India deal to double size of uranium mining

THE Australian uranium mining industry is set to double in size if an agreement to sell uranium to India is ratified, Parliament’s Treaties Committee has found.

The Joint Standing Committee on Treaties has tabled its report into the Australia – India Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, which could see Australian uranium in dozens of new Indian electricity generating nuclear reactors over the coming decades.

Committee Chair, Mr Wyatt Roy MP, said that the deal could increase export revenue by an estimated $1.75bn and double the number of Australians employed in the uranium mining industry.

The deal will be particularly important for rural and remote areas in states like South Australia and Western Australia, where uranium mining is expected to ramp up.

Queensland could also significantly benefit if the Queensland Government reverses its decision to stop uranium mining.

In India, Australian uranium could help bring low-carbon emission electricity to the 400 million people who do not have access to power at present.

While the Agreement is designed to ensure that Australian nuclear material is only used in safeguarded facilities and cannot be diverted for use in nuclear weapons, the Committee has made a number of recommendations to strengthen safeguards and improve non-proliferation outcomes.

“Critically, on the basis of assurances from the Director-General of the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office, the Committee trusts that Australian nuclear material in India can be tracked and accounted for, ensuring that it is not used for anything other than peaceful purposes,” Mr Roy said.

The committee has recommended that the regulation of nuclear safety and security at Indian nuclear facilities be addressed before the sale of uranium takes place. 

Another recommendation is that Australia commit diplomatic resources to encourage India to make genuine disarmament advances, such as signing the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

“The Committee has successfully navigated a series of complicated issues to reach a point where, with certain qualifications, it supports a deal that will cement Australia’s relationship with an emerging world power,” Mr Roy said.

The full report is available on the committee’s website or by contacting the committee secretariat on (02) 6277 4002.  

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