urg::: WA uranium policy utterly discredited: Opposition

[Len Kanaar - FoE Sydney]

ABC

Last Update: Friday, September 2, 2005. 11:19am (AEST)
WA uranium policy utterly discredited: Opposition

The Western Australian Liberal Party is alleging chinks in the 
Government's ban on uranium mining, despite being yet to decide 
whether it supports the policy.

The Opposition has come under growing pressure to take a position on 
uranium mining, with the Government this week moving a motion in 
Parliament to support its existing ban.

Opposition Leader Matt Birney says the Liberal Party will wait until 
its annual conference later this month to determine a policy.

Mr Birney says Labor has confirmed under questioning in the Senate 
that the ban only applies to mining leases granted after June 22, 
2002.

"I'm getting sick of Geoff Gallop telling anybody who will listen 
that the Labor Party have a no uranium mining policy in this state 
because either he doesn't understand his own policy or he's just 
simply telling an untruth," Mr Birney said.

Mr Birney claims there were five mining leases granted over known 
uranium deposits prior to the ban being announced.

"I would certainly like the Government to tell us what the status of 
those leases is currently, because as the law stands today you can 
mine those five leases in Western Australia," he said.

"Geoff Gallop's no uranium mining stance has now been completely and 
utterly discredited."


© 2005 Australian Broadcasting Corporation