Uranium mining in Western Australia’s still dubious despite Labor’s new wishy washy policy
Uranium miners fear uncertainty despite Labor policy change, SMH, Rania Spooner January 24, 2012 –The company likely to become WA’s first uranium miner has welcomed a significant change in WA Labor’s policy on uranium mining, but warned the fledgling industry still faced plenty of uncertainty.
Within hours of taking over WA Labor yesterday, Opposition leader Mark McGowan announced the party would pull away from its pledge to shut down any approved uranium project if elected next year.
Mr McGowan said WA Labor remained against uranium mining and would not approve any new applications, but the change in policy meant the state would not be open to compensation claims.
Applications only part way through the approvals process would not be allowed to continue under a Labor government.
One or two miners are so advanced in the approval process that they are likely to get the nod before the March, 2013 election.
One of those is South Australia-based Toro Energy, which is among a handful of uranium hopefuls to have pursued WA deposits since the Colin Barnett government lifted the state’s long-standing ban in November 2008…….
Greens nuclear affairs spokesman and Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam condemned the policy “backflip”, saying Labor couldn’t “have it both ways” on uranium.
“It is a dangerous, toxic industry that operates to provide fuel to the dangerous, toxic nuclear energy sector. If Labor is opposed to uranium mining they should make their position clear,” Senator Ludlum said in a statement.
“Mr McGowan has spoken of providing certainty to the industry.
“It is far better to let the nuclear industry know it is certain they have no future in Western Australia.”..
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of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 
Few remember McGowan’s sabotage of Geoff Gallop’s Core Consultative Committee on Hazardous Waste (3Cs) a committee dedicated to reforming the hazardous waste industry, protecting public health and a fragile biodiversity.
Remember the Bellevue chemical fire at a hazardous waste plant, allegedly the largest chemical fire in Australia’s history? The disgraceful mismanagement of the Brookdale hazardous waste plant? The lead poisoning of Esperance and the destruction of 9,500 native birds by Magellan Metals? The 400 strong protest march in Kalgoorlie against the foulness of Total Waste Management, operating just 500 metres from a restaurant and a fuel station?
Industry, lobbyists of the haz. waste industry (including Burke and Grill) and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry were jubilant when McGowan sacked the 3Cs without explanation in November 2006.
It will come to pass when the people of WA will understand that both Barnett and McGowan are the dancing boys of industry – both wear the same hat in the environmentally desecrated state of WA which has 85,000 abandoned and toxic mine sites.
December 8th, 2011: “No Labor minister or public servant responsible to a Labor minister will issue any approval to facilitate a uranium mining project under a WA Labor government. It does not matter how advanced the projects are. I’m putting the industry on notice. You won’t have your final approvals by the time of the next election and they will not be granted if WA Labor is elected.” (Eric Ripper)
The duplicitous McGowan speaks with forked tongue. Be afraid, be very afraid.
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