To our elected representatives, we call on you to make Australia nuclear-free:
- End uranium mining and exports, and clean up all old uranium mines
- Say no to nuclear power – it is high-risk, high-cost and a dangerous distraction from real climate solutions, like clean energy from the sun and wind
- Take a strong stand against nuclear weapons – this includes signing and ratifying the UN nuclear weapons ban treaty
- Manage radioactive waste transparently and responsibly
From ancient rock formations to mountains swirled with ochre, this continent is a geological wonderland. Some of our minerals are even vibrant green – and radioactive. In fact, around a third of the world’s uranium reserves are found in Australia.
But we must leave the uranium in the ground to keep our communities and the nature we rely on safe.
Mining these radioactive rocks pollutes our air, soil and water. It can damage the genetic and reproductive systems of plants, animals and people.
All of Australia’s operating uranium mines have a history of leaks, spills and accidents – and none have ever been properly rehabilitated. To this day, radioactive waste percolates in the local drainage system of the now abandoned Mary Kathleen mine in Queensland.
Nuclear power is nothing but a dirty, dangerous distraction from real climate solutions like clean energy from the sun and wind.
And there is no secure, long-term solution to cope with the millions of tonnes of radioactive waste from mining operations, or the more risky and longer-lived radioactive waste from nuclear power stations.
Yet for two decades now, successive governments have tried imposing uranium mines and radioactive waste dumps on unwilling remote communities. Right now, they're pushing to ship, store and bury national radioactive waste on Barngarla country in South Australia, even though SA and Barngarla Traditional Owners said no to being an international waste dump.
Decisions on handling radioactive waste last longer than this generation. Let's get it right and make Australia nuclear-free.
Header image: Sea lions gather on the beach on the Eyre Peninsula. At the top of the Peninsula is Kimba, where the government is proposing to put a national radioactive waste site despite unanimous opposition from Barngarla Traditional Owners
Latest Supporters
The possibilities inherent in renewable energy sources preclude the need for the further use and development of energy sources that produce toxic wastes which endanger our environment and human health.
Fully support a nuclear-free Australia, not only for our generation, but all generations to follow. It is the only responsible position to take.
WE DONT WANT NUCLEAR WASTE STORED IN THE COMMUNITY. STORE IT AT WOOMERA IF YOU REALLY HAVE TOO IN THE RESTRICTED ZONE.
We have so much sun, recurring winds and waves that can generate more energy than we need. Please stay away from nuclear.
Nuclear free future to protect our country for future generations !
August 1945 Hisroshima and Nagasaki destructions and devastations , nuclear power plant accidents such as Chernobyl and Fukushima remind us nuclear and continuing arms industry race why we Must stay out of nuclear . As First Nations have long know and told us uranium is dangerous and best left untouched in the gound in its natural state. I urge Australia to ratifying the UN nuclear weapons ban treaty like many countries are.
We need to end uranium and mining exports! It is also time to repeal/ remove ourselves from former PM John Howard’s disingenous deal . “In late 2007, the Howard Government signed up to the US-led Global Nuclear Energy Partnership initiative (GNEP), which committed Australia to mine and enrich its uranium, export it to other countries, then re-import the resultant radioactive waste to be stored for ever more in the Australian desert. Approximately 30% of the world’s currently identified uranium reserves are to be found on NT indigenous lands and since last year (2018) the number of exploration licences for uranium in the NT has doubled, with nearly 80 companies either actively exploring or having applied to explore…” Martin Cook, Damien Short, Political Economy of Genocide in Australia: The architecture of Dispossession Then and Now. Published in Bachman, J. (ed.) Cultural Genocide: Law, Politics, and Global Manifestations.
New York: Routledge. 2019.
Nuclear waste management is a problem nobody wants, so let’s decide not to create any in the first place. Nuclear energy, even if it didn’t have a disastrous track record, takes far too long to implement and has a very high investment threshold. Neither of these are issues for solar and wind, which also have cheaper operational costs. So let’s stop this stupidity, and ban nuclear power like Germany has. Dispatchable baseload power can be delivered with reneables, so nuclear has lost its final argument. Come back to us when fusion is viable.
Nuclear is far too dirty!!! I have first hand experience!!
NO NUKES should be a very obvious to this out of tough and out of date government.