The peaceful use
of nuclear energy is now being debated. As a nation with a lot of the world’s
resources of uranium, we cannot ignore this issue and the closely related
question about the reality of global warming and its likely
consequences.

Global warming has
brought noted naturalist David
Attenborough out of the closet, but for a consistently
argued contrary view, see the many contributions on the Henry Thornton site by
Louis
Hissink.

Henry was recently
debating this issue with a highly respected Australian scientist. “Its like
Pascal’s wager,” he asserted. “The consequences if we worry and take action
about global warming will be minor if we are wrong. If we do not take action
and we are wrong, the consequences will be
devastating.”

Today’s
Oz
reports that Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane has suggested “that voters were
ready to confront uranium enrichment after years of simply digging it up and
selling it overseas to be processed.” Howard and Downer have also called for
debate on uranium enrichment and waste disposal, although perhaps it has more to
do with exploiting the ALP’s uncertainty over uranium policy. As reported in
today’s AFR, Labor’s new
it-man Bill Shorten has revealed tensions within the ALP, saying that the no new
mines policy is like “being half pregnant”, whereas Labor’s environment
spokesman Anthony Albanese said that Labor opposed nuclear power on cost,
safety, waste and proliferation grounds.

Henry sees the
political astuteness behind Howard’s call for more debate; a recent Morgan Poll found that 55% of Australians believe Australia should
develop and export uranium for peaceful purposes, including 70% of Coalition
voters, whereas only 35% are against it.

Read more at Henry Thornton.