New Independent Report Needed Over Uranium Spill Kelvin Thomson - Shadow Minister for Sustainability, the Environment and Heritage

Media Statement - 29 June 2004

Revelations that an Office of the Supervising Scientist’s (OSS) Assistant Secretary accepted a position with the company he was investigating for a serious uranium incident at the Ranger Uranium mine has raised serious conflict of interest issues.

It has been revealed that ERA, owner of the Ranger Uranium Mine, employed the OSS Assistant Secretary, Alex Zapantis, prior to the release of the Commonwealth’s report on an incident in March, where 26 workers suffered nausea, stomach cramps and vomiting from drinking water contaminated with uranium. 

The ERA job was advertised on 23 May, one month before the leak inquiry report was completed. Mr Zapantis also appeared before a Senate Committee on 27 May to answer questions about the leak inquiry. These revelations seriously undermine the integrity of any work undertaken by Mr Zapantis during the investigation, and the report itself.

The Supervising Scientist himself has acknowledged there are serious concerns about ERA’s conduct. The serious nature of these concerns requires that, in perception and in reality, any report is both independent and thorough. This can no longer be guaranteed.

The OSS must now outline in detail the sequence of events which lead to ERA’s appointment of Mr Zapantis. A new investigation must also be undertaken as a matter of urgency to ensure that the health of workers and the environment has not been compromised.