Uranium exports to India a ''good idea'', says ex Australian PM Bob Hawke

Former Australian prime minister, Bob Hawke, has spoken out in support of a move by the Australian Workers Union and resources and energy minister Martin Ferguson to reopen a debate, at this year's national conference of the Australian Labour Party, to allow increased uranium mining in the country as well as exports to India.

"I think that's a good idea," Hawke said yesterday.

Hawke said the party should not get "…hung up on prejudices" of the past and accept the modern reality of uranium as a source of clean energy. "The fact is, if we want as clean as possible an environment, the generation of electricity by nuclear power is going to be an increasingly positive feature of that," he said.

The issue caused fissures in the Labour Party at its 1984 national conference and it was Hawke ultimately brokered a deal that allowed uranium mining and exports from three mines, on the condition that no more be opened.

Under Kevin Rudd, the ALP relaxed the long-standing policy, allowing the approval of a fourth working uranium mine in the Four Mile project.