Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Hansard source

In the light of the difficulty that this nation has had in coming to any agreement on the site for a low-level radioactive waste repository for the products of the research reactor at Lucas Heights, I suspect that my good friend Mr Macfarlane is being somewhat optimistic. I envy him his optimism but I suspect, given my experience on this question and the history of this country, that it could take a little longer before such a nuclear power station could be contemplated.

The important thing is that we have a sensible, mature debate about whether nuclear power should play a part in our energy future. If you are worried about human induced greenhouse gas emissions causing the globe to warm, then you must contemplate, if you are real and serious, the possibility that nuclear power has a part to play in Australia’s future.