Fed: Anti-nuclear MP says ALP policy change 'not done deal'

AAP General News (Australia)
04-22-2007
Fed: Anti-nuclear MP says ALP policy change 'not done deal'

By Sandra O'Malley

CANBERRA, April 22 AAP - Kevin Rudd will ask his party to overturn its 25-year opposition
to new Australian uranium mines at Labor's national conference but anti-nuclear champions
deny change is in the bag.

Uranium and industrial relations are shaping up as the two biggest challenges for Mr
Rudd during the three-day conference, which begins on Friday.

The new leader is a hit in the opinion polls but Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese
believes Mr Rudd won't necessarily get it all his own way at the conference.

Mr Albanese will be leading the push for Labor to retain its no new uranium mines policy,
once known as the three mines policy.

"I'll go all out to put forward the position which I think has the overwhelming support
of the Labor Party membership," he told the Nine Network.

"And in terms of electoral politics, I just think it is beyond belief to argue that
there are people out there ... who say 'Gee I'll change my vote to Labor if only they
change their policy on no new uranium mines.'

"I just think that's an absurd proposition."

West Australian Premier Alan Carpenter and Labor's environment spokesman Peter Garrett,
who ran as a candidate for the Nuclear Disarmament Party in 1984, are other high profile
ALP members who back the current policy.

But few expect Mr Rudd to be rolled on uranium and many suspect the numbers on the
conference floor are already fixed.

A loss to the leader would seriously damage his standing and Labor's chances at the
next election.

Mr Albanese, however, denies it's a done deal.

"I'll be seeking support for an amendment which says essentially that let's not put
the cart before the horse," he said.

"Before Labor considers any new uranium mines I think ... we need in place an effective
nuclear non-proliferation regime."

Industrial relations will be the other main headache for the ALP faithful next weekend,
with Labor seeking to strike a balance between the needs of business and union demands
in its policy.

Mr Rudd last week offered a taste of Labor's industrial strategy but is refusing to
say when exactly the full policy will be forthcoming.

Australian Council of Trade Unions boss Greg Combet is demanding Mr Rudd reveal the
detail of Labor's industrial relations policy at the conference.

However, Mr Rudd will only commit to releasing the policy "before the election".

The disagreement over timing comes days after Mr Rudd told Australian Manufacturing
Workers' Union boss Doug Cameron he needed to move into the 21st century on industrial
matters.

But the government claims any kind of tensions between Mr Rudd and the labour movement
is manufactured to make it appear the opposition leader is standing up to union bosses.

AAP so/srp/mn

KEYWORD: LABOR NIGHTLEAD

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