Dick Smith reveals conversation with former Prime Minster Bob Hawke about nuclear energy

Legendary Australian businessman Dick Smith has re-entered the debate on nuclear energy, and he says the proposal would have a lot of support from one of Labor’s great prime ministers. Here’s why.

Legendary Australian businessman Dick Smith has re-entered the debate on nuclear power, revealing that Bob Hawke once told him atomic energy was the “obvious” solution to the nation’s energy needs.

Mr Smith added they he was hoping that he could tell Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, whom he considers a “friend”, to reconsider Labor’s opposition to nuclear power because it is the “wrong decision to our people” and because “country people are going to really object to destroying their environment” for renewables.

Smith made the revelations in an interview released Monday by the pro-nuclear campaign group Nuclear for Australia, of which Smith is a patron.

Dick Smith at home in Sydney. He is re-entering the debate on nuclear energy. Picture: Nikki Short

The comments come as opposition leader Peter Dutton continues to push for nuclear to be added to the nation’s energy mix.

“In 1988, I think it was the year I had finished (being) Australian of the Year) I was invited by Prime Minister Bob Hawke and Hazel to go to Kirribilli House for Australia Day … it was absolutely fantastic,” Mr Smith said.

Then-Prime Minister Bob Hawke at the opening of the Sefton Park electorate office of Dr Bob Catley, the new Labor member for the Federal seat of Adelaide, on June 23, 1990.

“Bob Hawke said to me, ‘Oh, Dick, you’ll be against nuclear’ and I said no … I was known as an environmentalist and I said, ‘No Bob, I’m not (against nuclear).’”

“And he said to me then look we need to move to nuclear and its’s so obvious and so here is … one of the most famous and best Labor prime ministers was telling me you should be supporting nuclear.”

A nuclear power plant in Slovakia. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has called for the energy source to be part of a national strategy.

This is not the first time the name of Mr Hawke, who died five years ago last week, has been associated with nuclear power.

In 2016 the former prime minister stirred controversy at the annual Woodford Folk Festival when he told attendees that nuclear power would “be a win for the global environment and a win for Australia.”

Mr Smith added that he wanted to send a message to the prime minister, saying “I know him and consider him a friend and I’d say, look, it’s a wrong decision for our young people.”

“It’s OK for him and people of my age (to oppose nuclear) because we won’t be around when the problems occur, and I’d say to the prime minister please look into it in an objective way.”

Do you have a story for The Daily Telegraph? Message 0481 056 618 or email [e-mail]

Originally published as Dick Smith reveals conversation with former Prime Minster Bob Hawke about nuclear energy