Labor MP breaks ranks over uranium mining

By Chris O'Brien and Chrissy Arthur
Posted 4 hours 4 minutes ago

Premier Anna Bligh says uranium mining would not be much help to the Queensland economy, as one of her MP breaks ranks saying Labor should reconsider its ban.

Mount Isa MP Betty Kiernan says Labor should reconsider the ban since hundreds of jobs have been lost in the mining sector.

Ms Kiernan says she has long held the view that uranium could help sustain the region in the future.

"I acknowledge that the Premier and I have differing views on this matter but it won't stop me from putting the interests of my community first and advocating the mining of uranium if allowed," she said.

"I've said consistently over the last two-and-a-half years - we need to have the debate in our area."

But Ms Bligh says a uranium industry report last year predicted it would take three years to create just 150 jobs.

"In Queensland none of that could happen without a very significant injection of new money - new ports, new roads and a range of new facilities," she said.

"So whatever else people might think about uranium, anyone who thinks it's going to solve today's problems [is] kidding themselves."