Friday, 15 September, 2006

by Matthew Franklin
The Australian

AUSTRALIA has no right to refuse to sell uranium to any responsible developing nation in desperate need of energy to prosper and grow.

Labor resources spokesman Martin Ferguson yesterday cast a moral case for the party to reconsider its ban on new uranium mines, following the purchase this week of a rich deposit in South Australia by Chinese interests.

The former union boss, whose case for change has raised the ire of much of the left wing of the party, was defiant yesterday, saying he "couldn't give a stuff" if his support for uranium exports upset Labor colleagues.

Mr Ferguson, backed by Opposition Leader Kim Beazley, will attempt to overturn the policy at next year's national conference.

Mr Ferguson told The Australian the country was fortunate enough not to need to consider nuclear power generation because it had ample alternative fuel sources. But he said other nations needed uranium as part of their energy mix.

"Who are we to deny the developing world what they need?" Mr Ferguson said, adding that selling uranium to nations that would use it with "safe hands" would be of mutual benefit.

But the push by China - a developing economy with near insatiable energy needs - to lock in its uranium supplies through state-run Sinosteel's purchase of a $160 million controlling stake in the Crocker Well uranium deposit has amplified the nuclear debate within the ALP.

Labor's environment spokesman, Anthony Albanese, rejected uranium mining, saying the Sinosteel deal was bad news.

"While you can guarantee uranium mining will lead to nuclear waste, you cannot guarantee uranium mining will not lead to nuclear weapons."