[Greens-Media] Commonwealth must clean up Barnett’s uranium mess

[Torre, Giovanni (Sen S. Ludlam)]

Commonwealth must clean up Barnett’s uranium mess
Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam, Robin Chapple MLC. 20 September 2012.

The Greens have called on the Commonwealth to intervene in the public interest after the Western Australian Government gave the go-ahead to the state’s first uranium mine.

Greens spokesperson for nuclear policy Senator Scott Ludlam said the State’s decision on an appeal against Toro Energy’s Wiluna project set a dangerously low standard.

“This mess has just landed on the plate of Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke.  Minister Burke must intervene to prevent this toxic liability from going ahead.

“Despite the long and sorry history of uranium mines in Australia becoming an ongoing hazard after closure, the WA Government has failed to place conditions on mine closure for this proposed project.

“Despite the scarcity of water in the area, they’ve failed to determine a water resource for the life of the mine.  The WA Government is pushing ahead with this foolhardy project in the absence of a proper comprehensive study of its impact.”

In late May the Environmental Protection Agency defied its name by recommending approval for Western Australia's first uranium mine at Wiluna.

Greens MLC for the Mining and Pastoral Region Robin Chapple said the proposed mine should never have gotten off the drawing board.

“Toro has not revealed estimates of future mine closure liability and has not submitted a final rehabilitation plan.  This is remarkable given the company intends for post-closure liability to pass to Australian taxpayers only 10 years after mining ceases, though the consequences of the mine will endure for many centuries.

“There must be a full public inquiry - as provided for under the Act - into the wider environmental and public health consequences of uranium mining in our state.”


Media contact:  Giovanni Torre – 0417 174 302