Antinuclear

Who runs Australia’s foreign uranium sales policy? Foreign Affairs Dept or Martin Ferguson?

From Australian parliament Estimates Transcripts | 8th June 2011 Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade  2 June 2011

Senator LUDLAM: Can you confirm for us that the Australian government policy still precludes uranium supply to countries that lie outside the NPT framework?

Dr Floyd: The current Australian government policy is that we do not. We must have a bilateral agreement for nuclear cooperation and one of the conditions of that is that they are a member of the non-proliferation treaty.

Senator LUDLAM: Has ASNO at any time supplied any advice to any Australian government minister or the Prime Minister on a bilateral nuclear deal with India?

Dr Floyd: No, we have not.

Senator LUDLAM: I understand that resources minister, Martin Ferguson, has told the United States embassy in Canberra that a deal to supply India with nuclear fuel could be reached in three to five years. But your office has not been approached to provide advice in that regard?

Mr Paterson: We have no comment in respect of any reports relating to another minister’s communication with an embassy.

June 9, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics