Beattie is a clownOne month ago Beattie was in favor of new uranium mines in Queensland.
He was worried about the coal industry (a clean industry huh?)
Now he says no new mines. When is this clown up for re-election?
He sounds like a New York State politician.
Beattie backflips on uranium mining
23rd March 2007, 12:15 WST
Queensland Premier Peter Beattie has reversed his strong opposition to uranium mining and now says he will support it in his state.
A spokesman for the premier, who is on a trade mission to Africa, said Mr Beattie had backed away from his previous position after his government received a report showing uranium mining would not threaten Queensland's coal industry.
His change of position sparked calls from Federal Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane for WA Premier Alan Carpenter to follow suit and drop the State's long-held opposition to uranium mining.
Mr Beattie is now expected to support an end to Labor's no new mines policy at the ALP national conference next month on the condition that it is only sold to countries that have signed the non-proliferation treaty.
Queensland is estimated to have up to $3.2 billion in uranium deposits.
Mr Beattie has been a staunch defender of Labor's policy not to allow more uranium mines because it would threaten the coal industry.
The Queensland Government also recently introduced legislation banning nuclear facilities.
But a report commissioned by the government from the University of Queensland's Sustainable Minerals Institute has found uranium mining, and nuclear power, pale in comparison to the global demand for coal-fired electricity generation.
Green groups today expressed outrage at Mr Beattie's change of heart.
The Wilderness Society's Lyndon Schneiders said it was a broken election promise.
"Only a month ago Mr Beattie and his government indulged in a round of self-congratulation for legislating against the construction of nuclear power plants in Queensland," Mr Schneiders said.
"If Mr Beattie accepts that nuclear power is unsafe ... why is he prepared to open the door to flood international markets with Queensland uranium?"
Mr Macfarlane said it was "about time" Mr Beattie put the interests of his state ahead of politics.
Speaking at a uranium industry conference in Adelaide, Mr Macfarlane said the Queensland premier needed to ensure that the opportunities already being exploited in other states were open to Queenslanders.
The minister also called on Mr Carpenter to now drop his opposition to uranium mining.
Queensland Resources Council chief executive Michael Roche said the policy of restricting the number of mines that were allowed to export uranium was outdated.
"Premier Beattie's support for this federal Labor policy change signals a removal of Queensland's current uranium mining ban," Mr Roche said.
""It opens up the prospect of an important new segment for the Queensland resource industry."
He said the industry supported the tough safeguard policies that had operated in Australia over the past three decades.
AAP