McHugh launches new uranium booklet

SYDNEY — Federal Labor MP Jeanette McHugh on August 17 launched a new edition of the popular resource booklet Uranium Mining in Australia.

McHugh said the booklet, first published in 1984 by the Movement Against Uranium Mining (MAUM), is expected to again become a cornerstone of the uranium debate. The booklet is edited by Steve Broadbent and Claire Gerson of MAUM following extensive original research by John Hallam of Friends of the Earth.

Hallam said that it decisively counters arguments that uranium is a future economic bonanza with environmental and health problems all but solved.

"MAUM's booklet examines the economic, environmental and health issues of uranium and focusses most notably on Australia, Canada and former East Germany", he said.

"Markets are likely to remain depressed with both 'spot' and 'contract' prices so low that new mines make economic nonsense. Australia's Olympic Dam is already only able to sell 60% of its product and must stockpile the rest."

The booklet shows that there is a real possibility of Australian uranium entering the international weapons cycle, despite Australian government policy.

"The booklet singles out the practice of 'flag-swapping' as particularly dangerous", he said. "Country of origin and safeguards labels are stripped from Australian shipments to enable their use in a manner that violates Australia's safeguards rules." Contact MAUM on (02) 212 4538 for your copy.

From GLW issue 24