Yet here is the front page of today Australian, which i tend to think is murdoch beat up, as he did throw his weight behind the Libs in this election, and we probaly all noticed that the electioneering has not really stopped, however stories like this require consideration.
Greens fight Labor on uranium
* Andrew Burrell and Sid Maher * From: The Australian * September 14, 2010 12:00AM
Australia has the world's largest uranium reserves, and scores of projects are being planned to meet rising global demand for nuclear power. Most are in Western Australia, including BHP Billiton's Yeelirrie deposit, which could be worth up to $US16.5 billion ($18bn) over its 30-year mine life.
Resources Minister Martin Ferguson yesterday signalled the government would stand firm against the Greens on the issue.
"Australian Labor Party policy allows the development of new uranium mines in Australia subject to the strictest safety and environmental standards and exports only to countries that are signatories to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and have a bilateral safeguards agreement with Australia," Mr Ferguson said.
"I fully expect the uranium industry, including in Western Australia, to continue to expand."
But referring to the Greens' right under its alliance with the Gillard government to raise any issues directly with ministers, Senator Ludlam said he would also be seeking to phase out Australia's three existing uranium mines as soon as possible and put a halt to exports.
"We don't believe another kilogram of this material should come out of the ground," he said. "It is one of the most volatile and destructive trades that there is."
Senator Ludlam said the Greens' strong election result - and its Senate balance-of-power role from next July - had strengthened its push to ban uranium mining and stop a nuclear power industry emerging in Australia. "If the uranium industry is feeling nervous about the fact that 1.7 million Australians voted for that explicit position, then they should feel nervous," he said.
Chris Davis, the chief executive of Perth-based uranium hopeful Energy and Minerals Australia, said he was concerned about the Greens' rising influence at a time he was seeking to develop the company's Mulga Rock deposit in WA. "This is extreme arrogance from the Greens - they are trying to hold Australia hostage to their ideological agenda," he said.
The Australian revealed yesterday that new Climate Change Minister Greg Combet had pledged continued support for the coalmining industry despite Labor's alliance with the Greens, which helped it secure minority government.
Senator Ludlam admitted the Greens did not have the power to directly block uranium mining applications brought under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, but said the party could lobby ministers under the alliance and make its own submissions opposing environmental clearances.
He would take an "active interest" in stopping BHP's Yeelirrie project as well as the Kintyre mine being planned by a joint venture of Cameco and Japan's Mitsubishi, which submitted its application for environmental approval just last week.
At current prices, the Kintrye deposit is worth $US4bn.
"I will be doing everything I can, with the position that we have, to make sure that project (Kintyre) does not go ahead," he said.
Senator Ludlam said he was opposed to the planned $20bn expansion of BHP's Olympic Dam mine, the world's largest uranium deposit.
But he said the mining giant should investigate whether the mine could be expanded purely as a gold and copper project.
Kintyre project managing director Ron Matthews did not respond to requests for comment and BHP, which is planning to begin the environmental approvals process for Yeelirrie soon, declined to comment.
Australian Uranium Association chief executive Michael Angwin said he expected Labor to continue to support the expansion of the industry as it had done since it abolished its "no new mines" policy in 2007. But he had written to Julia Gillard seeking an assurance that the alliance with the Greens would not damage the industry.
Mr Wilkie also said he was opposed to the expansion of the industry, which is forecast to export $1.7bn worth of uranium a year by 2013. "Talking nuclear generally, I'm not in favour of nuclear power for Australia. And I am not in favour of an expansion of our uranium industry or exporting," Mr Wilkie said.
Mr Wilkie said he thought the community was comfortable with the current levels of uranium mining in Australia but did not want to go beyond that.
"I do sense that there is a consensus of sorts in the community about our current level of activity in the industry with limited mining, running a single reactor at Lucas Heights for research and medical purposes and not moving beyond where we are at. "
Mr Wilkie said he would support any moves by the Greens to block further expansions but he was "a little more moderate".
"I can live with what we are doing but I don't want to see anything more," he said.
However, Mr Ferguson said he could "absolutely" give certainty to the uranium industry despite the Greens' position and Labor remained committed to its expansion. New uranium mines did not require additional legislation to be able to proceed.
North Queensland independent Bob Katter said he supported uranium mining and he called on the Greens to "live in the real world".
"If the Greens want to be mainstream and making decisions, then they've got to do it from a logical and responsible base," he said.
South Australian Treasurer Kevin Foley described the Greens' opposition to expanding Olympic Dam in the state's far north as unrealistic.
Opposition resources spokesman Ian Macfarlane said it remained to be seen if the Labor Party had the strength and courage to resist the pressure from the Greens.
He said he believed the Greens would also push to have the uranium industry included in the mining tax given Greens leader Bob Brown's comments during the election campaign that he supported the original 40 per cent tax and coverage of all industries.
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