Uranium mining, woodchipping, greenhouse linked

By Penny Law and Tony Iltis

HOBART — Around 40 people attended a film night organised by Everyone for a Nuclear Free Future (ENuFF) on November 18.

The films shown were irt Cheap, about uranium mining in the Northern Territory; Take Heart, about the anti-nuclear movement in the 1980s; and anifestations, a locally made documentary about the Tarkine Tigers' struggle to stop the Tarkine wilderness from being clear-felled by logging companies.

ENuFF is part of the national campaign against uranium mining, in particular against the Jabiluka mine in Kakadu National Park. The organisation links this issue to that of woodchipping in Tasmania's forests. North Ltd, a major woodchip exporter and beneficiary of the Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement signed earlier this month, also owns 68% of Energy Resources Australia, the company that plans to mine in Jabiluka.

Another issue being raised by ENuFF is global warming. The Australian government promotes the mining and export of uranium as an alternative to greenhouse gas emitting energy sources. Yet, as ENuFF points out, Howard also argues that Australia should have the right to unlimited increases in greenhouse gas emissions. Clear-felling is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.

ENuFF will be linking all of these issues at a march and rally for the environment on November 28 (see the listing on page 30 for details).

From GLW issue 299