Claims in the Kalgoorlie Miner today by uranium proponents that ‘stringent’ health and safety measures will apply to proposed uranium mines in Western Australia's Goldfields are alarmingly without basis, Green Senator for WA Scott Ludlam says.

“Since the 2003 cross-party Senate Inquiry that found a “pattern of underperformance and non-compliance” with environmental regulations at Australia’s existing uranium mines, there has been no indication that standards have improved,” Senator Ludlam said.

Nuclear proponents are playing down the vast environmental impacts and health risks of allowing a uranium mine in WA, the Australian Greens say.

“The latest proposal by BHP Billiton for a mine at Yeelirie, 550 kilometres east of Geraldton, would employ at most 700 people for a period of two years, after which the proponents say it would employ less half that number, all of whom will be fly-in, fly-out,” Greens Nuclear Spokesman Senator Scott Ludlam said.