PM backs nuclear power industry for Australia.


Prime Minister John Howard has given one of his strongest statements yet in support of a domestic nuclear power industry.
Speaking on Channel Nine, Mr Howard said he is in favour of Australia developing nuclear power for peaceful purposes.
"In an age where we're worried about global warming we should be looking seriously at nuclear power as an option, because it's clean and it doesn't emit greenhouse gases and I can't understand why the extreme Greenies oppose it," he said.
The Prime Ministerial task force into uranium and nuclear energy is due to release its draft report next month and its final document is expected at the end of the year.
Meanwhile, more than 400 experts from around the world will be at a nuclear energy conference in Sydney today.
Government and industry representatives from 30 countries including Russia, China and Korea will attend the Pacific Basin conference.
Conference spokesman Dr Clarence Hardy says they will look at issues such as uranium mining and the safety of nuclear power.
"This is a kind of non political conference where we discuss technical facts, economic facts, public relations," he said.
He says uranium exports from Australia and the new reactor at Lucas Heights in Sydney will also be discussed.
More than 200 papers will be presented from the work of scientists and engineers.
Dr Hardy says there is renewed interest in nuclear power.
"It's generally accepted now in many countries of the world that there is a renaissance in nuclear power," he said.
"The US administration has changed its policy to being pro-nuclear at the moment.
"Europe, Japan, Korea and China have all got very ambitious nuclear programs."