David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Milne argues that there is an undeniably strong correlation between nuclear weapons and nuclear power. If a country has nuclear power, then it will have nuclear weapons. This is what Senator Milne seeks to promote in the nature of some sort of rationale in opposition to Australia’s export of uranium.

Eight states in the world have nuclear weapons: the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India and Pakistan, and probably Israel. There are 35 countries in the world which have a nuclear power generating capability. There is a substantial, logical and rational distinction to be drawn on those numbers alone. Of course, Senator Milne will not accept the fundamental logic of the fact that there are 35 countries around the world which are seeking to safely, properly, diligently and economically advance the best interests of the power and energy needs of their people through the use of nuclear power but do not use nuclear weapons.

I want Senator Milne to understand and to explain to us why there are 35 as opposed to eight and why the correlation simply does not hang together as she would have us and the Australian people believe. I know that part of the Greens policy is founded upon a fear that uranium is bad. It is bad enough that the Labor Party has good uranium and bad uranium: some of the mines that are good have good uranium; mines that should come on stream obviously have bad uranium. But the Greens want to tell us that all uranium is bad.

This is an absolutely ridiculous argument. Australia has a very long and proud record of standing up for the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. On the other hand, the Greens have a very dubious and greatly contrasting history with respect to their support of outrageously despotic regimes. (Time expired)