Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Hansard source

The sale of uranium from Roxby Downs is a matter for the owners of the Roxby Downs mine, which is now BHP, to do in accordance with Australian law and in accordance with any agreements Australia has with recipient countries. They must comply with the law, but the commercial arrangements are a matter for them. The agreements that are proposed with China do not involve any question of mining or exploration in Australia; they relate only to the question of whether Australian companies can supply Chinese power stations with uranium for use in peaceful power generation.

As I said to Senator Milne yesterday, the question of mining exploration is not a matter for these agreements. They are matters that involve state and territory laws governing mining and exploration, and of course Foreign Investment Review Board consideration of any such application involving foreign companies.