Make or break decision.

This weekends Australian Labor Party National conference is make or break for opposition leader Kevin Rudd. The issue to be decided is a policy change to allow new uranium mines - a subject that is anathema to those on the left of the party.
In essence, this is the stand-off that will either bestow the full leadership crown to Rudd's brow - or weaken him if he goes down in defeat.
It is also the decision behind a decision. Australia must decide if it is going to take global warming seriously - and if so do something about curbing the huge amounts of Co2 generated by coal burning electricity generation.
John Howard has thrown down the cudgels and suggested that the only way this can be achieved is by going nuclear. Rudd is an intelligent man and he knows that nomatter what the woolly minded idealists of his party think there is no prospect of replacing coal with solar,wind or wave generation in the first half of this century. The only option is nuclear - hence a battle looms to take the first step on that road - convincing the hard left of his party that if they want to form government they first must show pragmatism and bite the bullet on the first step on the nuclear road - approving more uranium mines.
If Rudd pulls this off - and the general consensus is that he will - then his chances of being handed the keys to the Lodge later this year are hugely enhanced.
The general feeling in this country is not in favour of going nuclear at this stage, but if both sides of politics are on the same course that opposition will quickly fade as realism sets in. The anti-nuclear people have done a good job demonising nuclear power but their agenda and reasoning is false. The world has already gone nuclear and many countries - including Japan and France - generate much of their electricity in that manner - and have done so safely for decades.
This weekends conference will be a turning point for politics in Australia !