urg::: World Today - ALP reopens divisive uranium mine debate

[Len Kanaar - FoE Sydney]

ABC

The World Today - Transcript

ALP reopens divisive uranium mine debate

http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2005/s1456977.htm

The World Today - Friday, 9 September , 2005  12:26:00
Reporter: Melanie Christiansen

ELEANOR HALL: The Labor Party may well reopen one of the most 
divisive debates in its history, with pressure building from within 
for it to scrap its opposition to any new uranium mines.

A member of the ALP National Executive and head of the powerful 
Australian Workers Union, Bill Ludwig, has begun lobbying others in 
the party to scrap the three mines policy.

He says Australia has an obligation to make its vast reserves of 
uranium available to help meet the world's energy needs.

And he says he wants the issue on the agenda at the Labor Party's 
next national conference.

In Brisbane, Melanie Christiansen reports.

MELANIE CHRISTIANSEN: Labor powerbroker Bill Ludwig has never been 
one to shy away from a fight. Now he's weighed in again on one of the 
most divisive issues in the party's history, saying Australia should 
develop more uranium mines.

BILL LUDWIG: I can't see why you only have to have three, you know, 
it's a bit limited. But we did try some years back to change the 
policy, but the party dropped off that again. But if the debate hits 
the deck again, well we'll be up there supporting the expansion of 
the three mine policy.

MELANIE CHRISTIANSEN: With an estimated 40 per cent of the world's 
reserves of uranium, Australia is under growing pressure to export 
the commodity to energy hungry countries like China. Bill Ludwig says 
Australia has an obligation to help meet that demand, and he argues 
that mining uranium for energy is no more risky than coal mining.

BILL LUDWIG: They've all got risks about them, both coal and uranium, 
so one is no better than the other. The only thing we do know is that 
the emissions from the nuclear power plants don't have the emissions 
that coal fires do.

MELANIE CHRISTIANSEN: What about the environmental risk, though?

BILL LUDWIG: Well, we're doing it now, aren't we? We're digging up 
uranium now in Australia. So does that - you know, another mine - 
does that say it's more risky? I don't think so. Another two mines? I 
don't think so.

MELANIE CHRISTIANSEN: But that's incensed another union heavyweight, 
Doug Cameron, the National Secretary of Australian Manufacturing 
Workers Union.

DOUG CAMERON: Nothing has changed since the party adopted the last 
uranium policy, and policy should not change.

MELANIE CHRISTIANSEN: It appears the issue is now headed for a bitter 
debate at Labor's next national conference.

Doug Cameron says it would be politically stupid to overturn the 
ALP's long-standing three mines policy.

DOUG CAMERON: Well, I think if the Labor Party is to win the next 
election it will need the votes of environmentalists around this 
country.

I think the Labor Party needs to differentiate itself from the Howard 
Government, not with some tame imitation of the Government, and by 
simply adopting a policy to support uranium mining, when none of the 
environmental issues have been properly dealt with.

I think it's a wrong position for the Labor Party to take. It will be 
divisive and it will be a very robust debate at the next national 
conference.

MELANIE CHRISTIANSEN: Will it be a bloody fight at the conference?

DOUG CAMERON: It will be a very robust fight.

MELANIE CHRISTIANSEN: And when the fight comes, Doug Cameron will 
have Queensland Premier Peter Beattie in his corner.

PETER BEATTIE: I mean, frankly, people need to wake up to themselves. 
What's happening in the world now is the uranium industry is coming 
back as a major competitor to coal, and if we allow our coal industry 
to be subjugated to the uranium industry, frankly it will undermine 
the wealth of this state. I'm not prepared to support it.

MELANIE CHRISTIANSEN: But Bill Ludwig isn't deterred by that. He 
thinks there's a growing mood to change Labor's policy on uranium 
mining, and he's spoiling for a fight.

BILL LUDWIG: Oh, it'll be vigorous, if it gets to that stage. Now, 
I'm not too sure, Melanie, whether it's going to get there yet, but 
if it does, well yes, it will be a vigorous debate.

MELANIE CHRISTIANSEN: You're ready for a fight?

BILL LUDWIG: Yep.

ELEANOR HALL: Labor National Executive Member Bill Ludwig, speaking 
there to Melanie Christiansen in Brisbane.


© 2005 Australian Broadcasting Corporation