Terry Young (Longman, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I'd like to take this opportunity to set the record straight over my stance on nuclear power. There's an ongoing debate regarding a move to lift the ban on nuclear energy as a fuel source in Australia. This is an important decision to make, though I believe all energy sources should be on the table for discussion. This is in fact what I told a reporter at The Australian last week. The reporter surveyed dozens of government MPs, including me, asking if we supported lifting the ban on nuclear energy. My written response to this reporter was this: that I think all energy options should be on the table for discussion, including nuclear. Then, in an article published in the Australian newspaper on February 18 titled 'Coalition MPs in drive for nuclear energy', the reporter stated that I backed lifting the ban on nuclear energy. That is not what I said.

I believe that we need to have an open discussion on all future energy sources using credible and unbiased data, which is proving a challenge. Only then will we be able to form an opinion based on the science, costs and environmental impacts, rather than having the debate hijacked by political idealism. Unfortunately, this is yet another example of the media being able to do whatever they like with zero consequences, and this needs to change. They need to be held to account for their actions like the rest of us.