Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

  (a)   notes:

     (i)   from 15 October 2012, the Prime Minister (Ms Gillard) will visit India and will likely advance a bilateral uranium framework agreement while there,

     (ii)   the growing mass movement in India peacefully protesting nuclear reactors on grounds of health, safety and loss of livelihood due to radiation risks, and

     (iii)   brutal repression by the police and navy of the tens of thousands of peaceful protestors at the Koodankulam reactor, including two deaths due to police shootings, the latest being Mr Anthony Samy on 11 September 2012, and at least five related deaths over struggles against Koodankulam, Jaitapur (Maharashtra) and Gorakhpur (Haryana) nuclear power plants since 2010; and

  (b)   calls on the Government to:

     (i)   make representations to Indian authorities on the democratic right to peaceful protest,

     (ii)   recognise that, in the case of Koodankulam, nuclear reactors are being forced on local residents at gunpoint, and that uranium fuel loading is imminent despite 10 safety guidelines having not been met,

     (iii)   promote the independence of India's nuclear regulators from industry and government as best international practice,

     (iv)   not sell uranium to countries that stand outside the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and its associated safeguards system, and

     (v)   implement recommendations made by the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties on bilateral uranium agreements.

Question negatived.