Brisbane June 24 – The day after the state budget was handed down, both Brisbane’s LNP and Labor refused to restart a $19 billion uranium industry, the Leader of the KAP and state Member for Traeger Robbie Katter said today, responding to the response to the KAP’s motion in Queensland Parliament.
The KAP moved a motion in parliament calling for the lifting of a ban on uranium mining.
“I just don’t understand why we’re looking a $19 billion gift-horse in the mouth, when the treasurer is scrimping and saving for every dollar to pay for the Olympics,” Mr Katter said.
”The LNP had an opportunity to show they’re different to Labor, but their one sole speaker refused to even say the word ‘uranium’ in the debate tonight! They’re clearly keener to chase Brisbane votes than embrace $19 billion for the state.
“When so many countries across world are turning to nuclear power in droves, it’s madness that we’re holding ourselves back to participate in a booming industry!” He said.
The World Nuclear Association is forecasting demand for uranium to up to triple by 2040.
“There are now 38 countries who have taken the COP28 pledge to triple nuclear power generation by 2050, led originally by France in 2023,” Mr Katter said.
“India is actively looking to access more Australian uranium to power their burgeoning power hungry AI data centres, with the President heading here in July this year.
“Canada only this week announced 10 more nuclear reactors!
“We’re cutting off our nose to spite our face, and being held back by blind ideology, while other state in Australia, and other uranium producing countries like Canada and even Kazakhstan profit,” he said.
Mr Katter told parliament during the debate that the Mount Isa region is the most uranium endowered region, with the resource buried and locked up by a simply policy decision.
“Only 40 km from Mount Isa there is more than 50,000 tonnes of contained uranium metal, and further up in the Gulf, another 20,000 tonnes.” The KAP Leader said.
“Despite this, we’ve not had any uranium mining since 1982, when the Mary Kathleen mine (also just to the east of Mount Isa) closed.
“And why not? I get there was the ‘ban the nukes’ campaign of 30 years ago, but the rest of the world has moved on from that and are embracing the dense and reliable power source of uranium.
“The LNP have form, in 2012, of taking positive steps to develop the industry – in response to KAP pressure – but a dragged-out process and not resolving transport licencing issues meant Labor slapped the ban straight back on in 2015.
“I had hoped the government had the intestinal fortitude to at least contest the debate, but instead they took the weak option, ignoring a massive potential industry, and sided with Labor to keep the ban,” the KAP leader said.
