The Australian state of New South Wales has decided to lift a quarter of a century long ban on uranium exploration.
State Premier Barry O’Farrel said that it was time for the state to look at every opportunity to join the mining boom which was delivering enormous profits and jobs to Western Australia, Queensland and South Australia.
The Premier added that they were not about to rush into mining uranium until they had carried out the necessary environmental and exploration checks and had a mature and sensible discussion about utilising this resource. He also added that they would be crazy not to look at whether this is a viable industry which would deliver jobs and revenue to NSW.
The cabinet has agreed to reverse the state wide ban on uranium exploration but now it has to be approved by the legislation. It has been estimated that there was uranium in the state around Broken Hill and the South Australian border, but no one is sure just how much uranium is available to be mined.
Premier O’Farrell is unlikely to extend his largess to a nuclear reactor in the state. He said that there was no place for one of those in New South Wales. Explaining why he added that the nuclear power stations require water in order to cool them. The only place that's going to happen in New South Wales is on the coastline, and no part of the New South Wales coast is going to be given up by any government for such a facility, he concluded.