Senate Standing Committee on Environment and Communications
Legislation Committee
Answers to questions on notice
Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities portfolio
Supplementary Budget Estimates, October 2012
Program: Division or Agency: 5.2: SSD Question
No:
161
Topic: Response to 2003 Senate
Committee Report
Proof Hansard Page and Date
or Written Question:
11-12
(16/10/12)

Senator Ludlam asked:

Demonstrations will be held in Perth, Adelaide, and Darwin today to mark the Annual General Meeting of the company pursuing Western Australia's first uranium mine. In the Senate, the Australian Greens will move a motion calling on Environment Minister Tony Burke to stop the clock on the project.

Greens spokesperson for nuclear policy Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam said Toro Energy's Wiluna proposal united people across the country in opposition.

The new Federal Government energy white paper is a missed opportunity and locks in obsolete and polluting energy sources, the Greens warned today.

Member for the Mining And Pastoral Region Robin Chapple MLC said the paper missed a great opportunity to promote Western Australia as a solar energy powerhouse.

The Greens have welcomed the announcement of a new solar thermal power station to be constructed near Morawa in Western Australia. 

The Solastor/Carbon Reduction Ventures consortium plans to complete the 1.5MW plant by 2014.

"The Midwest is fast developing a reputation as WA's solar hub, and this new announcement heralds the way forward for renewable energy," said Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam.

The failure of the Federal Government's mining tax to raise any revenue demonstrates the folly of Labor's capitulation to the big three mining companies, the Greens said today.

Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam said Labor should have adopted Treasury's original model or voted for the amendments the Greens moved in the Senate.

Lifting the ban on uranium mining in Queensland is the latest broken promise by Premier Newman and is another blow in the Queensland Government’s attack on the environment, the Australian Greens said today.

“Throwing open Queensland to uranium mining again is a toxic, dangerous and completely unnecessary step for the sunshine state,” Australian Greens Senator for Queensland, Larissa Waters, said.

 “It is environmentally and economically risky, and adds insult to injury after the Premier has slashed large and small scale solar power programs across the state.

WA Greens have welcomed the opening of the nation's first utility-scale solar farm, using the occasion to urge the Federal Government to keep its renewable energy target despite attacks from Premier Colin Barnett and corporate rivals from the coal and gas sector.

The Greens have warned of a poor precedent for uranium mine approvals after the State Government's gave Toro Energy's Wiluna project the go-ahead.

Greens WA spokesperson for nuclear policy Senator Scott Ludlam said the WA Environment Minister's determination on an appeal against the mine set a "dangerously low standard for uranium projects in this state".

"Now the ball is in the court of Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke. Minister Burke must intervene to prevent this half-baked scheme from going ahead.

Billionaire heir to Lang Hancock's mining empire Gina Rinehart has no idea what life is like for workers on the minimum wage, the Australian Greens said today.

Greens Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam said Ms Rinehart's desire to cut the minimum wage was "based on ignorance and a complete lack of concern for the challenges working people face in their lives".