Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. I refer to the Prime Minister's delegation to India to sign a uranium trade deal, among other things, and I ask the following: does the government understand that Australian uranium exports will simply—

Government Senators:

Government senators interjecting—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order on my right!

Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the government understand that Australian uranium exports will simply free up India's domestic uranium for nuclear weapons production, as senior Indian officials are on the record as saying? Can the minister identify how our safeguards agreement can possibly—

Government senators interjecting—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order on my right!

Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You are really embarrassing—you all are!

Government senators interjecting—

Can the minister identify how our safeguards agreement can possibly prevent Australia from fuelling a nuclear arms race?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am sure that every Australian wishes the Prime Minister's success in his visit to India to grow that bilateral relationship. Indeed, I understand the Punjabi language is in fact the fastest growing language base in Australia as we speak.

In relation to the issue raised by the honourable senator I can indicate that the Prime Minister has announced that during this visit it is his intention to sign a nuclear cooperation agreement with India. Exports of Australian uranium to India will comply with Australia's international legal obligations.

Australia takes its responsibilities seriously in this regard. If we as a nation want to see the standard of living increasing in India and we want that to occur with the provision of electricity, there is a choice: we can keep on exporting huge amounts of coal; or, if we are genuinely concerned about greenhouse gasses and CO2, then a way to restrict those would in fact be to assist the emerging powerhouse of India to be able to create energy from such a non-polluting source. It will strengthen the relationship between our two nations and, what is more, hopefully will provide electricity that the honourable senator and I take for granted each and every day but which is not available to many Indian citizens. (Time expired)

Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Will the minister table a list of the industry representatives and lobbyists who are accompanying the Prime Minister on this trade mission? Will he also now table a copy of the safeguards agreement so that this parliament can see what the Prime Minister has signed us up to?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do not think there is a great secret in relation to either of those matters but, believe it or not—unlike with Senator Leyonhjelm's onion levy that I did have in my back pocket—I do not have in my back pocket the list of the delegation accompanying the Prime Minister, so I will take that on notice. I just checked my other back pocket and I do not have a copy of the agreement that the senator was referring to, and so I will take that on notice as well and provide it to him.

Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. In the light of this government's prudent decision, which Senator Abetz informed us of the other day, to ban future uranium exports to the Russian Federation following the implied threats of nuclear escalation made by the Russian President, how can the government guarantee that we will not be placed in exactly the same position down the track if hostilities between India and Pakistan should ever escalate? What will it take for us to actually learn?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One has to make decisions in the context of the particular times. If what Senator Ludlam is saying is that there is about to be a break-out of hostilities in the Subcontinent and that we should be taking that into account, let him put that on the public record. Let him indicate that. Let him indicate whether he believes India or Pakistan will be the aggressor et cetera and just put it into context.

We believe that the purpose of Australian uranium, which will solely be used for the purposes in the agreement, is to supply the Indian population so that an energy source that the honourable senator and I get to enjoy, and most Australian citizens get to enjoy, each and every day will also be made available to vast numbers of Indians that actually live in abject poverty because they do not have access to a regular supply of electricity. (Time expired)