Malinauskas supported nuclear power until Albo told him not to | Caleb Bond

Labor knows that a successful nuclear power industry is the biggest threat to its blind support of renewable energy, writes Caleb Bond.

• How safe is it? Your nuclear questions answered

Remember when Premier Peter Malinauskas flagged his interest in nuclear energy?

It’s worth revisiting now that the Coalition has laid out a plan for nationwide, nationalised nuclear power.

It was December, 2022 and Mr Malinauskas told The Advertiser that SA-built nuclear submarines would “go a long way to allaying some of the fears that exist around safety” of nuclear industry.

“In respect of my position on nuclear power for civil consumption, or use, I’ve always thought that the ideological opposition that exists in some quarters to nuclear power is ill-founded,” Mr Malinauskas said.

“Nuclear power is a source of baseload energy with zero carbon emissions.

“So, for someone like myself, who is dedicated to a decarbonisation effort, I think we should be open-minded to those technologies and I think it would be foolhardy to have a different approach.”

I was thrilled to hear a Labor premier voice such a logical and pragmatic view on nuclear energy.

TELL US WHY IN THE COMMENTS

But the federal government is steadfastly opposed – and days later, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese slapped the premier down, saying he was “wrong” and that nuclear was a “distraction”.

And Mr Malinauskas fell into line, telling the ABC that nuclear power was “completely uneconomic” and we shouldn’t get caught in a “culture war debate” about its use.

In the words of Borat: great success.

Which brings us to Peter Dutton’s announcement this week.

He has outlined a plan for seven state-owned nuclear reactors across the country at current or former coal-fired power plants, including Northern Power Station in Port Augusta.

It’s the first serious proposal for nuclear energy in Australia.

Labor premiers quickly voiced their opposition to nuclear reactors in their states – including Mr Malinauskas.

His opposition was more measured than some of his counterparts, though, acknowledging that nuclear had “an important role to play in the global energy mix” (except in Australia, apparently) but attacking its economic viability.

He won’t touch the safety argument because he knows that nuclear energy is not unsafe and polling shows Australians are supportive of the power source.

The only argument on which they can possibly hope to win this argument is cost – and Mr Malinauskas is parroting the Prime Minister’s lines.

Mr Dutton has not yet released his costings but he has said it will be significantly cheaper than the federal government’s $1.2 trillion to $1.5 trillion renewable transition plan.

While the upfront costs of nuclear energy are high, a reactor can last 80 years compared to the 20 to 30 years you get out of solar panels and wind turbines.

Premier Peter Malinauskas and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the opening of the new building at Flinders University. Picture: NewsWire/Roy VanDerVegt

In his heart of hearts, I believe Mr Malinauskas supports nuclear energy.

His candid 2022 commentary about being “open-minded” was diplomatic but typical of the rationality that underpins much of his leadership.

He had no reason to renege on those comments – except to protect his federal colleagues.

Labor knows that a successful nuclear power industry is the biggest threat to its blind support of renewable energy and the decades of policy and investment it has poured in that direction.

If it works, they have egg on their faces.

Queensland Energy Minister Mick de Brenni admitted this last year when he told a renewable energy conference that “the threat of nuclear power is a moratorium on your industry, your goals, your plans and puts its future in jeopardy”.

I wonder why that might be?

Mr Dutton showed leadership this week by flagging a proposal others have been too afraid to touch, creating a clear distinction between the opposition and the government.

Mr Malinauskas should show the leadership I know he possesses and return to his open-mindedness, even if it comes at the expense of the federal ALP.