Antinuclear

Queensland’s Premier Newman breaks promise to keep ban on uranium mining

No apology for dumping Uranium mining ban on 2nd anniversary of election of the Newman Government   Mark Bailey Keep Queensland Nuclear Free 24 March 2014 http://www.mysunshinecoast.com.au/articles/article-display/no-apology-for-dumping-uranium-mining-ban-on-2nd-anniversary-of-election-of-the-newman-government,33604?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=MSC_Feed#.UzNVFahdV9U With the second anniversary of the Newman government this week, it is timely to note there has been no apology from Premier Newman for dumping his promise to Queenslanders before the last election to keep the ban on uranium mining in Queensland.

Premier Newman was explicit when he said;

“We have no plans and that’s as clear as I can be. The parliamentary team are very, very clear that we have no plans to develop any sort of uranium mines in Queensland.” ABC  16 Nov 2011

Yet, two years on there is less than 100 days left until dirty and dangerous uranium mines are made legal by the Newman government with approval power likely to be handed to them by the Abbott Federal Government.The safety record of uranium mining in Australia has been appalling with over 200 recorded safety incidents at Ranger mine, which is still shut down after a toxic spill last year of a million litres of radioactive slurry.

Not a single closed uranium mine in Australia has been successfully rehabilitated to this day with the last mine at Mary Kathleen a toxic mess to this day.

Queenslanders do not want the risk of radioactive contamination of their waterways, from truck accidents near their homes and schools and they certainly don’t want uranium being exported across the Great Barrier Reef.The Newman state government should suspend their dumping of the twenty-three year ban on uranium mining forthwith and conduct an independent enquiry into all implications of allowing uranium mining in our state so that communities, schools and existing industries can have their say in this far reaching decision.

March 26, 2014 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, Queensland, uranium