Friends of the Earth Brisbane
Anti-Nuclear Collective
Member Queensland Nuclear Free Alliance (QNFA)
PO Box 5702 West End Qld 4101

Nuclear Free Queensland
PO Box 5829
West End Q 4101
mbl. 0411 118 737

www.nuclearfreequeensland.org

Media Release August 31, 2006

No promises: Labor remains silent on uranium

Premier Beattie’s environmental promises, made today as Labor officially launched its election campaign, fail to address one of Australia’s most environmentally significant and contentious issues - uranium mining.

Uranium mining requires vast amounts of water which it renders radioactive and unusable. Left in dams or pumped back in to the ground, uranium tailings threaten the environment and surrounding communities for thousands of years.

While Queensland Labor currently has a “no mines” policy, it has indicated that this may change after the election.

“We believe it is the community’s right to know where the party stands before we go to the polls on September 9,” states Friends of the Earth spokesperson Robin Taubenfeld.

“Premier Beattie has been continuously challenged to clarify the party's position. He has, so far, failed to do so.

Today's silence on the issue is a further indication that Labor is vacillating on the issue.”

Uranium miners are tipping that the policy will change.

Earlier today, Summit Resources, who has exploration tenements in the Mt Isa region, announced another $20million investment in uranium exploration. Earlier this week, Canadian mining company, Mega Uranium, also announced commencement of drilling programs in its Georgetown Project, northwest of Charters Towers.

“The public must wonder if the mining companies know something that we don’t,” Ms. Taubenfeld continues.

“It appears that the industry is gearing up to go. Any Labor support for the uranium industry, however, flies in the face of commitment to protecting our environment.

We call on Premier Beattie to ensure that Queensland’s water will be safe for future generations, and that our community and environment will be free from unnecessary radioactive risk.

The only way to do this is to rule out uranium mining now.”

For more information:

Friends of the Earth Brisbane, Robin Taubenfeld 0411 118 737