Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I understand Senator Ludlam has criticised the approval, stating that conditions for the treatment of tailings and waste rock are not at the same level as for the Ranger mine in the Northern Territory. The Ranger mine exists in a different climate and operates solely as a uranium mine. Approvals for mines are not one size fits all and it is the responsibility of the government to ensure the application of environmental conditions specific to the particular mining operation. Radiation management systems required to protect members of the public and nonhuman biota must be consistent with the Code of Practice and Safety Guide for Radiation Protection and Radioactive Waste Management in Mining and Mineral Processing, produced by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency. The radiation dose constraint for members of the public must be no more than 300 microsieverts per year. In terms of these requirements complying with ALP policy, they are entirely consistent.