Minority Report by Senator Dee Margetts and Senator Meg Lees

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 The majority report of the Committee is fundamentally flawed because it is based, not on the evidence presented to the Committee, but on the premise that Australia's uranium mining industry should be expanded in line with the current government's policy. The Report therefore overlooks or derides much of the evidence put to the Committee which casts doubt over the advisability of Australia continuing to mine and export uranium. Similarly the Committee failed to give those who had concerns about uranium mining the same access to the Committee as it gave to the proponents of mining.

1.2 The Report also takes an extremely narrow approach to the Committee's terms of reference in an attempt to ignore issues which the proponents of uranium mining would rather pretend did not exist. It is ridiculous to pretend, as the majority Report does, that once uranium leaves these shores the radioactive waste produced from it does not exist. While Australia may not have any legal obligations in respect of that waste it certainly has a moral obligation to consider how the waste from Australian sourced material can be dealt with.

1.3 For these reasons we have felt compelled to prepare a lengthy minority report which properly sets out some of the evidence overlooked or undervalued in the majority report. Once this material is properly considered it becomes evident that Australia should halt the mining and milling of uranium in this country. Despite some technological advances over recent decades, and some improvements in mining techniques and the attitudes of mining companies, it is still not possible for Australia's uranium to be mined, used, and disposed of safely. Until this happens the only ethical thing for Australia to do is to close down this industry.

1.4 Unfortunately, given the shortsighted and expedient approach taken by Australia's two major political parties to this issue, it is more likely that mining will be expanded than curtailed. In light of this we have made some recommendations in this minority report which are aimed at ameliorating the harm done to Australia by continuing this deadly trade.