Time to repeal NSW ban on uranium mining and nuclear power

The NSW Minerals Council supports the proposed repeal of 1986 legislation banning uranium mining and nuclear power for electricity generation in NSW.

“The NSW uranium and nuclear ban is out of date and out of touch, and its repeal is long overdue,” NSW Minerals Council CEO, Stephen Galilee, said today.

“The ban on exploring for uranium was repealed in 2012, yet the mining ban remains, creating the absurd situation where it’s legal to explore for uranium in NSW, but illegal to mine it if found.”

Mr Galilee said the Private Members Bill introduced into NSW Parliament by the Hon Mark Latham MLC would reverse this ridiculous situation and follow the example of other states.

“It makes no sense that if you step across the NSW border into South Australia it’s legal to mine uranium, as it is in Western Australia and the Northern Territory, yet not here in NSW.”

“Removing the ban on uranium extraction has the potential to open up a new export opportunity for our State, creating jobs, investment and royalties for the people of NSW,” he said.

“The recent decision on acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines for the Royal Australian Navy further highlights just how the times have changed.”

Similarly, the ban on nuclear power for energy generation also undermines any genuine technology-neutral approach to energy policy in NSW.

“A true technology-neutral approach to energy policy does not declare one particular form of electricity generation ‘illegal’, especially a source of energy generation that is widely used in many other countries around the world,” Mr Galilee said.

“Nuclear power is part of the energy mix in some of the largest global economies, including many held up as shining examples of low emissions electricity generation. It just doesn’t make sense that we aren’t even able to consider it as a part of our energy mix here.”

ENDS

Brad Emery