Australian Democrats Press Releases

Senator Lyn Allison  Parliamentary Leader and Democrats Senator for Victoria  Australian Democrats spokesperson for Energy and Resources

Senator Natasha Stott Despoja  Democrats Senator for South Australia  Australian Democrats spokesperson for Foreign Affairs

Dated: 03 March 2006  Press Release Number: gzlhttkj  Portfolio: Energy and Resources  Related: Foreign Affairs

Nuclear safeguards and human rights record fall short



An international authority established to police the use of uranium and nuclear material said it could not  guarantee thorough inspections of Chinas reactors due to poor funding, Democrats leader Senator Lyn  Allison said today.

"Last year the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Dr Mohamed El Baradei, said  that the safeguards inspection system is 'fairly limited' and only eight days ago he said there was a need  to put "teeth in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Regime, Senator Allison said.

"If the international agency responsible for inspection and implementing nuclear safeguards is  concerned about its ability to perform this role, I don't know how the PM can be confident.

"The IAEA is severely under funded operating on an annual budget of about 100 million. The Democrats  argue that countries that export uranium also have a responsibility to ensure that safeguards are in place  and have teeth.

"Those countries should contribute to the funding of the IAEA. We need to put in place some kind of levy  on uranium sales that go directly to the IAEA to ensure they can enforce the safeguards.

Will the processed uranium be coming back to Australia? What role will Australia play in ensuring the  waste will be stored safely? These questions should be resolved before any sale goes ahead, Senator  Allison said.

Democrats' Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Senator Natasha Stott Despoja called on the Australian  Government not to shy away from raising human rights issues with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao during  his visit.

"I am disturbed by reports that the West Australian Government did not raise the topic of human rights  with Mr Wen during the Chinese Premier's visit to Perth, as it was worried that doing so would  'embarrass' Mr Wen.

"It is never acceptable for human rights abuses to be swept under the carpet, especially in the interests  of economic ties.

"Ongoing human rights issues within China, which our Government must raise with China, include the  persecution of Falun Gong members, involving torture and murder; and, its treatment of the Tibetan

people, including imprisonment of those who have engaged in non-violent protests, such as calling for  an independent Tibet," Senator Stott Despoja said.



