Ken O'Dowd (Flynn, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Australian households and industry are currently paying the highest prices for electricity in the world. I ask myself: 'Why?' We have all the natural resources that most countries don't have: we have thermal, high-quality, low-ash quality coal; we have gas; we have uranium; we have wind and sun; and, of course, we have hydro. The government's priority is to lower energy prices for all Australians, including households, small business and industry, and keep the lights on at the same time. The Australian energy portfolio is currently made up of approximately 65 per cent coal, 20 per cent gas and 15 per cent renewables. Second-tier electricity retailers who do not generate one kilowatt of electricity are partly to blame for our high prices. That is why I support those who are calling for an inquiry into the feasibility of bringing nuclear power into the mix of the future energy supply chain.

Ms Kearney interjecting—

Yes, put it anywhere you like. My area would accept it. Not a problem.

Ms Kearney interjecting—

If you just listen, you might learn something. Study after study in scientific journals has proven that nuclear power plants are by far the best and safest way to make reliable electricity. The technology behind nuclear power plants is much safer and continues to improve as time goes on. The evidence over six decades shows that nuclear power is a safe means of generating electricity. The risk of accidents in nuclear power plants is low and declining. Nuclear power plants provide an effective base-load power at a fair cost. We have 40 per cent of the world's uranium and we sell that to the top 19 countries in the OECD. We are the only ones that don't use uranium for nuclear generation. We export uranium to many countries outside those OECD countries.

I have seen the effects in South Australia of coal-fired power stations being replaced by renewable energy sources. I'm certainly not convinced that this is the way to go. We worry about the storage of nuclear waste and that would be in the debate we would have about the pros and cons of nuclear power. It would be a mix, yes, but still a variable reliance on coal, gas and maybe nuclear.

I look at the prices of electricity for Australians across the states. Queensland has eight coal-fired power stations and has the lowest cost at $82.13 per kilowatt. New South Wales is second, at $85.94. Tasmania comes in third, with hydroelectricity bringing their price down to $84.37 per kilowatt. Victoria is $96.49, and South Australia is the highest in Australia at $96.42 per kilowatt.

My opinion is that nuclear has to be debated. It'll take 20 years to build a nuclear power station and so the debate must start sooner rather than later. All those deniers out there should think about just where we are going. Renewables have a place, and I admit that. However, nuclear has to be considered for future generation of cheap, reliable and affordable power in Australia.