uranium debate heats up..., page-20

Substantially I agree with you ... and also with your previous post especially re us stupidly selling up our el primo resources in a bargain basement sale when a couple of years down the track they will be worth far far more.

IMHO all Rudd has to persuade the national conference is to support what he has already intimated - removal of the three mines policy and an expansion of mining within states that wish it.

Howard is likely to introduce carbon credits trading after the committee's report. Industry is for it. Companies like COZ are already doing it. If he did block it, he would be wide open to an attack by Rudd and the states who have threatened to introduce it if Howard doesn't.

Similarly, if Rudd submits to branch level conservatism and retains the 3 mines policy, Howard will use it against him for all he is worth. *We* don't need the uranium, but some of our major trading partners do, and they obviously want it desperately, as witnessed by the substantial buyups recently of our U shares by Chinese, French and other interests.

However, neither the ALP grassroots nor executive wish to open the door for nuclear power in Australia at this stage. I don't feel that it is electorally popular either - and doubt in his current poll position that Howard will push it - both leaders also need to consider the clout of our coal industry.

I'll be very interested in the outcome of the committee on clean coal tech. All going well, CXY might start powering.