Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) is now keen to reverse its 41-year-old ban on uranium exploration in the state after the ruling Labour Party’s decision to lift the ban on uranium sales to India.
“We don’t know what uranium if any exists across the state and what I advocated yesterday was we should at least allow exploration to occur,” NSW Premier, Mr Barry O’Farrell, according to ABC report, said.
He only wants to look at exploration at this stage, the report said.
“Then we can have a sensible and mature discussion about whether there should be uranium mining,” the NSW Premier said.
Mr O’Farrell said he was urged by the Australian Workers Union head, Mr Paul Howes, to reconsider the exploration ban.
Labour’s national conference earlier this month had backed the Prime Minister, Ms Julia Gillard’s plan to remove the party’s ban on uranium exports to India.
Queensland’s Premier, Ms Anna Bligh, however, has reiterated that the state has no plans to change its opposition to uranium mining.