'Land rights - yes! Uranium - no!'

Eighty people gathered on the steps of Parliament House on August 4 to mark Hiroshima Day, chanting "Land rights — yes! Uranium — no! Johnny Howard has got to go!"

The action was organised by the Peace and Anti-Nuclear Action Coalition. State Labor MP Francis Bedford addressed the crowd, along with Sarah Gardiner, a student from the Medical Association for Prevention of War.

PANAC member Ruth Ratcliffe told Green Left Weekly that "last month's earthquake in Japan caused serious radioactive leaks at the Niigata nuclear power plant. Australian uranium exports supply many of Japan's power plants. Most likely, radioactive waste and water that has now contaminated the sea in Japan comes from one of Australia's uranium mines. We need to stop the nuclear chain and that means campaigning until Olympic Dam, Beverley and Ranger mines are all closed down."

From GLW issue 720