Terri Butler (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Environment and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Resources and Water. Does the minister support the development of a domestic nuclear power industry fuelled by Australian resources and cooled by our scarce water reserves?

Keith Pitt (Hinkler, National Party, Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for that question. As the honourable member knows, there is already a nuclear industry in Australia; it's at Lucas Heights. We already have a nuclear reactor in Australia producing very important medical technologies for all Australians. As the member knows—and those opposite should do their research—I was a supplementary member of a committee; I couldn't even vote on the report that was put forward—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition on a point of order?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question went to the domestic nuclear power industry.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will just say to the minister that he's entitled to a preamble, and he's not yet 30 seconds in, but the time for that preamble's rapidly coming to an end.

Keith Pitt (Hinkler, National Party, Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I was saying—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, that's a ruling. You can note it and act on it, I think is the most important thing.

Keith Pitt (Hinkler, National Party, Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I will. The opposition knows the government's position. There is a moratorium on nuclear energy in this country. I was a member of a backbench committee which made recommendations. Those recommendations have gone to the shareholding minister, Minister Taylor, and the government will respond to them in due course.