The Sydney Morning Herald du lieu suivant : Sydney, New South Wales, Australia • Page 1

LATE EDITION FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 1977 No. 43,585 TELEPHONE 20944 FIRST PUBLISHED 1831 13 CENTS 26 PAGES GO-AHEAD FOE URANIUM Mif ulig lief ate 3-PABE SPRKIS 1 GAlillEll GUIDE coin LI LI LI 000O3 But Labor warns Cp I I WHEN in China next month. Premier Wran will offer a Noah's Ark of reptiles to the Peking Z.oo: two diamond pythons, blue-tongucd lizards, shingle-backed lizards lace monitors, water dragons, scrub pythons and two or three pairs of tiger or black snakes, Taronga Zoo Is expecting a nice pair of Chinese alligators, but has its many fingers and toes crossed in hope of two giant pandas. mining companies From PETER BOWERS, Political Correspondent CANBERRA. The Federal Government gave the long-expected go-ahead yesterday for a uranium mining and export industry in Australia.

"Uranium mining may now proceed," the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, declared, clearing the way for development of the immensely rich uranium province in the Northern Territory. The Government announced stringent rules to protect the Australian environment, and safeguards to ensure the peaceful use of exported uranium. But the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Mr Urcn, immediately warned that mining companies which defied Labor's policy could expect no mercy from a future Labor Government. Mr Fraser countered that export contracts would be written in a way to give maximum possible security to uranium mining companies. "I do not believe Mr Urcn will have an opportunity to carry out his policy," Mr Fraser said.

Major clash likely Explaining the Government's decision at a press conference: From left, the Minister for Environment, Mr Newman, the Minister for National Minister, ilr rraser, the Minister ir ADoriginai Aiiairs, ir viner, ana me minister tor rrimarv inausiry, Resources, Mr Anthony, the Prime me Sinclair, acting as Foreign Minister. Two unions in conflict over decision Two unions were in conflict last night over the Government's decision on uranium. Going fares, fees and freight Fares of private buses in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong will rise 'between 10 and 14 per cent from next Thursday. opinion, a contempt for Australia's national and international responsibilities, a contempt for the safety of the world community, a contempt for future generations. "We reject it with contempt." Earlier, Mr Fraser said the Government was convinced that the arguments in favour of mining were far greater than those against.

He emphasised that the Government had accepted almost all the recommendations of the Ranger Uranium Environmental Inquiry's two reports. The Government would always be in a position to halt uranium development permanently or temporarily. Mr Fraser made these points: The Government has decided to allow the Ranger project to proceed on the basis of the environmental controls recommended by the Ranger Inquiry and that development of other mines in the Alligator Rivers region should go ahead only when each complies with environmental requirements. The Government would not specify a sequence of order or timing of the Alligator Rivers mines, since it felt that the environmental requirements and other factors would lead to a sequence of development. did it see any reason at this time to specify the sequence of uranium projects elsewhere in Australia.

Because of the substantial economic benefits which will The Department of Motor Transport said yesterday that the application for the rises had been granted because of increases in operating expenses. The rise in fares will be: Fares up to 2()c (2c), fares Up to 8pc increase RAIL commuters from the central coast are seething, again. A woman who commutes daily from Woy Woy to Asquith on the 7.30 am has held a reserved seat for many years. Yesterday she was put off the train at Bcrowra by an inspector she had left her ticket at home. Mr Ray Dew hurst, one of the many passengers who vouched for her, said the inspector ignored their pleas.

"That's lousy," he said, "cspcciallv as the few reserved scats arc very expensive." riri LR OX. the Minister for Transport, also upset. "If the facts are correct, I'm very disturbed," he said last night. The matter will get close ministerial scrutiny this morning. BEWARE, the thin ice.

Spring skiing conditions have been brought on early by the fine weather, making ice-covered lakes and snow-bridged creeks death traps for the unlucky or incautious. A woman died at Victoria's Mount Hotham resort on Wednesday alter skiing through ice into a creek. WHILE drought makes the Mootwingee Aboriginal historic site a hazard for campers (Col 8, Monday) floods arc now the problem at one of the alternative attractions, the Kinchega National Park. That grand old river of the far west, the Darling, is flowing right through its caravan grounds. REX Connor's great vision of a trans-Australian natural gas pipeline, from the northwest shelf to the cast coast, may not have been buried with him, There are MLAs on both sides of NSW Parliament who arc convinced that a link, to Newcastle, using the existing pipeline from South Australia, would be the key to making the lower Hunter Valley the new Ruhr of Australia.

