Senator LUDLAM (Western Australia) (19:07): I rise to speak briefly on an issue that is very close to my heart and an issue that in many ways brought me into this chamber in the first place. The day before yesterday I woke up at a rock pool about 20 kilometres from Wiluna in the north-east goldfields of Western Australia to see off about 100 people who are taking part in the walk against uranium mining. Just the sheer logistics of getting a hundred people to Wiluna in the first place was quite an extraordinary feat.

Western Australians will begin a one thousand-kilometre protest march against uranium mining this Sunday 21 August.

Australian Greens nuclear affairs spokesperson, Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam, will join the ‘Walk Away From Uranium Mining' on Sunday as it begins the long journey from Wiluna to Perth.

"This is an extraordinary moment for our state and for the future. The nuclear industry is in decline around the world and public awareness of the dangers of uranium mining and nuclear power is growing.

Questions over potential Australian action on Burma's alleged nuclear program have remained unanswered by the Government for 250 days, the Australian Greens said today.

Senator Scott Ludlam put the questions on notice to the Minister representing the Foreign minister in the Senate chamber in December last year.

Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Thursday 2 June 2011

CHAIR: Thank you, Senator Trood. I think we should now go on to Senator Ludlam. You are on non-proliferation, Senator Ludlam?

Senator LUDLAM: I think I will probably direct most of my questions to Mr Floyd. Before I get into detail perhaps you might provide us with what your current work plan is and what is occupying most of your time.

The Government has invented a new reason to avoid answering questions in Senate Estimates hearings today, refusing to address topics relating to leaked documents.

"The Government has set an arbitrary and dangerous precedent based on nothing more than discomfort at revelations in successive WikiLeaks disclosures," Greens Senator Scott Ludlam said today.

Finance and Administration Committee Thursday 26 May 2011

The Federal Government's Future Fund is clearly violating its own policies and cutting across Australia's international legal obligations by investing in companies that manufacture nuclear weapons, the Australian Greens said today.

Under questioning in Senate estimates hearings this morning, the Acting General Manager and Chief Investment Officer of the Future Fund disclosed that the Fund had not sought legal advice before defending its $135.4 million investment in nuclear weapons manufacturers.

Question No. 328

Senator Ludlam asked the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, upon notice, on 6 December 2010:

Question No. 335

PERTH RALLY: 2:30 - 4:30pm WST Tuesday April 26, 2011 - Forest Place Perth

On the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the Australian Greens have renewed demands for a phase-out of uranium mining and nuclear power.

Greens nuclear affairs spokesperson, Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam, said the Chernobyl catastrophe was classified as a level 7 event on the International Nuclear Event Scale - the same classification given to the Fukushima nuclear disaster now unfolding in Japan.