By Neena Bhandari
Sydney, 5.12.2011 (Business Standard): The ruling Australian Labor Party’s national conference on Sunday voted by a very narrow margin to overturn its long-standing policy banning uranium sales to India.
Till now, party policy dictated that uranium could only be sold to countries signatory to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT), which has not. Prime Minister Julia Gillard urged delegates to support the motion, emphasising it would boost trade and enhance the bilateral relationship.
The PM’s motion was finally endorsed by a 206-185 split, revealing deep dissensions even among ministers in the Gillard government. So much so that when the chair ruled the motion passed, a recount was called, as many couldn’t believe the outcome.