AMONG the sillier things seen on the roads, the driver of the jumped-up pumpkin-yellow Falcon with rear fat tyres so wide, they smoked from rubbing the wheel housings each time he coaxed it around the corners of the Great Western Highway west of Springwood. Births, Deaths, etc 18 Boating 14 Comics, Crossword 23 Federal Parliament 10 Finance 11. 12 Gardening 15-17 Law Notices 14 Look! 10 Lotteries (1174, 2908) 20 Mails 14 Radio 14 Shipping 18 Snow Report 14 Sport 22-24 Television 14 Weather 14 FORT DENISON: High ,07 am (1.3 metres). 6.24 pm .7 metres); Low 12.05 am (0.2 metres), 11.50 am (0.3 metres). SUN: Rises 6.22, sets 5.32.

MOON: Rises 2.53 pm, sets 56 am. Turn behind the Financial news for Personal notices: P18 Including summary of death notices Classified Index: PI 8 DIAL 2 0944 FOR ADVERTISING nAi.rt nrt aiihiihrl hv lohn Fairfax nd Son Ltd. Of Jonti Strt, Broad- Sydney. 2001. Rpg'ttertd tor posting at Postal adriren: bo 30b.

Ufu. newspaper category i-. nr om-tnntrt r.r mamum arlc only- lntr state by air extra. A decision expected to set the stage for a major clash with unions over the opening of uranium mines will come next month at the ACTU congress in Sydney. The ACTU will decide whether to give industrial muscle to the decision made by the ALP at its Perth conference to impose an indefinite ban on the mining and export of uranium from new projects.

The Perth conference also committed a future Labor Government to repudiate new contracts for the export of uranium. The ban does not affect the operations of the only uranium mine now operating in Australia, Mary Kathleen near Mount Isa in Queensland. Yesterday's decision initially affects four rich uranium finds, three in the Northern Territory and one in Western Australia. Work is expected to begin on the first mine. Ranger, next April with production of uranium oxide expected by 1980-81.

Production program The Nabarlck deposit owned by Queensland Mines is expected to come into production about the same time followed by Pancontincntal at Jabiluka in 1981-82. The Ycclirrie deposit in Western Australia is scheduled to start production in 1982-83. The Federal Government left the way open for the eventual mining of the Koo-garra deposit, about which the Fox Ranger Inquiry expressed grave reservations because of the environmental risk. Mr Fraser announced the decision in the House of Representatives, leading a ministerial procession that took three hours to announce the effect of the go-ahead in their policy areas. At a press conference later Mr Fraser surprisingly did not overrule the possibility of Australia storing nuclear waste from other countries in the distant future.

He said there was no intention to do so "at this stage." Both he and the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Anthony, said no country had asked to store nuclear waste in Australia. The debate on the uranium decision began when the House resumed after dinner. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Whitlam. called for rejection of "the Government's precipi tate decision, without sufficient public debate in Australia and negotiations overseas." This is the wrong decision at the wrong time," Mr Whit lam said. It shows a contempt for the Fox Commission, a contempt for Australian public Rail freight and parcel charges in NSW ill rise by up to 8 per cent from October I.

The Minister for Transpoit and Highways, Mr Cox. said Cabinet had approved the increases in view of increasing operating costs. primarily caused by continually rising wages and fuel costs. What the Govt has decided A summary of the Federal Government's main dcci sions on uranium, an nounccd yesterday, is: Further mining and export of Australian uranium should go ahead. The Ranger project will be the first to proceed under environmental controls recommended hv the Fox Royal Commission.

Other new mines will not be developed until environmen tal impact studies are held and unless these produce satisfactory findings. Australia will be closely involved in international studies on long-term storage and ultimate disposal of ladioactive wastes. The Government will grant Aboriginal land claims to enable Aborigines to ncgoti' nte with mining companies on the conditions of mining and allow them to obtain financial benefit from it. A national park, covering about 12,500 square kilo metres, will be established progressively and no cxplor alion, development or mm ing will be allowed in it at present. The Ranger.

