Michael Johnson (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Energy security is unquestionably one of the greatest political and economic policy challenges of our times. As the world’s population increases and global prosperity expands, the demand for affordable, reliable and sustainable energy will be even more challenging for national leaders to deliver. Whether it is to meet the lifestyle needs of the so-called developed middle-class or to empower microfinance entrepreneurs in developing economies, never before has the thirst for energy been so intense. Today’s mass consumerism across demographics, genders, professions and borders only adds to the insatiable demand for energy. We all know that how the world’s chief business executives and national leaders deliver on these pressing demands will shape human lives as well as commercial hubs. The need to address climate change and conserve the environment only adds to the need for a global solution.

As the member for Ryan, it is my absolute belief that we must do more to explore and develop a wide range of alternative and renewable forms of energy. This is something that I have spoken about previously in the House, and I will certainly continue to do so on behalf of the people of Ryan that I have the great privilege to represent in the House of Representatives. The time has come to be absolutely innovative and visionary on ethanol, solar, tidal and wind power and also on power involving green roots and algae, and, in particular, the time has come to be visionary and proactive on nuclear. That is what I want to talk about tonight because I am sure that the vast majority of Australians, including the vast majority of the constituents of Ryan, properly educated, properly advised, properly informed and properly briefed, will be very receptive to nuclear as a form of energy that can sustain economic growth as well as play a part in the basket of solutions for the environmental challenges that we have.

I want to take the House to a speech that a very significant figure in the union movement and on the Labor side of politics, Paul Howes, the National Secretary of the Australian Workers Union, made several weeks ago. On 18 August 2009, he showed courage and leadership when he talked about the power of nuclear in the basket of energy solutions. His speech was worth commending, and I want to do that tonight by quoting some of his very insightful and compelling words. He said:

But my aim tonight is to also raise the potential - long recognised by many other countries - for nuclear energy to supply Australia’s future domestic energy needs and to have this debate with urgency, and with the most up-to-date information to hand.

A domestic nuclear industry could potentially be up and running within ten to fifteen years, but despite a rising level of community acceptance according to a number of recent surveys, with constraints to be addressed regarding safety, waste, proliferation and the risk of diversion, of this worthwhile idea, some Governments, overtly at least, are against it.

My question to the Bligh government in the state of Queensland is: are you for it or not? My question to the Rudd government here in Canberra is: are you for nuclear or not? Certainly, Mr Paul Howes is showing leadership and vision and he is putting the national interest first, ahead of party politics.

In this country we have enormous potential to export our uranium resources to the world. Some 16 countries already rely on nuclear energy to supply at least one-quarter of their total electricity. There are some 440 nuclear power generation plants worldwide, with 52 planned or under construction, producing approximately 16 per cent of global electricity energy generation. We are not talking about something small here; we are talking about something substantial. Prime Minister Rudd said that climate change is the greatest moral challenge to this country, the greatest moral threat to our time. Mr Rudd, I say to you: use your power; use your influence. Let us not be dills. Let us get on the side of Mr Paul Howes, who said:

We would be dills not to seize it.

He was talking about the opportunity, of course.

So, Mr Rudd and Deputy Prime Minister Gillard, let us not be ostriches and bury our heads in the sand, because, like it or not, in the years ahead this country will become a country that has power generated from nuclear capacity. (Time expired)