Qld sitting on $20bn: Katter wants state to mine uranium

20/06/2012 - Katter's Australian Party (KAP) has urged the Queensland government to open up the state to uranium mining.

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The previous Labor government had a ban on uranium mining and new Liberal National Party Premier Campbell Newman pledged just last week to uphold it.

His promise came with Federal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson calling for the prohibition to be lifted but now Queensland KAP leader Rob Katter has joined the debate, saying the state is missing a multi-billion dollar opportunity.

Katter says Queensland has over 50,000 tonnes of uranium reserves, worth $20 billion.

He says it's sitting there, being wasted while other states are taking advantage of the massive growth in global demand for nuclear power.

"It will create jobs and bring in a new royalty revenue stream which the government desperately needs to pay down debt," Katter told parliament.

"The only reason these reserves are off limits is Labor's decision to put Green preferences before the good of Queensland."

Source: AAP

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