Crisafulli deflects nuclear questions, blames Labor ‘scare campaigns’

David Crisafulli has deflected questions about nuclear power, dubbing Labor’s renewed focus on the issue a “scare campaign.”

Speaking from an early learning centre in Townsville on Monday, the opposition leader was asked if he would match premier Steven Miles’ promise of a High Court fight against any federal attempt to build reactors in Queensland.

“We’ve put forward our energy plan,” Crisafulli said.

LNP leader David Crisafulli in Townsville on Monday.Credit: William Davis

“Our focus is we’ve got to win the state election in five days’ time. Then there’ll be federal elections and multiple votes in different parliaments.

“I’m just saying to Queenslanders, if you want change, you have to vote for change – and scare campaigns that are being run at the moment out of the state government shows you how desperate they are.

“Queenslanders know our plan, they know what we’re taking to the election and they know we need a fresh start.”

The federal Liberal-National coalition is promising to build seven reactors, including two in Queensland at Tarong and Callide, if it wins the next election.

Tarong Power Station, near Kingaroy, is one of seven proposed locations for nuclear generation. Credit:

Peter Dutton joined Crisafulli on the campaign trail at the start of this month, and said if elected prime minister he would attempt to convince his state counterpart of the merits of nuclear power.

“The first step is to get David elected as premier,” he told reporters at the time.

“When the prime minister stops running scared, he’ll hold an election, and I intend to be prime minister after the next election, and we can have that conversation.

“In the end, we want the same thing, and that is cheaper electricity for Queenslanders.”

On the campaign trail in Cairns on Monday, Premier Steven Miles reiterated his commitment to “fight tooth and nail” against nuclear power plants being built in the state if given another term.

Premier Steven Miles speaks to local union members at Cairns Esplanade with member for Cairns Michael Healy and member for Cook Cynthia Liu on Monday. Credit: Catherine Strohfeldt

“I will be using every power available to me to block Peter Dutton’s [nuclear power] plan, and you know David Crisafulli will not do that,” he said.

“The existing law outlaws nuclear reactors and also requires a plebiscite the minute a Minister is aware the Australian government intends to build a nuclear plant [in Queensland].

“We also have other powers — we own the sites they want to use, we own the transmission network that they want to use.”

Miles said Crisafulli had given “precisely the same answer” on the topic of nuclear power as other issues that have dominated the LNP campaign, including termination of pregnancy laws.

“He doesn’t say if he supports it or [if he] opposes it, he just says it is not part of his plan,” said Miles.

“Of course, they’re weasel words. They don’t mean anything to Queenslanders opposed to nuclear energy because we know it is the most expensive option.”

He suggested Dutton had been “very, very clear” that electing Crisafulli was the coalition’s first step to establishing nuclear in Queensland.

“The first step to blocking that plan is electing me next weekend,” Miles said.