Uranium enrichment not top priority, says Switkowski


The head of Australia's Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Ziggy Switkowski, says uranium enrichment is feasible in Australia but that nuclear power should be a higher priority.
Dr Switkowski also led the Prime Minister's taskforce inquiry into uranium and nuclear industries and he says if enrichment were legalised in Australia, it could be a decade before any plant is up and running.
The private company, Nuclear Fuel Australia, is planning to present a uranium enrichment feasibility plan to the Government.
Dr Switkowski says there is already enough enrichment capacity in the world to meet foreseeable needs.
"I think the higher priorities are indeed to lift the limitations on uranium mining and export which I think we now have bi-partisan support around, and then to have a debate and move to the next step of deploying nuclear reactors around the country," he said.