Justine Elliot (Richmond, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to condemn this government's dangerous plans to develop a nuclear power industry in Australia. We're seeing intensifying pressure from the Liberals and Nationals, at all levels of government, pushing this very toxic agenda. The fact is nuclear power is dangerous and expensive and it would consume vast amounts of precious water at a time when Australia faces increased water security threats due to the gross mismanagement by this government and of course the very harsh impacts of climate change.

I stand with my community in firm opposition to nuclear power. Locals were rightly angry when the issue was recently raised in question time when I specifically questioned the Morrison government about their plans to build toxic nuclear power plants. I asked the energy minister if he would rule out a nuclear power station being built in northern New South Wales or on the Gold Coast. In his response the minister said he had 'an open mind' on the issue of nuclear energy. Our community on the New South Wales north coast have major objections to nuclear energy, and I stand with them in opposing nuclear power plants in coastal communities like ours in northern New South Wales.

We've seen so many Liberal and National members strongly advocating this idea, and the Prime Minister has even said that nuclear power is 'not not' on his agenda. We saw the member for New England, a Nationals MP, with his bizarre idea that authorities could get around public concerns about the safety of nuclear energy by giving people free power if they could see a nuclear reactor from their home—quite bizarre.

We also have the New South Wales Nationals leader and Deputy Premier, John Barilaro, calling nuclear power 'the solution' to cheaper energy. In June we had the New South Wales Nationals, at their annual conference, vote to support the use of nuclear power in Australia. That just shows how out of touch the New South Wales Nationals are. In the Tweed Shire on the New South Wales north coast we've alarmingly seen Liberal Councillor James Owen's strong support for nuclear power, which shows how incredibly dangerous he is for our region. It's well-known that the risky and reckless James Owen can't be trusted and doesn't share our values.

In a clear sign the extremists are still dictating the government's energy policy, the minister for energy has recently established a parliamentary inquiry into an Australian nuclear power industry and this is all done with the sole purpose of pushing the nuclear power agenda. My community on the North Coast, and indeed many communities across the country, does have a major issue with nuclear energy, and I stand with them in opposing any nuclear power plants in coastal communities like ours on the New South Wales North Coast. Let me make this very, very clear to the Prime Minister and to the Liberals and Nationals at all levels of government: if you keep pursuing your plans for nuclear energy in our region, our community will fight this every day, every step of the way.