27 April 2019

WA’s Environmental Protection Authority rejected a proposal for a new uranium mine because it would put at risk the “viability as a species” of three species only found in the proposed mine area — in other words, they face extinction. But the WA Liberal environment minister approved it anyway, just 16 days before the state election was called. In applying for federal approval, the miner, Cameco, told the government a proposed condition that it must “Demonstrate that no species would be made extinct by the implementation of the Project, prior to the commencement of the Project” was “not realistic and unlikely to be achieved — ever!” The Liberal environment minister approved it anyway, just one day before the federal election was called. She refuses to be interviewed about it. RMIT’s Gavin Mudd wonders, “ethically, what right do we have to wipe out a species? They have evolved and survived just like us. At the end of the day, there are much safer, cheaper, more ethical and cleaner ways to generate electricity to boil a kettle.” (Meanwhile, Scott Morrison is vacillating [$] on nuclear power plants in Australia.)