Greens call for uranium mining be reinstated

The WA Greens will move an urgency motion in the Upper House calling on the Government to immediately reinstate the ban on uranium mining in Western Australia.

The Premier, Colin Barnett, announced the ban had been formally lifted last week, and that mining leases would no longer contain a clause excluding uranium mining.

Greens MP Giz Watson says the Government does not have a mandate for its position, given that the Liberal Party only won 24 seats in the Lower House, compared with Labor's 28.

"They didn't win the election, let's get this clear.," she said.

"They formed a minority Government with the Nationals. Now the Nationals didn't run on a policy of open slather uranium mining in this state. The Nationals ran on a policy of royalties to regions."

Garrett urged to reject NT uranium mine

A Northern Territory anti-nuclear group is calling on the Federal Environment Minister to reject a proposal for a new uranium mine near Ti Tree in central Australia.

Justin Tutty from the No Waste Alliance says Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett should tell the mining company Arafura Resources they need to have a plan on how to deal with waste from the mine.

Mr Tutty says he is concerned the mine is not taking significant aspects of the project seriously.

"Arafura Resources have presented the Environment Minister with a description of their plans to mine at Ti Tree and they're asking for an environmental impact assessment which would lead then to the authorisation to mine," he said.

"We're saying that that authorisation cannot be granted until we have a full understanding of the wastes they will produce and their plans to process the uranium.

"I'm talking about the likely impacts on the Harbour and the long-term impacts of the large volumes of radioactive waste which they plan to dump back at the mine site."

Radiation checks lessened at mine: Greens

The Greens say standards for radiation monitoring at the Olympic Dam mine owned by BHP Billiton have been watered down by the South Australian Government.

SA Greens MP Mark Parnell says documents he has obtained under freedom of information raise serious concerns about how often testing for radiation occurs at the mine in outback SA.

He says reports provided to the Environment Protection Authority by BHP Billiton lack detail about radiation exposure for people working in areas of the uranium and copper mine where the risk is highest.

Mr Parnell says tougher reporting standards are needed.

"Our criticism here is of the Government because it's the Government that sets the standards for radiation monitoring," he said.

"BHP Billiton will only do what the Government makes them do. If the Government waters down the standards then it's their responsibility if workers are being put at risk."