Australia's opposition parties have mounted pressure on the Federal Government to review its "blind ideological objection" for Uranium sale to India, after the US Congress approved a landmark bilateral
nuclear deal.
"Labour's blind ideological objection to Australia in concluding a similar arrangement with India is a missed opportunity to generate jobs and build the economy," Coalition foreign affairs spokeswoman Helen Coonan said.
The Government lead by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has insisted that it will not sell uranium to India while the country remains outside nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty.
Senator Coonan said the Coalition continued to support the previous Howard government's commitment to sell uranium to India, subject to safeguards being put in place.
"We have supported this based on recognition of India as an emerging global power, and the fact that by assisting India to get to 35 per cent of domestic power being provided by greenhouse-gas-free nuclear power we can achieve environmental objectives," she said.
Meanwhile, Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett was quoted as saying by 'The Age' today that he will allow mining of his state's uranium