‘Public record’: Energy Minister Chris Bowen backs nuclear scare campaign

A video endorsed by Labor warns people working and living near nuclear power plants are at risk of cancer. The opposition says its ‘a load of codswallop’, but the Energy Minister is standing by it.

Labor has refused to back away from its new scare campaign, which links nuclear power to cancer, with Energy Minister Chris Bowen claiming the evidence ‘is a matter of public record.’

A new video posted on the ALP’s official Instagram account features Melbourne GP Margaret Beavis, who states ‘it’s very clear that working with radiation has no safe limit. The more radiation you are exposed to, the greater your risk of cancer, heart attack, strokes.’

Dr Beavis says: ‘with cancers caused by radiation, they are not like asbestos where you get a typical cancer. They blend in with the other cancers that happen … however we know that childhood leukaemia … is definitely increased.’

When asked to comment on the claims, Mr Bowen said Dr Beavis was a medical doctor who had ‘expressed her view.’

‘That’s part of the debate, the matter of health of the various forms of energy is a matter of public record. One of the reasons nuclear is so expensive is because the regulations to make it safe have to be so exhaustive’ Mr Bowen said.

A new Labor Party video claims nuclear power has been linked to cancer, stroke and heart attack. Instagram

Chris Bowen has posted multiple anti-nuclear videos on Instagram.

The ALP scare campaign appears to be citing a 2023 study of 310,000 workers in the nuclear industry across France, the United Kingdom and the United States. The study examined prolonged exposure to low doses of ionizing radiation and its association with a higher risk of death from cancer.

In response to the findings, epidemiologist Amy Berrington told Spanish newspaper El Pais: ‘for every 1,000 people exposed to 100 millisieverts of ionizing radiation — most nuclear workers are exposed to less than 10 millisieverts — there could be an extra 10 deaths, instead of five, on top of the more than 200 expected deaths from tumours produced by other causes.

‘Twice a small risk is still a small risk’ Professor Berrington said.

A separate Canadian study published in 2017 examined peopled living within 25 kilometres of three nuclear plants in Ontario.

It found: ‘there is no evidence of childhood leukaemia clusters around the three Ontario Nuclear Power Plants. The rates of cancer incidence for children aged 0–4 and aged 0–14 were similar to the general Ontario population. Overall, for all ages, there is no consistent pattern of cancer across the populations in question living near the three facilities studied.’

Nationals MP Keith Pitt described Labor’s scare campaign as ‘a load of codswallop’

The Prime Minister’s office declined to comment on the scare campaign video, directing enquiries to the ALP’s National Secretary.

Nationals MP Keith Pitt slammed the move from Labor, describing it as ‘a load of codswallop.’

‘There has been a nuclear reactor operating in Sydney for more than five decades’ Mr Pitt said.

‘Lucas Heights produces and distributes around 800,000 doses of nuclear isotopes for use in nuclear medicine per year. Saving the lives of Australians and treating cancer patients.’

‘If these claims were true why is Labor allowing our sailors to train in nuclear submarines and nuclear powered vessels like the USS Ronald Reagan, with more than 4,000 sailors aboard to dock in Australia’ Mr Pitt said.

This photograph shows two cooling towers of the Civaux nuclear power plant in Civaux. The Opposition has been championing nuclear power. Picture: AFP

In the video, Dr Beavis, a former Greens candidate at multiple elections, said she was speaking on behalf of the Medical Association for the Prevention of War, an organisation who relentlessly warn about the possibility of nuclear war.

She is also involved in the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, which has strongly opposed the AUKUS submarine.

Dr Beavis recently warned of the impact a ‘nuclear attack’ would have on Australia, claiming it would cause: ‘fires would be of such intensity that all the oxygen is gone from the air. Every living creature dies. The fires released by the bombs are a thousand times stronger than the bombs themselves.’

The Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton. His approach to energy integrates zero-emissions nuclear energy alongside renewables and gas, delivering a total system cost significantly lower than Labor’s, he said. Picture: NewsWire / John Gass

Liberal MP and veteran Phil Thompson told this masthead the scare campaign was an ‘embarrassment’ and Labor ‘should be ashamed of themselves.’

Mr Bowen has posted a number of anti-nuclear videos on his Instagram page, as have other senior members of the ALP.

The opposition has vowed to build up to seven reactors, claiming their own energy pathway is more than $250 billion cheaper than what the Albanese Government is proposing.

More to come