The article makes some sweeping assertions but fails to make key insights. For example why is wealthy sun drenched UAE building nuclear plants in the first place? Could be because they know oil is running out and that solar will not provide the 24/7 power they need. The types of reactor they are getting (AP1400) are not suited to weapons development so they are going about it the wrong way if that is their intention.

As to the supposed irrelevance of Australia's uranium industry a parliamentary report suggests it saves about 400 Mt of CO2 world wide had the power been generated by black coal. It makes you wonder why we don't follow the UAE's lead and build our own nuclear power stations. If we also process here we won't have to import the fuel.

In reply to Taswegian. United Arab Emirates is a world leader in promoting solar power. The Shams Power Company opened their Shams 1 concentrated solar power station recently in Abu Dhabi, taking only 2 years to build the biggest solar [power station in the world. As well as concentrated solar power, Dubai is bringing in legislation for small scale solar power on roofs of residential properties, office buildings or industrial facilities, providing electricity and creating a surplus that can be fed into the grid.

I think it likely that the prime motive for UAE to develop nuclear power is so that they can have the option to develop nuclear weapons.

The UAE also does not have the ability to enrich the uranium, and so is unlikely to buy from Australia.

The UAE is buying reactors that are not designed to make weapons grade material and is a signatory to the NPT, so can buy fuel rods on an exchange basis from a number of countries.

There is no real basis for this thread.

Have to agree with shadow minister!
If the UAE wanted to buy our uranium, we would have to refine it for them.
We could do just that if the incoming Abbott government, rescinded a Rudd Govt. deal, which gave away our locally invented, would's best, pulsed laser light refining system to the US!
That system back in our hands, would allow us to enrich uranium to power generation quality.
We could even consider leasing the rods and taking them back when they were used up?
If the UAE wants to buy uranium, they can buy it from others.
So whether or not they are able to procure it is simply not down to us, or the control freaks, who somehow believe, they have some sort of divine right to interfere, with the legitimate rights of other sovereign nations!
Moreover, none of the detractors seem too worried about Iran's nuclear ambitions; or those of North Korea; or, the human rights abuses of either of those two countries!?
With our own locally developed enrichment technology restored to the rightful owner, we could not only consider refining our uranium exports to power generating quality, but our own nuclear industry.
At some point, we will have to consider, a nuclear powered navy/maritime service!
We are after all, an Island nation, heavily reliant on maritime services, for all bulk freight forwarding.
Peak oil makes an oil fired navy/maritime services, more and more impracticable/costly.
Besides, it is carbon and or fossil fuel currently threatening all life with annihilation, not guaranteed mutual destruction, nuclear conflagration!
Rhrosty.

Hi Shadow Minister and Rhrosty

I concur. As Australia only exports Uranium in yellowcake form it would need to be processed into fuel rods by a third country (like France, US or UK) before being passed on to the UAE.

In this process Australia's Uranium might be mixed with uranium from larger exporters Kazakhstan and/or Canada before being passed on to the UAE.

Of course if Australia doesn't export to UAE Kazakhstan and/or Canada will anyway.

So an Australian boycott of the UAE won't have much affect other than making some in Labor, the Greens and Independents feel all warm and save-the-worldy.

Anyway Labor damaged itself for years by having a similar debate about Uranium exports to India. If Australian exports of Uranium to nuclear armed India and China are OK with Labor why not to the UAE?

Pete