Jabi Itika and Koongarra mines will be excluded from the park but included in Aborig inal land. Together with the States, the Government will legislate for a uniform national code on radiation protection. The Government will discuss with the industry a secondary or resource tax based on future earnings from uranium development. TODAY'S WEATHER Metropolitan: Mild. Sunny.

Max temps: City, 19; Liverpool, 22. NSW: Generally dry and mild to warm with northerly winds. Details, Page 14 Late news Man, hit by car, dies A man was killed at about 12.10 pm in an accident outside the ambulance station in Sydney Road, Manly. Early this Burning police were aearcbiag for a white car heading towards Brook- Pre-school fees Mr role as a major energy resource supplier and to influence the tightening up of the international nuclear system. The development of uranium would provide enormous economic benefits to Australia.

"It will create export revenue of over 51,000 million a year in the 1980s at a time when we will be facing critical oil importation bills." he said. "It will, I think, coupled with the decision on the North-West Shelf, go a long way to restore investor confidence in Australia." The Japanese In Tokyo, Japanese power companies welcomed the approval of the mining and export of Australia's uranium reserves. But the Japanese Government, which said earlier it hoped to import 20 per cent of its uranium needs from Australia, refused to comment until it had received official advice from Canberra. Mr Yohci Watanabc, managing director of the nuclear power division of the Federation of Electric Companies, welcomed the news. But he told AAP-Rcuter that the companies were not planning immediate talks on importing Australian uranium.

Japan was receiving supplies at present from other countries including South Africa, Nigeria and Canada. The investors Uranium shares were well supported on the Joint Exchange yesterday after the announcement oii uranium development policy. Pancontincntal was the best-performed issue, climbing $1 to close at $11.30. (Details, Front Page, Section 2.) On the London Stock Exchange one broker said: "We certainly expect Australian' uranium shares to continue to improve." Bank's profit rises 15.9pc Proit of the Commercial Bank of Australia rose by 15.9 per cent to $20.9 million in the year to June. The main factor as another strong profit jump by the bank's finance company subsidiary.

General Credits, whose profits jumped 38.9 per cent to $1 1.74 million. Details in Finance, Front page, Section 2. I ces for about 1,200 children at pic-schools managed by the Kindergarten Union of NSW will rise sharply next term. In the City of they will rise from $1.50 a dav to in Housing Commission Inside today Spring garden guide Three pages of helpful advice for the beginner and established gardener. It starts on Page 15.

VIETNAM FOR THE TOURIST A special feature in the weekly travel section. Page 13. Tomorrow TheGcod Ueekend CITIES IN SPACE It might not be science fiction, as Jill Sykes finds out. PLUS: Inside the cunning mind of a crossword-maker; the new Australian Encyclopaedia; re-views, books, arts and more good read Ing. Phon 2 0944 to hmvm 1ha Harald cMivarad: If aaaicr Nickel PERI II.

More than 600 miners and other workers are to lose their jobs with the Western Mining Corporation, which is cutting nickel production by 10 per cent. The company announced yesterday that the workers would be retrenched on September 2 when it stops production at its i real Koulder operations. It said the production cut was necessary because of a drop in world price of nickel, caused by a big surplus of mm Taxis may go up The national secretary of the Australian Railways Union, Mr Ralph Taylor, said the decision- did not alter the union's "strong and continuing resolve to prevent the mining and export of uranium." The Federal secretary of the Australian Workers' Union, Mr Frank Mitchell, said it was the union's policy that the mining and export of uranium should go ahead. He said about 70 per cent of the work force at the Mary Kathleen uranium mine in Queensland belonged to the AWU. The Labor Party Mr R.

J. Hawke said as ALP president: "My reaction is that the Government has made this decision too quickly. and I'm sure the party, are not convinced that at this stage the safeguards in respect of the dangers that wc referred to in our resolution have been arrived at." Mr Hawke, who is also president of (he ACTU. said uranium would be discussed at the ACTU congress in Sydney in September. "From the point of view of the trade-union movement, 1 am not in a position to say what the reaction will be," he said.

