[Greens-Media] Labor's Dam approval a blunder of Olympic proportions

[Torre, Giovanni (Sen S. Ludlam)]

Labor's Dam approval a blunder of Olympic proportions

Media Release: Senator Scott Ludlam, Wednesday October 12th, 2011 

 

Australian Greens spokesperson for nuclear affairs Senator Scott Ludlam
challenged the Government in the Senate today on a series of obvious
flaws in the approval for the Olympic Dam uranium mine expansion. 

 

Instead of answers, the Senate was treated to several minutes of vague
and insulting verbal anaesthetic from the Minister representing the
Minister for the Environment.

 

"Because it is proposed to sell uranium infused bulk concentrates to
China, a nuclear weapons state, a safeguards treaty with China will need
to be negotiated," said Senator Ludlam. "This precedent sale of uranium
in concentrates is not sanctioned by any of Australia's bilateral
uranium sales agreements. A new treaty has not been drafted with China,
nor put to the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties (JSCOT) or to the
Australian Parliament. Asked to explain this, the Minister was stuck
without an answer."

 

"The Australian Greens will make sure that the JSCOT inquiry takes the
time to conduct a full inquiry into the nuclear weapons proliferation
consequences of this massive expansion."

 

"This is a decision that will be regretted- not just in the long term as
generation after generation grapples with the toxic consequences of the
expansion, but soon - in the lifetime of the very Government that let it
happen."

 

Media Contact: Giovanni Torre - 0417 174 302