ALP at odds on uraniumKatharine MurphyApril 25, 2007KEY Labor...

ALP at odds on uranium

Katharine Murphy
April 25, 2007

KEY Labor figures remain at odds before this weekend's emotive national conference debate on uranium, with South Australian Premier Mike Rann supporting change and Western Australia reinforcing its opposition to new mines.

Mr Rann wrote to all national conference delegates yesterday urging them to back an overhaul of Labor's no new mines policy.

Underscoring the deep divisions in Labor ranks, the WA state executive has passed a separate motion opposing any move by Canberra to override existing bans by state or territory Labor governments on uranium mining.

Labor leader Kevin Rudd wants to liberalise the party's ban on new uranium mines but is facing opposition from the Left, and from WA and Queensland.

Mr Rann's move was criticised last night by frontbench MP Anthony Albanese, who said Mr Rann had failed to explain how to deal with the problem of nuclear waste.

The Age reported yesterday that the conference would consider a motion scrapping the ban on new uranium mines and a resolution committing a Rudd government to strengthening nuclear safeguards.

Mr Rudd has reassured the states that they would retain their controls over land use, even if the conference scrapped the "no new mines" policy.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/alp-at-odds-on-uranium/2007/04/24/1177180651525.html