Beattie upholds "no" stance to uranium mining

Rebecca LawsonMonday, 2 April 2007
QUEENSLAND Premier Peter Beattie has told media the state will uphold its uranium mining policy if the states had their say following this month's Australia Labor Party's national conference.

Queensland premier Peter Beattie.
According to media reports, the premier is still calling for an end to Labor's "no new mines" policy, however if the conference voted for states to have discretion on the controversial issue, the premier said he would not allow uranium mining in the state. "The issue remains as to whether the national conference resolution enables the states to have discretion or not," Beattie told ABC News Online."If it does then we will maintain our current position. It's really simple, it's not complicated." The apparent "sit on the fence" attitude follows last month's backflip where the premier backed down from his staunch opposition to uranium mining following a report that showed it would not threaten the state's billion-dollar coal industry. Last month, the premier told the Australian newspaper that while not excited about uranium mining, he would support it so as long as Australia traded with countries that has signed the non-proliferation treaty. "I just say to everybody don't get your knickers in a knot, just until you see the resolution of the national conference," the premier said. The ALP's national conference will take place later this month and it is widely expected the uranium mining policy will be overturned. Beattie's uranium sentiment follows that of Western Australian Premier Alan Carpenter who has acknowledged that while uranium could be a key part of the state's future energy needs, there will be no new uranium mines while he remains in the state's top job. Additionally, Prime Minister John Howard is set to tour BHP Billiton's Olympic Dam uranium mine in South Australia today. According to the Herald Sun newspaper, the prime minister will be briefed on the mine's $6 billion expansion plan, which needs approvals at both state and federal level. SA Premier Mike Rann has already given his seal of approval.
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