As the Australian Uranium Conference opens today in Perth, Senator Scott Ludlam, Australian Greens acting leader and spokesperson for nuclear issues has dubbed the industry as terminally ill.

"Renewable energy is growing at a faster rate than nuclear energy - an industry that has been dominated by disasters, cost blow outs and safety issues," Senator Ludlam said today.

"It's time the nuclear industry came to terms with the reality that a renaissance of the industry is impossible and resuscitation unlikely," Senator Ludlam said.

1)      opposes the establishment of nuclear power plants in Australia, based on the best available expert advice;

2)      recognises that the production of uranium and its use in the nuclear fuel cycle presents unique and unprecedented hazards and risks, including:

i.                     threats to human health and the local environment in the mining and milling of uranium;

ii.                   the generation of products that are usable as the raw materials for nuclear weapons manufacture; and

NOTICE OF MOTION

SENATOR LUDLAM

I give notice that on 14 November 2013 I shall move:

That the Senate notes:

1. The nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi reactor site is progressively deteriorating;

2. Australian uranium was in each of the reactors at Fukushima on 11 March 2011, and;

3. Nuclear utility TEPCO is embarking on the risky removal of more than 1500 highly irradiated fuel rods from Unit 4 of the reactor complex.

Calls on the government to

Resources and energy Minister Gary Gray has again advocated nuclear power and uranium mining, showing his loyalty to the mining industry is distorting his judgement, the Greens warned today.

While nuclear power is in retreat around the globe, advocates of clean energy had ‘Better Things To Do' than protest the Uranium Conference held in Fremantle today - attending the 'Better Things To Do' renewable energy industry breakfast.

"There's a reason the Australian Uranium Conference shrinks year on year. Nuclear power is in retreat across the globe. Electricity generation from nuclear power plants dropped by a historic seven per cent in 2012, adding to the then record drop of four per cent in 2011," said Senator Scott Ludlam.

Budget Estimates Monday 3 June 2013 - Economics Committee

Senator LUDLAM: I have three quick issues to raise in the brief time remaining. If it was not already canvassed before I got here, I understand that DRET commissioned CSIRO to prepare a report on residential energy efficiency, the residential ratings project. Has that been received by the department and when are you proposing to release it?

Mr Divall : Senator, could I just ask the name of the report you are after?

Senator LUDLAM: The residential ratings project.

"Gary Gray's loyalty to the mining industry has blinded him to the fact nuclear power in Australia makes no economic or environmental sense," Greens Senator Scott Ludlam said after the energy minister voiced support for a local nuclear power sector.

"The energy minister's declared optimism that nuclear power generation ‘issues' will ‘be attended to in a timely fashion' is unfounded. Nuclear power generation's ‘issues' are fundamental and inextricable: the only way to avoid them is to avoid nuclear power completely.

Senator LUDLAM (Western Australia) (15:49): I move:
That the Senate-
(a) notes:
(i) demonstrations will be held in Adelaide, Perth and Darwin to mark the Toro Energy Limited annual general meeting on Wednesday, 28 November 2012,
(ii) the Toro Energy Ltd uranium project near Wiluna, Western Australia is located within a lake bed that floods periodically, and
(iii) the project poses potential risk to cause extinction of flora species and the extinction of or adverse impacts to stygofauna; and
(b) calls on the Government to:

I give notice that on the next day of sitting I shall move that the Senate

Notes:

1. Demonstrations will be held in Adelaide, Perth and Darwin to mark the Toro Energy Ltd Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 28 November 2012;

2. Toro Energy Ltd uranium project near Wiluna, Western Australia is located within a lake bed that floods periodically;

3. The project poses potential risk to cause extinction of flora species and the extinction or adverse impacts to Stygofauna.

Calls on the government to:

(Question No. 1955)
Senator Ludlam asked the Minister for Resources and Energy, upon notice, on 5 July 2012:

(1) Is the Minister aware of the 29 June 2012 report (ntnews.com.au) regarding the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism, Mr Martin Hoffman, raising concerns with St. Ignatius College, Riverview, New South Wales after a boarder from Tennant Creek addressed students about the Governments plan to build a nuclear waste dump at Muckaty.