Thursday 1^st February 2001

The Australian Democrats have condemned today’s decision by the Federal Government giving conditional approval for the mining of uranium, by the sulphuric acid in-situ leach method, at the Honeymoon mine site in the far north east of the state.

"The only responsible environmental decision is to prohibit the mining of uranium by this primitive method," says Mike Elliott, Democrats leader.

"I urge the Minister for the Environment, Senator Robert Hill, to overturn his conditional decision and close this mine down.

"Any other decision makes South Australia a guinea pig for the extraction of uranium by sulphuric acid in-situ leach mining.

"No where else in the developed world is this process used because of potential ground water pollution problems.

"Today’s decision indicates the Federal Government is willing to place the environmental future of South Australia in hock for a few pennies.

"The risks of leaving future generation a toxic legacy as a result of an accident greatly outweigh the modest financial benefits that will flow to taxpayers.

"It’s a cruel irony that the Federal Minister for the Environment, Robert Hill, A South Australian Senator, has approved the use of this primitive mining technique in his home state.

"The Liberal Party should brace itself for an electoral backlash as a result of its determination to drag South Australia further into the nuclear fuel cycle."