Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

You are? That is great. This motion relates to some announcements from the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory yesterday relating to the Angela Pamela uranium proposal, which is about 20 kilometres from Alice Springs, that were followed shortly afterwards by Mr Terry Mills, who is the leader of the Territory Country Liberal Party, that there is now cross-party support—ALP, CLP and Greens—in the Northern Territory, responding to longstanding community opposition to the Angela Pamela uranium mine on the outskirts of Alice. What this motion really seeks to do is draw out from the Gillard government as to whether the wishes of the Central Australian community would be respected or not, as the Rudd government assumed overarching responsibility for signing off uranium mines in the Territory. It is quite clearly within the power of the Gillard government to override the cross-party opposition to the uranium mine, which reflects a strong community sentiment. In the context of a by-election which is playing out in Central Australia at the moment, I do not think it is unreasonable for both the government and the opposition to put some kind of comment on the record if they believe a motion in the Senate is too much of a blunt instrument. I would invite comment on this.