive Prime Minister would make renewable energy
the focus of his fact-finding visit in South Australia, Australian
Greens climate change spokesperson, Senator Christine Milne said today.

"John Howard is so keen to talk up uranium mining, nuclear power and
waste for Australia and to line us up with the Bush administration on
the global nuclear trade, that he cannot bring himself to become more
informed about the potential for clean, safe renewable energy to meet
our energy needs, and respond to climate change.

"When will the Prime Minister seek a personal briefing from some of the
leaders in the renewable energy sector instead of visiting uranium and
coal mines, and logged forest coupes?

"I trust today that the Prime Minister will also take the opportunity to
visit the Olympic Dam Geothermal Energy Project.  Its proponent
estimates that around 1000MW of reliable, baseload power could be
generated and fed into the national electricity grid.  

"Mr Howard should also request a personal briefing at the Origin sliver
cell plant in Adelaide to enhance his understanding of the enormous
potential for this solar technology to provide a significant percentage
of our energy needs.

"With climate change the most urgent, pressing problem of our times,
renewable energy is the future, not dirty coal and dangerous uranium.
Sadly for our long-term national interest, uranium is all we will hear
about from the Prime Minister today.

"Instead of getting excited about a doubling of uranium production from
the Olympic Dam mine, the Prime Minister should be listening to those
energy experts who are not beholden to the fossil fuel industry and who
can demonstrate renewable sources of energy can provide baseload power.

"The ALP climate change summit has also proved disappointing.  The party
continues to ignore the pressing need for near term emission target,
instead expecting governments far into the future to meet commitments
made by Labor today. While a 2050 target gives business, investors and
innovators a clear sense of the scale of the long term challenge - a
2020 target has a stronger, more immediate impact on policy,
particularly energy efficiency policy. 

"In 2006, the Greens called for 20% cut on 1990 emissions by 2020 - the
same target adopted by the EU last month.  The Government and the
Opposition are heading in the opposite direction, and it's the wrong
direction," Senator Milne said.


Media contact:  Cassy O'Connor  03 6224 8899 or 0437 587 562