The Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson AM MP, welcomes the first shipment of Australian uranium to China and the economic and environmental benefits these exports will deliver.
Minister Ferguson said: "It is becoming increasingly clear that concerns relating to energy security and climate change are set to drive a significant increase in global demand for uranium in those countries which rely upon nuclear power as a clean energy source. So with more than one-quarter of the world's uranium resources, Australia is well-placed to benefit economically from uranium mining and uranium exports.
"We also have an obligation to be part of the solution to the environmental consequences of rapid economic growth on our doorstep in China and the Asia Pacific.
"The Australian Government supports the further development of uranium mining to provide a significant long-term economic benefit to Australia and also make a major contribution to the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and urban air pollution.
"Expansion of the uranium industry could generate up to $17 billion in GDP for Australia to 2030 and avert up to 15 billion tonnes in carbon emissions through the use of uranium in the global power sector."
But Minister Ferguson said: "Our highest priority is to ensure that Australian uranium is mined in safe hands and supplied to safe hands."
The bilateral safeguards agreement in place with China is the toughest Australia has ever entered into and provides assurance that Australian uranium will be used exclusively for peaceful purposes. Australian uranium will be used only at civilian facilities covered by China's safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and these facilities will be eligible for inspection by the IAEA.
Minister Ferguson said: "The Australian Government's policy is that uranium mining may be approved subject to world's best practice environmental and safety standards. Australia has the strictest uranium export safeguards policy in the world and we will only sell to countries that are NNPT signatories and have a bilateral safeguards agreement with Australia.
"In addition, the Australian Government's policy prohibits the establishment in Australia of nuclear power plants and all other stages of the nuclear fuel cycle as well as the importation and storage of nuclear waste that is sourced from overseas.