The Minister avoids directly answering whether environmental approval will be granted for uranium mining leases, stating the Labor government's policy is that uranium will not be mined under their leadership and criticising the opposition's stance.

AnsweredQoN 758Legislative Assembly
Asked
23 November 2005
Portfolio
Environment

QuestionView source ↗

Given that five uranium mining leases were granted and are current in Western Australia, will the minister confirm that she will grant environmental approval for uranium mining to the mining companies that hold those leases if they are able to comply with all necessary environmental regulations and the laws of this state? Dr J.M. EDWARDS

AnswerView source ↗

I do not know whether it has escaped the notice of the Leader of the Opposition, but this side of the house has a policy on uranium mining. It took us a long time to determine what was the opposition’s policy, and the opposition certainly does not have a coalition policy. The member for Merredin has spoken about spent nuclear fuel rods being imported into the state. What a joke! The member for Avon has said that hazardous and industrial waste cannot be located in his electorate, yet the leader of his own party has said that we should bring to Western Australia all the spent uranium in the world from nuclear power plants. What a joke! On the other side of the Parliament is a party that is absolutely into the mining of uranium and nuclear power. Its members spoke at the party’s state conference about considering the use of nuclear power. The party on this side of the house has a very clear policy: under Labor, uranium will not be mined.
Dr J.M. EDWARDS replied: I do not know whether it has escaped the notice of the Leader of the Opposition, but this side of the house has a policy on uranium mining. It took us a long time to determine what was the opposition’s policy, and the opposition certainly does not have a coalition policy. The member for Merredin has spoken about spent nuclear fuel rods being imported into the state. What a joke! The member for Avon has said that hazardous and industrial waste cannot be located in his electorate, yet the leader of his own party has said that we should bring to Western Australia all the spent uranium in the world from nuclear power plants. What a joke! On the other side of the Parliament is a party that is absolutely into the mining of uranium and nuclear power. Its members spoke at the party’s state conference about considering the use of nuclear power. The party on this side of the house has a very clear policy: under Labor, uranium will not be mined.
I do not know whether it has escaped the notice of the Leader of the Opposition, but this side of the house has a policy on uranium mining. It took us a long time to determine what was the opposition’s policy, and the opposition certainly does not have a coalition policy. The member for Merredin has spoken about spent nuclear fuel rods being imported into the state. What a joke! The member for Avon has said that hazardous and industrial waste cannot be located in his electorate, yet the leader of his own party has said that we should bring to Western Australia all the spent uranium in the world from nuclear power plants. What a joke! On the other side of the Parliament is a party that is absolutely into the mining of uranium and nuclear power. Its members spoke at the party’s state conference about considering the use of nuclear power. The party on this side of the house has a very clear policy: under Labor, uranium will not be mined.

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