Local residents still opposed to uranium exports through Fremantle
07.05.09
Fremantle residents remain strongly opposed to the export of uranium through the Fremantle port, Labor candidate for Fremantle Peter Tagliaferri said today.
Mr Tagliaferri said that while doorknocking many residents had raised their concerns about the potential for lead carbonate and uranium to be exported out of Fremantle Harbour.
"Premier Colin Barnett's removal of the ban on uranium mining creates alarm around what transport routes will be used to export it out of Western Australia," Mr Tagliaferri said.
"The Liberal-National Government has already approved the transportation of lead carbonate out of Fremantle, despite strong opposition from communities across the State.
"I'm alarmed about the potential for uranium to be shipped out of Fremantle.
"Barnett hasn't been up front in revealing what transport routes uranium companies will use - he needs to come clean and tell Fremantle residents whether he intends to respect the community's wishes on this issue."
Mr Tagliaferri said the City of Fremantle was the first local government authority in the State to declare its precinct a nuclear-free zone in 1980.
"I am proud to have been part of a Council that made itself nuclear free," he said.
"There are presently more than 100 nuclear free zone councils across the nation, including 34 in Western Australia."
Mr Tagliaferri is also the only Mayor in Western Australia who is a member of the International Mayors for Peace movement; which has a membership of more than 500 mayors from across the world.
A 'nuclear free zone' is defined as a site which has been declared 'off limits' to the nuclear arms race and all stages of the nuclear fuel cycle - with the exception of the responsible use of radioactive materials in areas such as medical treatment and low levels found in common household items such as smoke detectors.