4

PRESS RELEASE

FROM TOM UREN, M P ,  FEDERAL LABOR SPOKESMAN FOR URBAN AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS

Canberra 7 October 1980

The Fraser Government proposes to spend over $50 million of public

money on the uranium and nuclear industries this financial year.

This is revealed through close examination of the Government's own

expenditure estimates.

Commonwealth expenditure on uranium and nuclear matters in 18 separate

areas,  this year, is estimated to be $50.4 million.

This include:

* $28 million for the Australian Atomic Energy Commission:

* $10 million for infrastructure at the Jabaroo township in the

Northern Territory;

* $6.9 million for protection of the environment from the effects of

uranium mining;  and

* $2.4 million for the expenses of four Federal Departments heavily

involved in the uranium industry and of three other Government

bodies.

A full list of all costs, giving the source of each figure,  is attached.

There are further areas of Government activity related to the uranium

industry for which no cost figures are available. They include

security for the uranium industry, programmes concerned with the

social impact of uranium mining on Aboriginal people, and

the Government's response to U.S. anti-trust action.

A list of ÃÂ¼ÃÂ·-costed activities is attached.

Total expenditure would be much greater than the figure of $50.4 million.

This is a large expenditure of public funds, on an industry which poses

serious problems for the future of humanity.

..over

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It represents a vast commitment of Australian resources to an industry

which holds few benefits and brings many risks for Australia.

And it is a massive subsidy to an industry whose economics are proving

shaky the world over.

This expenditure on the nuclear industry is greater than the Government's

total spending on energy research and development, which is estimated

nat $34.5 million in 1980-81.

It dwarfs expenditure on all forms of solar energy and energy

conservation which was about $4 million last year. It does nothing

to solve the major energy problems facing Australia - the need to

develop alternatives to the use of oil in transport. More is spent

on the nuclear industry than on energy conserving public transport

($45 million) this year.

Assistance to the uranium industry has expanded rapidly underothe

Fraser Government while social programmes which meet the needs of

people have been slashed, for example, if the present trend continues,

the Fraser Government will soon be spending more on the nuclear industry

than it does on grants to the States for public housing, which have

been reduced to $75.6 million in nett terms this year.

At the same time, Government taxation policy ensures that revenue

derived from uranium mining will be minimal. It abandoned the proposed

resources tax on uranium mining operations. Company tax payable

by the companies can be significantly offset through the investment

allowance and other tax measures which benefit the mining sector.

And the only special tax applying to the uranium industry - the

Uranium Export Concentrate Duty - will raise no more than $0.5 million

per annum with Range and Nabarlek at their planned production

levels.

According to the Government this duty is designed to recoup the costs

of the environmental protection in the Alligator Rivers region but

a return of $0.5 million falls far short of this year's cost of $6.9

million.

. . .3

3.

Ã¢ÂÂ  5

Environmental protection measures associated with uranium mining

account for 8i% of all expenditure on environmental protection in this

year's budget.

Serious environmental problems in the cities, where most Australians

live, are neglected while the Government foots the bill for the damage

done by uranium mining companies.

The priorities of Government expenditure have been distorted by the

Fraser Government in the interest of large corporations such as the

uranium mining companies. This represents a transfer of wealth from

ordinary Australians to the corporate sector.

We can be sure that if the Fraser-Anthony Government is re-elected,

public assistance to the nuclear industry will keep on expanding.

A Fraser-Anthony Government would lock Australia further and further

into the nuclear industry with its many unresolved problems and its

expenditure priorities would, be stealth, lead to the development of

nuclear power in Australia.

Canberra

7 October 1980

2 Attachments

E S T I M A T E D  C O M M O N W E A L T H  E X P E N D I T U R E  ON U R A NI UM

AND NUCLEAR MATTERS IN 1980-1981

PURPOSE AMOUNT SOURCES 0I

A. GENERAL

$

'Ã¢ÂÂ

Department of National Development & Energy  (including Australian Safeguards Office) -  Salaries and administrative expenses 457,000 1

Australian Uranium Export Office 419,200 2

Uranium Advisory Council 156,400 2

Department of Trade & Resources, Uranium  Division - salaries and allowances 539,400 3

Department of Foreign Affairs - salaries 344,429 2

Department of Science & Environment - salaries 185,000 4

Ambassador-at-Large for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Safeguards - salaries, allowances & travel 133,375 2

Travel funded through Department of Foreign Affairs 201,200 2

Protection of the Environment of the Alligator  Rivers Region from the effects of uranium mining 5,883,000 5

Reimbursement to NT Government for regulatory  services Â·  (other than environmental) 347,000 6

Australian contributions to the International  Atomic Energy Agency 1,538,200 2

Australian contribution to the OECD Nuclear  Energy Agency 86,438 7

National Energy Research, Development  & Demonstration Program Grants 1,029,000 1

Australian Safeguards Office - computer  services and purchase 50,000 8

Radioactive Waste Management 70,000 1

Subtotal 11,439,642

8. MAJOR CAPITAL ITEMS

Contribution to the NT Government for social  infrastructure costs of Oabiru Township 9,962,000 9

Office of the Supervising Scientist - capital  works and services 1,017,000 10

Subtotal 10.979 .,000

C. AUSTRALIAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION

Total Appropriation for AAEC  GRAND TOTAL

27.976,000 1

50.394.642

E S T I M A T E D  E XP EN DI TU RE ,  U R A N I U M  & N U C L E A R  MATTERS,, 80/81

S 0 URCES OF DATA

1. Written replies to questions asked during Senate  Estimates Committee A, 1980/BI.

2. Written replies to questions asked during Senate  Estimates Committee F, 1980/81.

3. Estimate based on Department of Trade & Resources Â·  '

employment & expenditure figure, p.162, Budget Paper 4, 1980/81

4. Estimate from reliable public service source.

5. Budget paper 2, 1980/81, p.110.

6. Budget paper 2, 1980/81, p.117.

7. Department of Foreign Affairs - Explanatory Notes -  Estimates of Receipts & Expenditure, 1980/81, p. 65.

8. Department of National Development & Energy -  Estimates, 1980/81, Explanatory Notes,  p.10  and p.103.

9. Budget Paper 3, 1980/81, p.16.

10. Budget Paper 3, 1980/81, p.23.

SOME ADDITIONAL AREAS OF EXPENDITURE ON URANIUM & NUCLEAR ACTIVITIES FOR WHICH DATA Ã¢ÂÂ   WAS NOT AVAILABLE

* Australian National Parks & Wildlife Service - expenditures associated with  Kakadu National Park which are necessitated by uranium development.

* Department of Aboriginal Affairs - expenditures associated with uranium mining  negotiations and social impact of uranium mining on aboriginal people (e.g.,  half  yearly social impact study by Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies).

* Attorney General1s Department - considerable legal activity associated with uranium mining legislation and US anti-trust laws. Ã¢ÂÂ

* Bureau of Mineral Resources - survey,  mapping, exploratory work, etc.

* Departments of Finance, Treasury and Prime Minister & Cabinet - coordination costs.

* Expenditures,  above and beyond salaries, incurred by Department of Trade & Resources  Uranium Division, Department of Foreign Affairs,  and Department of Science and  Environment.

* Travel not funded through Department of Foreign Affairs.

* Department of Foreign Affairs - overseas posts (according to answers to Senate  Estimates Committee F, one or more officers at nine, posts are heavily occupied in  nuclear related activities and an officer is occupied part of his time at another  eight).

* Department of Defence - any nuclear related activities.  .

