Does the LNP have its sights set on Callide Power Station as a possible site for a small nuclear modular reactor – if the community supported it?
The nuclear energy debate is back in the spotlight as differing views from the Greens and LNP collide like particles in a nuclear reactor.
Gladstone-based Greens Senator for Queensland Penny Allman-Payne believes LNP’s nuclear frolic would extend the life of costly, polluting coal, slow down the energy transition, send energy prices skyrocketing and wreck any chance we have of arresting global heating.
A CSIRO report in December concluded that nuclear power would be the most expensive source of new energy in Australia, while solar and on-shore wind projects are the cheapest form.
“The LNP is running interference for its fossil fuel donors to extend the life of the dying coal industry,” Senator Allman-Payne said.
“That’s all this nuclear frolic is.
“Coal and gas companies own the LNP, thanks to the millions in donations, political support and jobs-for-the-boys that the industry has gifted them over the decades.
“Nuclear power in Australia makes no sense. It would send energy prices through the roof, and it would take decades to develop.
“That’s money and time we don’t have if we’re to have any chance of transitioning to clean and cheap renewables and putting the brakes on global heating.
“We need a renewable energy transition driven by public investment, that’s community and government-led, with full, transparent and timely engagement, including the free, prior and informed consent of Traditional Owners, and protections for workers.
“What we don’t need is climate and energy policy driven by a deeply, unserious political party in the pocket of coal and gas multinationals that’s desperate to invent another election-campaign culture war.”
Liberal National Party Member for Flynn, Colin Boyce shares his stance and believes it makes logical sense to explore the nuclear option.
“While I appreciate Senator Allman-Payne’s point of view, the reality is that we must investigate every possible option in terms of delivering affordable and reliable energy to business and industry in Australia.
“Otherwise, we will get left behind in the big scheme of things as we advance to the future.
“I would suggest the Greens are deluding themselves to what the rest of the world is going to provide energy for themselves.
“The reality is if you look into the cost of renewables, a wind turbine will last somewhere in the vicinity of 20-25 years as will solar power, so in 20 years’ time what are we going to do?
“To say that renewable energy is clean and green is just an absolutely misleading statement.
“A wind turbine is not a net energy producer, it is a net energy user when you consider the amount of steel and concrete, copper and all of the minerals and components that go into making a wind turbine.
“I have three coal-fired power stations in the Flynn electorate – Gladstone, Callide and Stanwell and the Callide B part of the power station is due for closure in 2028.
“Callide C which is not operational in this point in time… it is again scheduled for closure in the mid-2030s is my understanding and what are we going to be able to provide the alumina industry, the cement industry for Gladstone, for example, with affordable and reliable baseload power – how are we going to do that?
“You’ve got to have the conversation about nuclear. At the moment there is a moratorium on nuclear in Australia.
“We have made an agreement through the UK and the US (AUKUS), to have nuclear submarines here. We do have to develop the technology to build, to maintain and to service nuclear submarines.
“We also have to deal with the waste that it will produce and we have to do that from an Australian point of view over the next 20-odd years, and if we’re going to do that, it makes logical sense to expand that into an industrial and commercial domestic nuclear power industry.
Australia has the world’s largest known resource of uranium which we mine and supply to 40-odd countries around the world who are all using nuclear energy to power their businesses and industry.”
