Courtesy:
www.smh.com.au
ALP dumps mine policy
Email Print Normal font Large font April 28, 2007 - 8:02PM
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AdvertisementKevin Rudd has narrowly managed to convince Labor to cast aside a 25 year policy banning new uranium mines.
After nearly two hours of debate, delegates at the Labor national conference in Sydney today backed their leader's proposal to expand uranium mining but only after an alternate plan to delay the decision was defeated by the narrowest of margins.
The issue - cast as a test of Mr Rudd's leadership and Labor's fitness for government - divided the opposition front bench and sparked a passionate debate on the conference floor.
Deputy Senate leader Stephen Conroy, a member of Mr Rudd's leadership team, voted against the uranium expansion plan, backing the alternative put forward by opposition frontbenchers Anthony Albanese and Peter Garrett.
Senator Conroy later refused to discuss his decision.
Mr Albanese and Mr Garrett had wanted any decision on new mines deferred until stricter safeguards were put in place to deal with nuclear non-proliferation and associated radioactive waste.
Their proposal was defeated by a slim 190 to 205 - a margin much closer than had been anticipated.
However, they won backing for a proposal banning uranium mining in national parks and world heritage areas.
As Labor grappled with its difficult policy dilemma, Prime Minister John Howard flagged the government's intention to remove all unnecessary restrictions on mining, processing and exporting uranium, opening the way for domestic nuclear power generation.
Mr Rudd derided Mr Howard's plan, calling it the "Montgomery Burns solution", referring to the maniacal nuclear reactor boss in the cartoon series The Simpsons.
He told the conference that the change in Labor policy was needed because not all countries were blessed with the energy alternatives enjoyed by Australia.
"The challenge is as we debate this amendment to recognise the reality that around the world there are so many economies who do not have and possess the rich range of energy options which we in this country have at our disposal," Mr Rudd said.
"We have been supplying uranium to them for many years and this amendment seeks to recognise that reality into the years ahead."
But Mr Albanese told delegates that it wasn't a risk worth taking.
"If you're cautious about further involvement in the nuclear fuel cycle, vote for my amendment," he said.
"If you think that it's pretty arrogant to suggest that we know what will happen to geology, climate, and importantly, political changes over the next 240,000 years, think there might be a doubt about it - vote for my amendment.
"If you think it actually matters that every person in this room knows that ALP members at the rank-and-file level support my amendment, then vote for it. I think it does matter.
"Let's put out a consistently clear position that says we don't want any further involvement in the nuclear fuel cycle. Vote for my amendment."
Mr Garrett, who campaigned for nuclear disarmament when he was the frontman of Midnight Oil, promised he still had the anti-nuclear fire in his belly.
"I've long been opposed to uranium mining. I'm unapologetic about it. In fact I'm proud of it," he said.
But rising Labor star and union boss Bill Shorten, who has won preselection for the next election, said that Labor values weren't worth much if the party wasn't in power.
"Not voting for change will undermine us at the next election," he said.
"For me, you can have all the Labor values in the world but they're not much good if you're in opposition. Winning is important to changing all of the issues."
He made it clear the party was risking government if it went against Mr Rudd.
"If you think that rolling the leader is a great idea then go ahead and vote for the Albanese-Garrett amendment," Mr Shorten said.
Mr Albanese later said that he was not disappointed by the result because it was so close.
"I think it's pretty hard to be disappointed with the vote when we were in a minority by only eight votes," he said.
Two protesters were kicked out after they pulled out a flag and began shouting slogans at Mr Rudd as he left the conference floor following the vote.
Earlier in the day, the party endorsed Rudd's new industrial relations policy without debate.
The new policy, which bans strike action without a secret ballot of workers and reinstates unfair dismissal protection for some workers, had been touted as a test of Mr Rudd's leadership.
But union officials agreed not to attempt to amend the policy after several hours of discussion on the edges of the conference.
Labor workplace relations spokeswoman Julia Gillard thanked delegates for their support and paid tribute to her shadow parliamentary secretary Brendan O'Connor for his work in negotiating the agreement.
"This chapter wouldn't be with you today if it wasn't for his hard work," she said.
Under the policy, fathers will be guaranteed the right to take up to 12 months unpaid parental leave as part of a new employment safety net covering all Australian workers.
Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd and industrial relations spokeswoman Julia Gillard released a policy document titled Forward with Fairness: Labor's Plan for Fairer and more Productive Australian Workplaces, which provided further details on the safety net workers would have under a Labor government.
"A Rudd Labor government will guarantee a safety net of decent, relevant and enforceable minimum wages and conditions for working Australians," the policy says.
It promises 10 legislated national employment standards, which will apply to all workers.
"Labor's new national employment standards will contain entitlements for all employees regardless of their industry or occupation," the policy says.
"These new standards cannot be removed or replaced."
The standards include separate periods of 12 months unpaid parental leave for both parents following the birth of a child.
"Labor recognises that many families want to have a parent provide all or most of the care for a child during the first two years of the child's life," the policy says.
Labor would also guarantee workers eight national public holidays, as well as prescribed state or local public holidays such as Labour Day and Melbourne Cup Day.
The minimum conditions will include mandated redundancy pay for workers in a job for more than a year and minimum periods of notice if they are sacked.
The second phase of the safety net relates to further conditions that can be guaranteed in workers' awards.
"Labor believes that awards are an important safety net and an effective floor for collective bargaining. Collective agreements will be able to override award entitlements provided the agreement means employees are genuinely better off," the policy says.
"Under Labor, awards may build on and also provide industry detail on Labor's legislated minimum standards.
"Labor's new awards may only contain a further 10 minimum employment standards."
These can include standards on minimum wages, overtime and penalty rates, allowances and superannuation.
AAP