Australian federal government will support uranium mining but not nuclear power, Resources and Energy Minister Martin Ferguson told The Australian Financial Review on Wednesday, adding that he aims to oversee a large expansion of the uranium industry. The Australian Uranium Association said this stance will create a more certain investment environment for the industry. However, the stance threatens to create divisions in parliament. Recently the Greens party said it would use its power to try to stop planned uranium mines, phase out three existing mines and halt exports. At the time, Ferguson sought to distance himself from the Australian Greens, who supported Labor to form a minority government, and dismissed the green party's plan and said uranium mining is a 'fact of life'. Greens senator Scott Ludlam said Ferguson's determination to override environmental processes had him putting investors ahead of the Australian public. 'These processes catch not just risks to the environment but risks during transport, to public health, occupational health and safety, and heritage,' Ludlam told Australian Associated Press. 