Beattie: Don't sweep Qld uranium mining under the carpet!

QLD NUCLEAR FREE ALLIANCE
Media Release
Monday 24 April 2006

³While Premier Beattie would like to see the prospect of opening uranium
mines in QLD vetoed in his own party, we in the community are calling for an
open debate!² claimed Dr Rachel Darken, spokesperson for the Queensland
Nuclear Free Alliance (QNFA)

³The QNFA represents the interests of many thousands of people in our
community who oppose uranium mining as the beginning of a dangerous cycle
taking our resources into nuclear power stations in our region² stated Dr
Darken.

³This week is the 20 year anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster and it is
wise to reflect on the possibility of such an incident in our own region²

Dr Darken addressed a summit of the Alliance over the weekend and went on to
say Australians have every right to be concerned about the mining of uranium
and its consequent problems of waste storage, transport and security as well
as the current use of uranium waste ore in so called Œdepleted¹ uranium
weapons.

³I would like to know how much of the 2000 tonnes of Œdepleted¹ uranium now
dispersed over Iraq came out of Australian mines?² asked Dr Darken.

³We want this issue debated at the Queensland ALP conference and not swept
under the carpet!² said Dr Darken

³We applaud Deputy Premier Anna Bligh for her comments recently where she
expressed her opposition to uranium mining, and the QLD Greens for making it
a state election issue²

³Nuclear power is neither clean nor green and is economically a disaster.
Contrary to the propaganda of the nuclear industry it is NOT a solution to
global warming. Leave it in the ground Mr Beattie!²

Dr Rachel Darken is the current Vice President of the Medical Association
for the Prevention of War(MAPW) and a spokesperson for the QNFA

The QLD Nuclear Free Alliance represents a range of environmental, peace and
justice organizations including Just Peace QLD, MAPW, Women¹s International
League for Peace and Freedom, Friends of the Earth QLD, QLD Greens,
Democrats, and a range of interested individuals.

The Alliance works towards the eradication of the nuclear industry and
opposes uranium mining and military/industrial uses. It supports socially
and environmentally sustainable alternatives.

Contact details
Dr Rachel Darken 
0417 182 325

[Peace Convergence is a member of the QNFA]
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Peace Convergence
e: info@peaceconvergence.com
w: www.peaceconvergence.com
m: 0432 563 967

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