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

That is an entirely sensible ruling, Deputy President. In conclusion, I quote a friend of mine and a great campaigner, Dave Sweeney from ACF: 'On a good day Australian uranium becomes nuclear waste and on a bad day it becomes fallout.' Right now that is fallout across Japan's Pacific coast. It has shattered the farming industry and the fishing industry, it has destroyed horticulture and it has led to the evacuation of 150,000 people. I used to wonder how the Australian government would react if uranium from Kakadu and uranium from central South Australia was blasted all across the landscape, forcing mass evacuations, destroying industries and destroying lives. Now I do not have to wonder because I know what the reaction is. People avoid eye contact. They shuffle their feet. They will not discuss it anymore. They pretend it is not our problem, and it is our problem. It is time we got out of this industry once and for all.