And that reason's called "Value Adding."

Australia has an appalling record at adding value to it's primary exports. From wool exported decades ago, to present day minerals and, in this case, trees. Just load it on a ship, wave it goodbye and receive a fraction of its processed value.

I know there are issues with the mill regarding its siting, pollution and the source of its raw material. If all those meet acceptable standards, then the thing should go ahead.

If the trees are going to be cut down regardless, then we should ensure we get the maximum value for them.

You have to hand it to Kevin Rudd. He's brilliantly wedged the government on the issue of States' rights.

Not so long ago (say, the beginning of this year) no Labor opposition in its right mind would have threatened to transfer a state responsibility to the Commonwealth. Especially one as sensitive as Public Hospitals. To announce such an intention would have been political suicide.

Hard to believe that "States Rights" was once a conservative holy grail.

You could feel the government's frustration as they held back from attacking Rudd after his announcement. That they couldn't is solely due to Howard's latest reelection strategy of attacking the states on just about any populist issue he can think of.

So now we have both parties lining up to kick states' heads!

My natural instinct is that this would be unpopular with the electorate. My instincts are obviously wrong. No party makes this sort of statement without the backup of opinion polling.

Howard has stated his frustration, and Rudd is spinning it as a virtue, that all State governments are Labor. The interesting thing is, if Rudd does get in it's likely that some of those Labor governments, voted in partly as a check against the Feds, will fall to the conservatives.

Rudd's going to have a hard time getting consensus from a mixed bag of state governments.

I wonder how the conservative historians will view Howard when a Labor Federal government uses Howard's newly utilised powers against newly elected Conservative states?

I reckon Kev won't be too concerned as he lays the boot in.

The announcement that Australia is going to sell uranium to India in contravention of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) has received little comment in the media. This is surprising as in my mind it's a first class scandal.

It comes at the same time as the US is planning to provide nuclear technology to India. Hardly a coincidence.

Whether Australia can keep track of uranium once it enters the closed Indian nuclear industry is a moot point. If the Indian industry is that accountable then they should sign the NPT.

Ignoring this major international convention will damage Australia's reputation. It will be difficult to complain about others flouting agreements when we conveniently ignore this one.

Perhaps our limp, morally feeble Labor Party should take a stand on this issue. Don't hold your breath, though.