Barry Wakelin (Grey, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources. Would the minister detail the importance of the uranium industry to Australia? Is the minister aware of alternative policies?

Ian Macfarlane (Groom, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Grey for his question and for his strong support of not only the resources sector but particularly the uranium sector. He has been a staunch supporter also of the expansion of Olympic Dam to give South Australia some real opportunities. The uranium sector is making an important and growing contribution to Australia’s economy. According to Geoscience Australia figures, uranium exports are now worth some $573 million. With more than 40 per cent of the world’s low-cost reserves, Australia is uniquely placed to supply even more of the world’s uranium needs, and this government is working hard to see that realised, provided of course that the appropriate non-proliferation, safety and environmental safeguards are in place.

While this government is providing a clear position on uranium mining, the same cannot be said for those who sit on the other side. The member for Grayndler says that Labor has ‘essentially an anti-uranium position’ and that there is no change needed to the no new mines policy that Labor has. The member for Hunter, though, has a far more enlightened approach, describing the same policy as ‘silly’, ‘illogical’ and ‘contrary to our economic interests’. The member for Batman, of course, is well known on this issue. He says, ‘We can’t pretend we’re half pregnant on uranium’—a position supported I see today by the heir apparent, the union leader Bill Shorten.

In a situation where we need courage and strong leadership—the sort of courage and strong leadership we are seeing from this government—it is situation normal from the Leader of the Opposition, who is unable to make a decision and says in relation to uranium issues, ‘They’re not urgent matters before us now.’ That view is not even shared by those who sit on his side of this parliament. The member for Batman says, ‘People thinking we can put off those debates until we win government are just stupid.’ That raises the question: is the Leader of the Opposition’s policy on uranium based on stupidity or just the usual lack of ticker?