T H E  S E N A T E SENATOR ROBERT HILL

M E D IA  RELEASE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION IN THE SENATE SHADOW MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS Friday, August 24 Canberra 48/90

HII.Tj SAYS WO CONVICTION TN HAWKE GOVERNMENT NUCLEAR CONCERNS

The Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Robert Hill,   today said the stated concerns of the Hawke Government about the  growth of nuclear weapons lacked conviction because it had failed  to seek a greater role in the world nuclear industry.

He said that if Australia wanted to have a stronger say in the  way nuclear materials were produced, supplied and used, it needed  to obtain a larger market share of the nuclear industry.

Senator Hill was responding to a speech by the Minister for  Foreign Affairs and Trade, Senator Evans,  to the Fourth  Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in Geneva yesterday.

Senator Evans told the conference he regretted that some  countries - including some members of the Treaty - were supplying  nuclear materials to countries without demanding the proper

safeguards on their use.

"Senator Evans has quite properly expressed concerns about the  trading of nuclear materials outside the accepted worldwide  safety guidelines," Senator Hill said.

"But his words are hollow because the Hawke Government's failure  to allow Australia to become a larger supplier of nuclear  materials means we will continue to have only limited influence  in the worldwide community over safeguards.

"Australia's support for the International Atomic Energy Agency  system of safeguards is effectively piecemeal because we remain a  relatively small supplier of nuclear materials.

"If a greater percentage of nuclear materials were supplied by  Australia, we could be more confident that a larger share of the  worldwide trade would be conducted within the proper guidelines.

"If we want to play a bigger role in making the industry safer,  we must be prepared to play a bigger role in that industry.

"There is a direct relationship between a country's market share  and its level of influence on safeguards.

"Australia's continuing failure to achieve its full nuclear  potential invites less scrupulous suppliers to take our place. .

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"Australia's ability to become a bigger supplier is being  restricted by the Government's adherence to its illogical 'three  mines' policy, its refusal to consider involvement in enrichment,  and its failure to allow further investment in the uranium mining

industry.

"Senator Evans underlined another good reason for greater  Australian involvement in the industry when he said that concerns  about the environment and the serious effects of global warming  have led to a reassessment of the place of nuclear power.

"Such a change could lead to increased investment in nuclear  power in place of fossil fuels, which are a major contributor to  global warming.

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