Radioactive Alice Springs

Just 25km south of Alice Springs, the future of the Angela Pamela uranium mine is now on hold thanks largely to the political imperatives of a state by-election.

Since October 3, 2008 when exploration licenses were first granted, the Northern Territory’s Labor Government had firmly supported the development of the Angela-Pamela uranium mine deep in Australia’s red heart. But a by-election is due in the secure Country Liberal seat of Araluen in mid-October, following the retirement of local member and Opposition Deputy Leader, Jodeen Carney.

Chief Minister Paul Henderson has withdrawn his government’s support for the joint project between the world’s largest uranium producer, Canadian company Cameco, and Australian partner Paladin Resources.

Cameco’s Australian regional director Jennifer Parks spoke with local media to say that she had missed a call from NT Resources Minister Kon Vatskalis in the middle of the night Canadian time. She just received a message indicating a change in the government’s position on the mine. With the overriding right to approve any mine held by the Federal Government and a second round of exploratory drills already sunk, Cameco have said that they intend to pursue the matter.

Despite extensive coverage by NT news wires and mining and uranium news services, Cameco has yet to relay the news to shareholders nearly a week after the announcement was first made. Whether this is out of self-interest, or because the state government’s new posture is genuinely inconsequential remains to be seen.

According to Chinese interests looking at the mine site in 2006, it could yield up to 10,000 tonnes of uranium. If the radioactive ore returns to its market highs of a few years ago, the project’s value might approach $2.5 billion.

But it is also located ten kilometres from smaller indigenous townships and situated on top of the vital Alice Springs basin, with uranium mining being both a major consumer of and hazard to water supplies. Local Labor candidate Adam Findlay is proclaiming a victory for local tourism and the townsfolk themselves – vocal opponents of the project.

Greens spokesperson for uranium issues, Federal Senator Scott Ludlam said, “we are delighted the NT Government has finally listened to the deep concerns of the people of Alice Springs,”

“This decision is a credit to the Territorians and their supporters who have worked hard to expose the real and present hazards of uranium mining.

Ludlam urged the NT Country Liberals to respect the wishes of local communities by dropping their support for the mine, before adding “it is also essential that Resources Minister Martin Ferguson assures the community that Federal Labor will not override the wishes of the Northern Territory.”

Within the new structure of federal politics, it may well be that Green wishes don’t fall on deaf ears.