uranium. qld labor, radio interview

QUEENSLAND LABOR SOFTENS STAND ON URANIUM

STATE LABOR MP TONY McGRADY, WHOSE WESTERN QUEENSLAND ELECTORATE INCLUDES SOME OF THE COUNTRY'S RICHEST URANIUM DEPOSITS, HAS LONG BEEN OPPOSED TO URANIUM MINING BUT NOW HE SAYS IT IS TIME TO DEBATE THE ISSUE.

HON. TONY McGRADY, THE STATE LABOR MEMBER FOR MOUNT ISA, FORMER MINISTER FOR RESOURCES AND MINING AND NOW SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE IN QUEENSLAND

INTERVIEWED BY ABC RADIO TODAY

RESTATES THE CURRENT POSITION OF THE STATE LABOR GOVERNMENT NOT TO APPROVE NEW URANIUM MINES

HOWEVER McGRADY ALSO STATES ON URANIUM MINING
"....in politics things don't stand still and things change from time to time. We've had some major trade unions come out in favour of uranium mining, we had others who are saying: over our dead body. So the debate has taken place, and in a democracy that's what it's all about."

and when asked "that in the past (Queensland Labor government's position on uranium mining) it was pretty much a definite no?"

McGrady responds:

"Well it was a definite ‘no’ – well when I say definite ‘no’ the Queensland Government has a policy that there will be no mining of uranium in Queensland – mining or processing of uranium – but nothing stands still in life and people are entitled to come forward with different views, and I think we have to take them into account."

and on Federal Labor's position:

"wouldn’t say there’s pressure, there’s no pressure that I’m aware of, but I understand Martin Ferguson who has influence in the Parliamentary Labor Party he’s come out and he’s a supporter of uranium mining. And that’s fine, that’s what a healthy party – a healthy government – does, you debate the issues."


ABC National Rural News

MP seeks uranium mining debate

Wednesday, 19/10/2005

The Queensland Government appears to be softening its stance on uranium mining.

The Labor Party's national three-mine policy opposed further uranium mining and that recently prompted the Federal Government to take control of uranium mining in the Northern Territory.

State Labor MP Tony McGrady, whose western Queensland electorate includes some of the country's richest uranium deposits, has long been opposed to uranium mining but now he says it is time to debate the issue.

A Full copy of the transcript of the ABC Radio interview is:

Transcript


Station:
ABC Western Queensland
Date:
19/10/2005

Program:
Rural Report
Time:
06:24 AM

Compere:
Scott Barrett
Summary ID:
B00019614908

Item:
Scott Barrett reports that the possible uranium mine in the north west debate has again raised itself as China shows strong interest in future exploration in Aust.

Interviewees: Tony McGrady, Labor Min

COMPERE: Are we getting closer to having a uranium mine in the north-west? The debate has again raised itself as China has shown strong interest in future exploration in Australia.

Local State Member, Labor Minister, Tony McGrady, has strongly opposed uranium mining in the past but now acknowledges some change in attitudes regarding mining, and welcomes any debate on the issue.

TONY McGRADY: The reality is that at the present time the Queensland Government’s position is that we will not – we will not – allow the mining or the processing of uranium in Queensland.

Now I recently visited some of the European capitals and there was a general feeling among some of the green groups and the conservation groups who had previously been totally opposed to uranium mining for numerous reasons. However they made it clear to me that they were rethinking their attitude on uranium mining because they had to make a decision as to which was the worst, either coal with its greenhouse gas emissions or nuclear energy.

I also had some discussions – private discussions – with people who are considered by some to be the leaders of the green movement, and they’ve admitted to me that that debate is taking place. But I think whenever you mention uranium it does provoke fears in the minds of some people.

So by all means let’s have the debate about whether or not we should allow uranium mining in Queensland. Some of the other states which have Labor Governments they allow uranium mining, and we also had uranium mining taking place at our doorstep at Mary Kathleen which finished, I think, in 1974.

But in politics things don’t stand still and things change from time to time. We’ve had some major trade unions come out in favour of uranium mining, we’ve had others who are saying: over our dead body. So the debate has taken place, and in a democracy that’s what it’s all about.

COMPERE: Is it fair to say, then, there’s starting to be, I guess, a bit of a softening on the stand, we’re now prepared to listen to the debate where in the past it was pretty much a definite ‘no’, wasn’t it?

McGRADY: Well it was a definite ‘no’ – well when I say definite ‘no’ the Queensland Government has a policy that there will be no mining of uranium in Queensland – mining or processing of uranium – but nothing stands still in life and people are entitled to come forward with different views, and I think we have to take them into account.

COMPERE: Has there been, and is there pressure from the Federal Labor Party to reopen this debate?

McGRADY: I wouldn’t say there’s pressure, there’s no pressure that I’m aware of, but I understand Martin Ferguson who has influence in the Parliamentary Labor Party he’s come out and he’s a supporter of uranium mining. And that’s fine, that’s what a healthy party – a healthy government – does, you debate the issues.

COMPERE: How realistic is a vision of a uranium mine in Mount Isa or near Mount Isa sometime in the future?

McGRADY: Oh, look, we’ve had one organisation which I understand has some leases outside of Mount Isa, they on an annual basis make noises. The reality is that they understand that the government will, if they decide to change their policy, so be it. But the reality is that I don’t think it’s going to happen overnight, there’ll have to be a debate within the community, within the parliament, within the parties – the various parties – and I think that doesn’t happen overnight.

The reality is, though, that the debate obviously has started and bring on the debate because I think it’s important that you and everybody else has their say. It shouldn’t be left to decisions being made behind closed doors. I’m not suggesting that is the case but I think it is so important that the community should be encouraged to have a point of view on this.

COMPERE: Local Labor Minister, Tony McGrady, talking about the possibilities of uranium mining in the north-west.


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