The New South Wales Government has denied allegations of plans to lift the state’s ban on uranium mining and exploration, despite the state Opposition and Greens claiming the State Government would readily change its stance.

 

The doubts over the ban come after the State Resources Minister Chris Hartcher met with senior representatives of the Australian Uranium Association (AUA) in June.  AUA chief executive confirmed the meeting had been used to lobby the minister to overturn the ban.

 

"The proposition we put to him was the ban on uranium mining had been in place for 25 years and that much has changed in that time," Mr Angwin told 702 ABC Sydney.

 

"We felt it was timely to ask the government of New South Wales to lift the ban on exploration and mining.

 

"If there were mining in NSW you could expect export revenue, you could expect jobs to be created, and the NSW Government would collect royalties."

 

Mr Hartcher issued a statement, denying that the State Government was planning on making any changes to the legislation surrounding the ban.

 

“The NSW Government has no plans to overturn the State's ban on uranium mining and exploration," Mr Hartcher said in the statement.

 

"Uranium mining and exploration is prohibited under the Uranium and Nuclear Facilities (Prohibitions) Act 1986."

 

The New South Wales’ decision to maintain the ban comes after Federal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson called on both the NSW and Victorian State Governments to consider the policy.