The Australian Greens have criticised the Federal Government's moves towards selling uranium to the United Arab Emirates.

Greens nuclear affairs spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam said the government should publish a list of countries to which it won't sell uranium.

The Australian Greens have urged the Federal Government to reject the push by resources minister Martin Ferguson to sell uranium to India.

Greens nuclear affairs spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam said the notion that nuclear fuel should be sold to a nuclear weapons state that refused to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty was "extreme".

"The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is the cornerstone of international disarmament negotiations. India has refused to sign it, and for this reason Australia has refused to sell uranium to that country," he said.

QUESTION NUMBER 362

SENATOR LUDLAM asked the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing, upon notice, on 17 November 2010:

With reference to the resolution passed at the September 2010 Congress of the Nobel Peace Prize winning International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) in Basel, Switzerland, calling for an end to uranium mining on human rights and public health grounds stating:

Question No. 329

Senator Ludlam asked the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, upon notice, on 6 December 2010:
With reference to the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office:
(1) Has the timing for Mr Carlson's departure been determined.
(2) Can an update be provided on Mr Carlson's replacement and the recruitment process for this position.

Senator Conroy - the following answer has been provided by the Minister for Foreign Affairs to the Honourable Senator's question:

Senator Ludlam's speech on the 30 year agreement on uranium exports with the US on 9 February 2011.

The Australian Greens have called on resources Minister Martin Ferguson to make a statement to Parliament on his policy on uranium sales to India, and whether it differs from that of the Australian Government.

Greens spokesperson for nuclear affairs Senator Scott Ludlam said the Government had recently reaffirmed it would not sell uranium to a country that was not a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, but leaked documents suggested that Minister Ferguson had different plans.

The Greens have applauded the decision of the Federal Government to reject the Indian government's call for an end to Australia's ban on selling uranium to India.

Australian Greens spokesperson for nuclear affairs Senator Scott Ludlam said there should be "absolutely no contemplation" of Australia selling uranium to countries that have not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Senate Standing Committee on Economics - ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ON NOTICE Supplementary Budget Senate Estimates
Resources, Energy and Tourism Portfolio - 20 October 2010

Topic: British Nuclear Tests in South Australia

Senator Ludlam asked:

1. The Totem tests occurred at Emu Fields on 15 and 27 October 1953. Is it the case that ordinance, planes, clothing and earthmoving equipment, and other debris from the tests were sent back to Woomera for decontamination and disposal?

2. Where is the disposal site?

The Australian Greens have called on the Australian Government to properly compensate the victims of the atomic testing at Maralinga.

The Greens spokesperson for nuclear issues and legal affairs, Senator Scott Ludlam, said the hopes of Australian veterans for compensation for exposure to nuclear testing in the 1950s had been undermined by a decision of the British Court of Appeal.

Senator LUDLAM (Western Australia) (9:37 PM) - The Governor-General's speech, which this debate addresses and which was some time ago now, I found quite fascinating. It is only my second experience of an address-in-reply in my brief time here, being halfway through the term. I listened to the speech quite intently, partly because it is an expression of what the government is most proud of and because it is an indication of the agenda they are setting for the next couple of years.