FOR THE INFORMATION OF THE PRESS

Uranium Mining

Statement by

The Hon. P.J. Keating, M.P. Shadow Minister for Minerals and Energy

There appears to he some confusion about the import  of the decision by the Labor Caucus yesterday  concerning the future of Mary Kathleen and the  existing uranium contracts.

It was the clear intention of the supporters of the  successful proposition that the existing contracts  be honoured in as far as Australia was able to  honour them given the limitation of the Mary Kathleen  orebody mid the Atomic Energy commission stockpile.

The viability of the Mary Kathleen mine and the  future of its workforce was an integral part of the  argument in favour of meeting the existing contracts.

It was the clear intention of the Caucus that existing  contracts be met with Australian uranium supplied by  the Atomic Energy Commission stockpile and the  remaining ore at the Mary Kathleen mine.  If Australia  were to attempt to meet the contracts for 9,000 tonnes  by purchasing this quantity elsewhere in the world to  fulfil the contracts,  it would have to allow at least  SA500 million.

As the Party spokesman on minerals and "Energy I can  unequivocally state on behalf of the Australian  Parliamentary Labor Party that the Party supports the  continued mining,  milling and export of uranium from

the Mary Kathleen mine and the export of the Atomic  Energy Commission stockpile from Lucas Heights in New  South Wales or wherever else it may be located.

Calls for Unions to prohibit exports from Mary Kathleen  or the Atomic Energy Commission are contrary to the  spirit of the Caucus decision.

Canberra 18 th November, 1976.