The producers Mr J. S. Proud, chairman of Pcko-Wallscnd. a co-venturer with EZ Industries in the Ranger uranium deposit in the Northern Territory, said the decision was an adoption of the course Ranger partners had pursued over the last four years. The chairman of Panconti-nental Mining Ltd.

Mr Anthony Grey, said on behalf of the company and the Uranium Producers' Forum that it was a very balanced "It balances the interests of the environment. Aboriginal affairs and international safe guard considerations with the need to develop Australia's important resources," he said. It would allow Australia to play an important international uranium demonstrators were arrested lust night during a march from a rally held on the lawns outside Parliament House after the Government's announcement on uranium A crowd of demonstrators estimated by police to number about 300, caused a bank-up of traffic. from 21c to 30c (3c), from 31c to 40c (4c), from 41c to 50c (5c). from 51c to 60c (6c), from 61c to 70c (7c), from 71c to 80c (8c), from 81c to 90c (9c), and from 91c to $1 (10c).

Fares above SI will go up by 10 per tent. Rates for interstate carriage of goods and livestock, excluding wool and beer, will go up by 8 per cent. Kates lor parcels will in crease bv 7 per cent. The NSW Opposition Leader, Sir Eric Willis, said that the rise would be a "sure fire addition to the inflationary spiral areas west of Sydney a typical increase will he from $3.50 a day to $5.40. The president of the union.

Mrs Barbara McNulty, said last night the increases were because of a drop of nearly 30 per cent in real terms in Federal Government subsidies. rise from 35c to 40c and the rate per mile bv six cents from 42c to 48c. Mr Peter Rochfort. secretary of the Taxi Council, said yesterday he was confident the increase would be approved. delivered to Melbourne houses will go up to 29c.

The price in Sydney is 24c. The tribunal's recommendation, believed to contain a 2c rise on a 600ml bottle, was discussed by Cabinet but no decision has been made so far. Land Kdilor tion and had accumulated stocks in an effort to avoid disrupting operations and the communities which depended on them. No play in Test LONDON. Thursdav.

No play was possible in the tilth and final cricket Test between Australia and England at The Oval today. The ground was rain-soaked. The Metropolitan Taxi Council has applied to the Department of Motor Transport for an increase in taxi fares from September I. The fare rise, if granted, would mean flag fall would milk too flow from uranium mining, the Government had decided to begin discussions with the uranium industry "on a possible framework for a secondary or resource-based tax on the future earnings from uranium development. A national park The Government has accepted all the Ranger Inquiry's recommendations on Aborigines and the environment and would progressively establish a major national park in the Alligator Rivers region.

Other key decisions by the Government are: It will honor the October, 1975, memorandum of agreement between the Whitlam Government and the Ranger partners even though it is not consistent with the Government's general policy. A uranium advisory council will be set up to advise the Commonwealth on the export and use of uranium. But a final decision will not be made on setting up a uranium marketing authority of company and Government representatives until the legal implications of foreign antitrust laws have been fully examined. soon after Mr Frascr's announcement by the Friends of the Earth and the Movement Against Uranium Mining. In Brisbane, police dispersed more than 350 anti-uranium demonstrators after they had marched through the city.

In Canberra two anti- An increase in the price of Victorian milk this week may encourage the NSW Cabinet to approve new milk prices recommended recently by the Dairy Industry Prices Tribunal. From September 1 the price of a 600ml bottle of milk Comment: Editorial, Page 6, Financial commentary, Front Page, Section 2. cut, 600 to go Rally blocks Melbourne traffic Evening rush-hour traffic in Melbourne was halted yesterday when more than 1,500 protesters against uranium mining lay clown on the intersection of Swanston and Flinders Streets. Their protest was organised slocks. It indicated that further cuts could be made if talks on nickel- prices and long-term contracts were not satisfactory.

The West Australian Departments of Labour and Industry and Industrial Development will try to find jobs for the dismissed members. The Government will also ask the Commonwealth Employment Service to send officers to Kalgoorlic. Western Mining Corporation said it had maintained produc 5 4. Hir-I rirl r-1 -If1 1 ri ri fi -i rt f-fi rf r- -1 rl i- il 1 Crt "1 -f1--.