MAPW explodes arguments for uranium sales

MAPW Vice President Dr Margaret Beavis, in a letter published in today's Australian, notes the flaws in Stephen Loosley's opinion piece urging the ALP to approve uranium sales to India. Dr Beavis writes:

In the national interest?

Stephen Loosley (Australian 5/9) is loose with his information on uranium sales. How can India's record in non proliferation be exemplary, when it is in a nuclear arms race with Pakistan? Our uranium frees up other uranium for weapons manufacture.

Claiming increasing uranium sales is in the national interest is very dubious. Currently there is 100 million litres of contaminated water from the Ranger mine, sitting in a dam upstream from the Mirrar people and the Kakadu wetlands. BHP's Olympic Dam expansion is about to be given exemption from SA laws, including environment protection, aboriginal heritage and tellingly even freedom of information. The Great Artesian Basin is at risk.

Increasing uranium sales is clearly in the interests of the mining companies, but for the rest of us, the result is more pollution and a less safe world.

Loosley's piece argued that "the most important decision confronting Labor's December conference is to liberalise the party's antiquated policy on uranium exports, to permit Australian miners to supply India". He was described by the Australian as a former ALP national president and senator. No mention was made of his 2008 appointment as Board Member of Thales Australia. Thales is one of the worlds largest weapon-producing companies.

Thales is working on the production of new French nuclear missiles, and supplies parts and services to nuclear power companies in the UK.

• Read Loosley's article