[Greens-Media] In the shadow of Fukushima, Government pushes ‘business as usual’

[Torre, Giovanni (Sen S. Ludlam)]

In the shadow of Fukushima, Government pushes ‘business as usual’
Media release: Greens spokesperson on nuclear policy Senator Scott Ludlam. 15 August 2012.

Greens Senator Scott Ludlam, recently returned from Fukushima, today urged the Australian Government to consider the reality before locking Australia into a nuclear treaty for another five years.

“The Fifth Agreement to Extend the 1987 Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development and Training related to Nuclear Science and Technology should not simply be rolled over for a further five year period,” Senator Ludlam said in a Dissenting Report on the deal.

“The Committee's report perfunctorily dismisses the concerns and arguments provided in submissions and contrasts poorly with its past considered and detailed engagement on nuclear issues. It notes there ‘may have been an opportunity missed to upgrade the agreement rather than simply rolling it over’ but then goes on to recommend that the agreement be simply rolled over. It’s a negligent outcome.

“While the nuclear industry's optimism may have a therapeutic function, it is not grounded in reality.  This is an industry deeply shaken by the global financial crisis, the ongoing Fukushima disaster with its cover-ups and duplicity, and fierce competition from renewable technologies which continue to outpace nuclear.”

Senator Ludlam said nuclear power was in terminal condition, as documented in the recently released World Nuclear Industry Status Report available at www.worldnuclearreport.org<http://www.worldnuclearreport.org>

The Committee Report on the treaty and the Greens dissenting report can be found here:

http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House_of_Representatives_Committees?url=jsct/20march2012/report.htm



Media contact: Giovanni Torre – 0417 174 302