Just more evidence that the Government knows that this industry...

Just more evidence that the Government knows that this industry (currently worth a piddling $810M per annum) is going to deliver significant growth over the next few years, with royalties and taxes in its wake.

So, despite their policy of not wanting anything to do with nuclear, they don't want to hinder our potential exports either. Such hypocrites. The energy debate in this country really needs to be had - no one is currently investing due to uncertainty created by a directionless Government, while demand is growing exponentially.

Given the revelation in the article released by PEN on Friday that Australia's exports are expected to more than double in the next little while (much of it expected to come from the Olympic Dam expansion), this enthusiasm not to hinder our exports is unsurprising.

The next good sign would be a change of Government so that miners could then have confidence that expansion of other potential suppliers in Australia might be possible and the inescapable reality that nuclear will be the lynch pin contributor to lower emissions can start to be planned for in Australia.

In my mind, as much as I would like to see Australia exploit this resource for all our sakes, not tapping its full potential simply adds, if only by a small percentage, to the potential of PEN - i.e. to take up the slack.