Labor inconsistent on nuclear power, says Howard

Prime Minister John Howard has used a tour of the Olympic Dam uranium mine in South Australia to attack what he says is Labor's inconsistency on nuclear energy.

Mr Howard visited the site today, where he welcomed plans for the expansion of the BHP Billiton-run mine.

Mr Howard says Labor's opposition to nuclear energy is completely inconsistent with its support of the uranium industry.

"It is the most inconsistent policy imaginable," he said.

"What is the consistency in a policy that says we believe in mining uranium, we believe in exporting it but we completely close our minds to the possibility that we might use uranium domestically for the purpose of generating nuclear power?

"There is no consistency in that at all."

But Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd has defended Labor's refusal to consider nuclear energy in Australia.

Mr Rudd and Labor's environment spokesman Peter Garrett toured Blackwater's BHP Billiton mine today, selling their plan to clean-up the coal industry.

Coal provides thousands of jobs for the region and is the livelihood of towns such as Blackwater.

Mining communities are anxious about a suggestion from the Greens to phase out coal exports.

Mr Rudd believes that is not needed with Labor's $500 million plan to cut carbon emissions by 2020.

He says Labor's focus on clean coal technology is the best way to tackle climate change.

"If the alternative is a huge amount of government subsidy involved in Mr Howard's 25 nuclear reactors around the country as opposed to investing government funds in supporting clean coal technology, I'll let you know very clearly where I'd rather go," he said.

"That's to support coal for Australia's future and clean coal for our climate change future as well."