Australia's Northern Territory Environment Centre - one of the key collaborators in the former Movem

Australia's Northern Territory Environment Centre - one of the key collaborators in the former Movement against Uranium Mining (MAUM) - has declared its oppostion to plans for a new uranium mine in Western Australia.

Environmentalists to campaign against new uranium mine

http://www.abc.net.au/news/items/200503/1328238.htm?central

21 March 2005

The Northern Territory Environment Centre is campaigning against plans by a Western Australian mining company to develop a new uranium mine in central Australia.

The Deep Yellow company announced plans last week to conduct tests for uranium at Napperby Station, 150 kilometres north-west of Alice Springs.

But the Environment Centre's Peter Robertson says no more uranium mines should be established in the Territory after recent contamination problems in Kakadu.

"I mean we've got enough trouble in the Territory dealing with the one we have at the moment, the Ranger uranium mine," he said.

"That's caused enormous problems over many years, it's still an unresolved issue.

"There's going to be a huge cleanup job at Ranger that's going to have to be conducted over the next five to 10 years and we believe that to open another uranium mine in this situation would be totally irresponsible."

The managing director of Deep Yellow, James Pratt, says any mine at the site would be subject to federal and territory government approvals.

He says the company would not go ahead with the plan without community support.

"If we do end up mining we would want that to be of benefit to the local community and to central Australia and we would want to consult with anybody who is involved with the process," Mr Pratt said.