Australian Miners, AWU back nuclear power to achieve net zero

The nation’s top blue collar union has declared a nuclear industry is essential to protecting our sovereignty and achieving net zero emissions.

Exclusive: Australia must develop a nuclear industry for the sake of national security and to protect ourselves against China or any other potential foreign threat, the nation’s top blue collar union has declared.

The Australian Workers Union, arguably the most influential union body in the nation, said the recent deal to purchase nuclear submarines from the US and UK meant Australia must have a nuclear industry or our sovereignty would be at risk.

While the AWU has supported nuclear energy in the past, this is the first time the heavily influential body has directly linkedit to Australia’s national security and the growing aggression of China.

AWU National Secretary Daniel Walton said it was absurd that Australia would rely on nuclear submarines for its defence and yet lack the capacity to build and maintain them.

“If Australia is going to have nuclear subs our national security demands we develop the capacity to build and maintain them, and includes their reactors,” he told News Corp Australia.

“If these subs are going to help secure our national interest against China or anyone else, we need to be able to develop and maintain them ourselves.”

AWU National Secretary Daniel Walton said it was absurd that Australia would rely on nuclear submarines for its defence and yet lack the capacity to build and maintain them. Picture: John Feder/The Australian.

Mr Walton said given national security dictated Australia would need to build nuclear reactors for defence purposes, it was therefore ludicrous not to use that technology to build civil reactors providing clean emissions-free energy.

“Every nation in the world that has the capacity to build or operate nuclear submarines also has nuclear energy capabilities. Why would we make ourselves the exception?” he said.

“If we go to all the effort of developing that manufacturing capability we should maximise the potential to also manufacture modern small modular reactors (SMRs) to power emission-free industry.

“If we are going to develop the forging capability to build the very small nuclear reactors required for submarines, it only makes sense to ensure we simultaneously develop the forging capacity to make the slightly larger components required for small modular reactors. That would make Australia part of the international supply chain for this nascent, zero-emissions energy technology.”

Mr Walton said Australia already mined its own uranium only to send it offshore for other nations to use for nuclear power.

“We already have the uranium, why would we not develop the capacity to use it in safe and effective modern ways?”

Moreover, the major powers selling us the submarines – and with whom Australia is in a new strategic alliance – are heavily relying on nuclear power to reach their net zero targets – as Australia is being urged to do.

“Small Modular Reactors – and nuclear power options – are at the core of the US and UK plans to create zero-carbon economies,” Mr Walton said.

“Australia should be following suit.”

The union leader said the reactors could be attached to factories, steel mills, and aluminium smelters to provide the kind of reliable, constant energy such facilities needed to survive and thrive. This would in turn rapidly increase Australia’s manufacturing capability.

“If we don’t provide manufacturing with the reliable, constant power it needs then Australian factories will shut,” he said.

“This will do nothing positive for the climate though, because production will just move overseas.”

Mr Walton also suggested Australians were more pro-nuclear than politicians feared, pointing to a recent Newspoll showing almost two-thirds of voters either supported a civil nuclear industry or thought it should at least be considered.

“I know everyone raises fears about the nuclear NIMBY effect, but this is massively overstated in my view. Polling shows Australians are broadly in favour,” he said.

“I’ve been raising my family within a stone’s throw of Lucas Heights and I know most in my community would be happy for that facility to house a new SMR.

“If Australia wants to accelerate along the path to becoming a zero carbon economy, this a golden opportunity to create the capacity to build small modular reactors capable of powering energy-hungry manufacturing.

“I know the PM has said we are not seeking to established a civil nuclear capability, but if we don’t allow ourselves to explore this option we’ll be letting hysterical scaremongers triumph over the environment and our economy.”

For more on this series go to: www.missionzero2050.com.au

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Originally published as Australian Miners, AWU back nuclear power to achieve net zero