Peter Malinauskas will have plans for a Peter Dutton Prime Ministership and his nuclear green dreams | Paul Starick

Anthony Albanese left one key factor out in his nuclear broadside on Peter Dutton in Whyalla, writes Paul Starick.

The nuclear attack in Whyalla by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on his rival’s plan for a nearby atomic power plant missed a crucial point.

The $1.9bn that he and Premier Peter Malinauskas had just unveiled for Whyalla steelworks future upgrades and infrastructure needs an energy source.

If green iron and steel are to be delivered, as both leaders hope, then this will require a carbon-neutral energy supply.

Just before the Thursday morning press conference at the steelworks, Mr Malinauskas had “deferred” his government's $593m Whyalla hydrogen power plant.

Just a year before, the Premier had touted this as the energy source for the green iron revolution, during his Whyalla visit for a State Prosperity Project tour.

Now, the hydrogen plan is in tatters. The Premier would like us to believe it can rise from the canvas.

Even if hydrogen does defy the odds as an energy source, this won’t happen before a federal election, which will be held by May 17.

Mr Albanese might have on Thursday echoed Mr Dutton’s weekend call that he will win the election but the Coalition has the momentum.

Voters are turning on the Albanese government and sheeting home blame for an extraordinary cost-of-living crisis.

A canny politician, like Mr Malinauskas, would at least prepare for the prospect of a Peter Dutton prime ministership.

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas addressing the media with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Whyalla. Picture: NewsWire / Tim Joy

Both he and Mr Dutton have said they spoke on February 11 about the Whyalla steelworks. It is reasonable to conclude the Coaliton’s proposed Port Augusta nuclear power plant was at least mentioned.

Mr Dutton on Thursday warned the “green hydrogen dream” would “undermine the viability of the site” for prospective steelworks buyers.

“We need to make sure that the Prime Minister explains to Australians how green hydrogen is going to work, because the electricity cost is much higher than what Whyalla would be paying now, when nowhere else is commercially operating in this way,” he said.

“Steel is an essential part of production in this country. We need to make sure we have a strong sector, but we can’t have the Prime Minister pretending that somehow green hydrogen is going to be prospective. It’s just not.”

The election of a Dutton government within weeks – not an unrealistic prospect given polls – would change the calculations about a low-carbon energy source for Whyalla steelworks.

Any future private steelworks owner being canvassed by administrator KordaMentha would be mad to ignore the prospect of nuclear power for the electric arc furnace and direct reduction iron plant that have been long proposed for Whyalla’s green transformation.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visiting workers at the Whyalla steelworks in South Australia. Picture: NewsWire / Tim Joy

Whether Mr Malinauskas agrees with the Coalition policy or not, it would be unlike him to have not prepared the political ground for the consequences of a nuclear power plant in SA.

There is considerable evidence that nuclear power is a popular policy.

An Advertiser Facebook poll asking: “Do you support nuclear power in SA?” had more than 33,000 respondents by Friday. Of those, at least 28,000 said yes – an overwhelming majority.

Mr Malinauskas has been a consistent advocate of nuclear power and has opposed it only on economic and price grounds. As far back as 2014, the-then shop assistants’ union state secretary was calling for debate about nuclear power in SA. “I believe climate change is a real challenge we need to face up to, and nuclear energy can be a safe source of base load power, with zero carbon emissions,’’ he said.

As former federal Liberal leader Alexander Downer argued in his Advertiser column on Wednesday, SA could have multiple nuclear power plants and SA “could become the battery of south eastern Australia”.

The looming election will decide whether Australia is heading for nuclear-powered future. Only a fool would totally rule out a Coalition victory.

Say what you like, but Mr Malinauskas is no fool.

Originally published as Peter Malinauskas will have plans for a Peter Dutton Prime Ministership and his nuclear green dreams | Paul Starick