WA Greens Senator Scott Ludlam and Robin Chapple MLC have today questioned the EPA’s approval for preparatory works at the proposed Mulga Rock uranium mine, which is yet to be approved and currently subject to an appeal.
“Today’s approval for preparatory works at Mulga Rocks exposes the sham of the assessment and appeals process; the EPAs decision today is at odds with the intention of the Environmental Protection Act 1986,” Mr Chapple said.
“There has been serious public backlash against the project reflected in numerous appeals being lodged against the project, including from Traditional Owners and people in the local community.
“There is a race on in WA to get uranium mines approved before the State election. This ambition is ridiculous given the widespread opposition to the industry and the market conditions which are prohibitive to new mines.”
“World-wide we’re seeing uranium mines close and others put in to care and maintenance. Vimy Resources may have some political influence and big benefactors like Andrew Forrest, but none of these things will make this mine profitable or socially acceptable,” Senator Ludlam said.
“The EPA’s response to Vimy’s aggressive approach to starting this mine is not just a demonstration of a poor and non-transparent process, it is a slap in the face for the public and local community that have engaged in good faith in a process which is in essence a fait accompli.
“While the process is broken, the resolve of communities to fight this project is very much alive and well.”
For more information please contact Tim Oliver on 08 9486 8255 or 0431 9696 25
Well done to the Environmental Protection Authority for a sensible science-based recommendation against Cameco’s proposed uranium mine at Yeelirrie (Race for Yeelirrie go-ahead before election, 04/08).
It is to be hoped that the Environment Minister respects this intelligent decision and withstands any pressure from within Cabinet or the industry to override it.
If it is correct that would-be WA uranium miners are racing to get projects approved by the Barnett Government before the March State election, then it would be timely to hear from the WA ALP on their stance on this flagging, dangerous industry.
The Greens’ opposition to uranium mining is well known and consistent.
Within a State election eight months away, the electorate has a right to know if the Premier is correct when he claims that the ALP, if it won Government, would not stop a uranium mine proposal that had already been sign off by this Government.
“We are very concerned about the conflict between commonwealth approval for Tellus Holdings’ Sandy Ridge project and state legislation, as it has the capacity to include low-level and intermediate nuclear waste,” WA Greens Nuclear spokesperson Robin Chapple MLC said.
“Nuclear waste storage in Western Australia is prohibited by the ‘Nuclear Waste Storage and transportation (prohibition) Act 1999’, however this proposal could give the federal minister jurisdiction to overrule state law.
“Provision for nuclear waste storage needs to be removed from Tellus’ proposal for this project to have any kind of legitimacy in Western Australia.”
WA Greens Energy spokesperson Robin Chapple MLC has labelled Minister Marmion’s latest plug in support of uranium mining in Western Australia as ‘seriously flawed’.
“The WA Greens will not accept uranium mining in this state any more than we will accept Mr Marmion’s premise for asking us too,” Mr Chapple said.
“Contrary to Mr Marmion’s statements I’d say that the Paris Conference didn’t really lend much hope to the nuclear industry and came out strongly in support of renewable energy as the best way to tackle future energy crises and climate change.
“And, there is a whole host of other factors not being considered here. Vast amounts of concrete are used to build a nuclear reactor, one of the most energy intensive processes known to man.
“Nuclear waste must be stored for decades once it has been spent and as a producer, we would understandably be expected to share this burden.
“I think it’s unlikely there will be an increase in global demand for uranium either. The rate at which nuclear reactors are being shutdown far exceeds the rate at which they are being built and it is difficult to imagine that status quo changing.
“Uranium mining is not a small, low-impact commitment but a long term responsibility that will have implications for generations after the mine is no longer producing.”
Since 2011 the Walkatjurra Walkabout has served as an important stand against Uranium mining and Nuclear energy in Western Australia.
Comprising many concerned citizens from Australia and around the world the walkabout is just as much a celebration of country as a protest against its destruction.
The Walkatjurra community will never stop fighting because the consequences of losing are far too great.
WA Greens Nuclear spokesperson Robin Chapple MLC said Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was rubbing salt into old wounds after comments this week about possibility of storing nuclear waste in Australia.
“In 1999, Pangea Resources identified land near Cosmo Newbury as the only suitable place in Australia to store long-lived nuclear waste; By making these comments it’s reasonable to assume the Prime Minister is once again putting WA in the firing line,” Mr Chapple said.
“The management structure of Pangea still exists in a corporation called Arius and under the leadership of Charles McCombie* they have continued to target WA as a location for an international nuclear waste dump.
“I would be very interested to know if there have been any discussions between the Arius group with either Mr Turnbull or Dr Alan Finkel on the possibility of reigniting this proposal.
“I would not be surprised considering Arius made a submission in July this year to the South Australian Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission, where the notion of dumping waste in WA was floated once more.
“This is a dangerous and unnecessary industry, desperate to hide its festering waste out of sight and out of mind here.
“Both the Liberal and National parties in WA have also thrown support behind the idea over the years with now Premier Colin Barnett, a strong supporter of Uranium mining, commenting in 1999 that countries who export uranium have an obligation to dispose of that waste.
“And former National Party Leader, Brendon Grylls, calling for nuclear storage in WA to be a part of the uranium mining debate in 2008.
“I said it then, and I will say again now; the notion of storing international nuclear waste in remote WA is an affront to the traditional owner’s and cultural significance of that land that will leave us with a nuclear legacy and problem for a long, long time.”
