Antinuclear

Decision to sell uranium to India could backfire badly on the Gillard government

If their err in judgement places Australia on the wrong side of nuclear proliferation or nuclear safety history, Gillard and the Labor Right would face political kryptonite capable of removing them from power and tarnishing their records forever……

Despite Gillard’s Victory, Australian Uranium Exports to India Debate Far from Over, HUFFINGTON POST, Wddie Walsh, 21 March 12,  – “…… a number of important foreign policy issues will continue to divide Labor as Gillard looks to consolidate her power. One of the most serious is her position on Australian uranium exports to India. This
poses a chronic risk for both Gillard and the Labor Right – just as it does for the United States……  the Australian Labor Party (ALP)
remains deeply polarized following last year’s Federal ALP Conference
vote to allow uranium to be exported to India . Gillard’s victory did
little to end this bitter divide.

Although the export issue has not garnered significant media attention
of late, the Labor Left and others remain fiercely opposed to uranium
exports to India. They reject Gillard’s argument that the economic
stimulus generated through job creation in the mining sector justifies
the perceived risks to global peace and stability….
There remains lengthy process and verification hurdles before uranium
exports to India can fully come into force. During this period, the
Labor Left can take advantage of any information which bring into
question Gillard’s underlying assumptions for moving ahead with
supplying uranium to India’s nuclear industry.

What sorts of events could trigger the opposition to take action? Any
indication that Indian plans to redirect Western uranium imports to
its military programs, conduct another nuclear test, or develop
relations with state or non-state nuclear proliferators would suffice.
A major nuclear incident, such as an accident at an Indian civilian
nuclear facility blamed on poor nuclear safety compliance, could also
bring Gillard’s policy approach into question…….  Unlike Carr’s
recent concession that Rudd was right on Libya , the Gillard Coalition
may not have the option of backtracking on this one. If their err in
judgement places Australia on the wrong side of nuclear proliferation
or nuclear safety history, Gillard and the Labor Right would face
political kryptonite capable of removing them from power and
tarnishing their records forever……
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eddie-walsh/despite-gillards-victory-_b_1366213.html

March 22, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics