THE Australian Uranium Association has released the findings of a survey which it said indicates that public support in Australia is behind uranium mining and the potential of nuclear power.
The survey, commissioned by the AUA and conducted by ANOP Research Services in February and March, covered 1013 adults across Australia and their attitudes to uranium mining and nuclear power.
According to the AUA, the survey found that 50% of those surveyed supported uranium mining, while 39% were opposed and 11% were unsure. The highest level of support came from South Australia, with 55% of those surveyed in favour of uranium mining.
When asked why they supported mining, respondents said their reasons were economic and environmental, with some 75% of those surveyed indicated that they believed uranium would make a big or very big contribution to the Australian economy in the future.
Some 59% were in favour of Australian uranium being used to supply energy needs overseas.
Around 93% of those surveyed also said climate change was very or quite important and 49% thought energy from uranium would make a contribution to tackling climate change within 20 years.
Additionally, some 51% of those surveyed said they were in favour of at least some level of nuclear power, with 44% opposed.
However, according to a Newspoll survey conducted around the same time, support for a nuclear power plant built in their local area was at 25%.
"The poll shows Australians have a high level of understanding of the issues. That will encourage [the AUA] to continue to draw public opinion and its drivers to the attention of policy makers," AUA executive director Michael Angwin said.
Meanwhile, Australian Environment Foundation chairman Don Burke said the findings presented by AUA indicated that the "vast majority of Australians have shown they believe uranium mining has a place in reducing the impacts of global climate change through clean, green nuclear power generation".
"This is a significant change in the attitude of Australians in accepting the science of nuclear power generation and the contribution that can make to the environment," he added.
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