Mention uranium mining and it is likely to stir a lot of debate, .particularly as its pertains to Western Australia, Recently the Federal Coalition Government accused the WA Gallop Government of banning uranium mining "for no sensible reason other than self gratification and ideological belief. Federal Resources Minister Ian Macfarlane told a mining club lunch that WA had 5.8 dollars billion of potential uranium exports and accused the WA Government of sitting on the resource in the face of urgent demand from China. Macfarlane's attack came as Prime Minister John Howard added his voice to the call for a 'debate on nuclear power, saying Australia had huge reserves of uranium and should look into using them to generate its own power. Macfarlane's comments also follow similar calls by Federal Treasurer Peter Costello for an increase in uranium mining and New South Wales Labor Premier Bob Carr's call for fresh debate on nuclear energy in Australia.
展开▼
