Bill to ban nuclear power stations and waste dumps in Queensland

Mines and Energy Minister Geoff Wilson introduced a Bill to Parliament today that would ban the building of nuclear power facilities anywhere in Queensland.

The Minister said the Bill would also ban nuclear enrichment plants and nuclear waste sites from being built in Queensland.

“There are big safety issues at stake here. Nuclear power stations and nuclear waste sites are a very real threat to our own safety and our environment.

“Add to that the risk of a proliferation of nuclear weapons and alarm bells should be ringing from here to Canberra,” Mr Wilson said.

The Minister said the Bill was a direct result of the Commonwealth’s recent report into uranium mining and nuclear energy which revealed that the federal government was seriously considering the introduction of nuclear power in Australia.

“And if the federal government allows the generation of nuclear power or a nuclear dumping site in Queensland, then we will let the people decide. We will hold a referendum on the issue,” Mr Wilson said.

“If they use their powers to ride roughshod over Queensland the way they did with their industrial relations reforms, we will make sure people can have a say,” he said.

The Minister said the Bill did not ban uranium mining or exploration in Queensland.

“There are exceptions if a nuclear facility is to be used for medical research and treatment. But there are no sound economic or environmental reasons to be considering nuclear power stations or nuclear waste dumps in Queensland.

“We’ve been very clear in our opposition to nuclear power stations in Queensland. We prefer to pursue clean coal technologies, renewable energy and gas, as more strategic and economically sensible options.

“Under the Howard government, a number of Queensland communities now face the very real threat of becoming home to nuclear reactors and a dumping ground for dangerous nuclear waste,” he said.

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