Power Beats Passion
Monday, 11 December, 2006
by Lachlan Heywood
Courier Mail
The new Opposition environment spokesman said he would accept any Labor decision to change its "no new mines" policy at its national conference in April.
Mr Garrett's stance on uranium emerged as the talking point yesterday when Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd continued his national tour with a visit to Bundaberg.
Mr Garrett developed a reputation for his hardline environmental stance during his career as lead singer with Midnight Oil, chanting "it's better to die on your feet than live on your knees" in the band's hit Power and the Passion.
"My views on uranium mining are well known," he said.
"I will have the debate within the Caucus, go to the national conference, let the debate emerge and whatever decision is reached at the national conference I will observe."
Mr Garrett, a Senate candidate for the Nuclear Disarmament Party in the early 80s and a former president of the Australian Conservation Foundation, said he would urge Caucus against any watering down of the uranium policy.
But at the end of the day, he would accept the verdict of the national conference.
Uranium policy is set to be a major test of Mr Rudd's leadership in the run to the election, expected late next year.
Australia has three uranium mines and Mr Rudd is open to the prospect of more.
"I intend to lead it in that direction when it comes to the change of what is called the three mines, or no new mines policy," Mr Rudd said. "The no new mines policy, in my judgment, does not make a lot sense."
Mr Rudd said debate on the issue was healthy, although he was confident most of the party would support his position.
"I don't think any of us are frightened of (opposing views)," he said.
"People need to be come less toxic about . . . robust debate about policy futures without thinking this creates some sort of political fracture down the middle," Mr Rudd said.
However, Mr Rudd made it clear that he was opposed to the development of a nuclear industry in Australia.
"The whole question of nuclear radioactive waste has not been resolved," he said.
"Once that has been resolved, let's talk about that again. Furthermore, if you look at the broader economics of nuclear energy, it does not stack up. And for those reasons, environmental and economic, it is not the right way to proceed."
Queensland holds large, untapped reserves of uranium.
Nuclear power was pushed back into the headlines last month when a landmark study advocated the construction of up to 25 reactors in Australia in the next 50 years.
The Federal Government yesterday directed its first blows at Mr Garrett, one day after he was named as shadow environment spokesman.
Nationals deputy leader Warren Truss accused Labor of altering the transcript of a radio interview so words uttered by Mr Garrett were attributed to Mr Rudd. The conversation centred on the Queensland Labor Government's controversial $1.7 billion Traveston Crossing dam proposal.
"Kevin Rudd who dived in to try and save Mr Garrett from more embarrassing comments live on air seemed to know virtually nothing about the dam either," Mr Truss said. "Thousands of residents in the Mary Valley have attended rallies to try and stop the dam.
"But Federal Labor doesn't even know where it is.
"Protecting a frontbencher by making a party leader look silly is an unusual political tactic, but Labor has form in doctoring transcripts."
A spokesman for Mr Rudd dismissed the accusation, saying it was a simple mistake of inserting the wrong name.
"It was a minuscule formatting error," Mr Rudd's spokesman said.
Mr Rudd will continue his tour today travelling to north Queensland. He will visit Townsville, where Coalition MP Peter Lindsay holds the federal seat of Herbert.