politicial lobbying intensifying, page-10

MNZ, have a gander at these 3 articles; all seems to be saying the same thing really; Bligh is open to change. All she seems to be worried about it that mining procedures are safe. Uranium is mined all over the world; I can't even think of one example where a mine which has stuffed up. Like with everything ,I'm sure there is an industry best practice manual on Allan's bookshelf somewhere. Can't predict when the change in policy will happen MNZ but is certainly on the radAR ATM.



Half pregnant on uranium mines
Article in the Courier Mail by Steve Wardill. 23 August 2006.
Visit article at Courier Mail website

STATE Development Minister Anna Bligh has conceded Labor may support a uranium mine opening in Queensland after the state election.

The Deputy Premier yesterday told The Courier-Mail she was keeping an "open mind" towards uranium and Labor's no new mines policy.

However Ms Bligh, who is Premier Peter Beattie's anointed successor, said she was yet to be convinced that uranium's economic benefits outweighed the safety concerns.

"I am very worried about the safety issue," she said.

"Until that has been resolved, I would have a lot of concerns."

But her comments earned a rebuke from Greens spokeswoman Juanita Wheeler, who has demanded Labor come clean on its stance on uranium. She said each Labor candidate should state if they supported a uranium mine being built in their electorate.

Mr Beattie has repeatedly refused to take a stance on uranium but has asked his department to investigate the impact on the state's lucrative coal industry.




14 December 2007 - 9:44AM View all news | Send to a friend | Print


Drilling to find uranium
by LYNDSAY JAMESON






Drilling using a diamond drill rig started at the developmental project, north-west of Doomadgee in the Gulf, this week.
Premier Anna Bligh has previously told The North West Star there would be no new uranium mines in the State.

But Laramide exploration vice-president Peter Mullens said he believed Premier Bligh had an “open mind” about the prospect of uranium mining in Queensland.

“We want to show the traditional owners the potential benefits of the mine and show the State Government the potential benefits to the State,” Mr Mullens said.

“We’re working very closely with the traditional owners and have a very good relationship with them.”

He said even if the State Government gave the green light tomorrow for new uranium mines to be started, the company estimated it would take at least five years for the work to go ahead.

Before that point is reached, feasibility studies and other reports would have to be put together.

“We want to have the utmost care for the environment and adhere to world’s best practice,” he said.

He said the project’s previous owners threw out the historical drill cores and while electronic data was saved, Laramide had no physical drill cores to work with.

There is a workers’ camp at Westmoreland.

An initial 12km drill program, using a Longyear LF 70 diamond drill rig, started there this week.

The program continues the larger 30km program which started in June at two Northern Territory joint venture projects - one with NuPower Resources Limited and the other Gulf Mines Ltd.

Meanwhile, former Mount Isa MP Tony McGrady has been appointed to Laramide’s advisory board.


Uranium policy to change: Toro chairman
Email Printer friendly version Normal font Large font November 20, 2007 - 6:39PM

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Governments in Western Australia, Queensland and New South Wales are under pressure to change their anti-uranium mining policies, Toro Energy Ltd chairman Ian Gould says.

"It is clear in this changing dynamic that the anti-uranium mining policies of the WA, NSW and Queensland governments are looking increasingly anomalous, even within their own parties," Mr Gould told shareholders at the uranium explorer's annual general meeting.

"We believe there will be substantially more serious consideration of these policies, for example, leading up to the next state election in WA.

"... hopefully, the anomalous policy in WA will be normalised."

After the Australian Labor Party voted to scrap its 'no new uranium mines' policy in April at the party's conference, the NSW and WA governments stood by their anti-nuclear and anti-uranium policies.

WA Premier Alan Carpenter has said there would be no uranium mining in his state while he was leader, but uranium could power WA after its coal and gas reserves were exhausted.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has emphasised the importance of strict safety and environmental safeguards for new uranium mines, hinting she could be persuaded to allow them in the state.

All resolutions were passed at the Toro meeting, including the re-election of Oxiana Ltd managing director Owen Hegarty as a Toro director.

Shares in Toro, which recently merged with Nova Energy, dipped five cents, or 8.62 per cent, to close at 53 cents.