Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest accuses fossil fuel industry, Nats of pushing nuclear to keep coal alive

A day before speaking to Nationals MPs, the Fortescue executive chairman said the Coalition was ‘dividing us with the false hope that we can cling to fossil fuels forever’.

Mining billionaire Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Mining billionaire Andrew Forrest has accused the fossil fuel industry of pushing nuclear to delay Australia from switching to cheaper renewable energy for 20 years, declaring the “plucked-out-of-thin-air bulldust of nuclear policies” will help no one.

A day before being scheduled to speak to Nationals MPs and as Newspoll showed majority support for small modular nuclear reactors replacing coal-fired power, the Fortescue executive chairman hit out at the Coalition for “dividing us with the false hope that we can cling to fossil fuels forever”.

He backed a US-style tax credit on future production of green hydrogen, which he plans to produce, and government-funded subsidies to speed up the renew­ables rollout.

Mining billionaire Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest has accused the fossil fuel industry of pushing nuclear. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Martin Ollman

A production tax credit on the ailing nickel mining industry also made “a lot of sense” and would be a win-win for Australian taxpayers, Dr Forrest said.

His three-pronged policy platform included a climate trigger, firmed renewables built faster and a carbon solutions levy imposed on fossil fuel companies and on exports.

While opposition climate and energy spokesman Ted O’Brien refused to guarantee the Coalition would take an updated 2030 emissions reduction target or 2035 target to the next election, Dr Forrest said those who created a benchmark for their country to work towards – such as net zero emissions by 2050 – without first creating targets had clearly never run a country.

“I ask those who claim to represent the bush to stop dividing us with the false hope we can cling to fossil fuels forever. We can’t. So please stop betraying the bush,” Dr Forrest, who built his wealth on selling iron ore but is transitioning to green energy, said.

“I do know how to do projects. I do know the science. And I do know the economics. These misinformed, unscientific, uneconomic, plucked-out-of-thin-air bulldust of nuclear policies of politicians masquerading as leaders helps no one. Politicians who do whatever they can to scurry and scare votes are just politicians, they are not political leaders.”

An exclusive Newspoll conducted for The Australian of 1245 voters showed a majority of voters supported nuclear small modular reactors, with 55 per cent nationally backing a proposal to use them as replacement zero emissions technology for retiring coal-fired plants compared to 31 per cent against.

Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen during Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Martin Ollman

Support among the east coast states was highest in NSW, where 60 per cent of voters were in favour compared with 27 per cent opposed.

In Victoria, a majority of voters were in favour with 51 per cent supporting the proposal compared to 32 per cent against.

In Queensland, where the electorate is more regionally concentrated, support was at 51 per cent but those opposed was higher at 37 per cent.

Australian Workers Union nat­ional secretary Paul Farrow, who has previously blasted an “outdated 20th-century ideology” against nuclear, said it was time to “end the childish politicisation of energy in Australia”.

“If nuclear’s critics are right and small modular reactors will never stack up economically, then why bother maintaining a blanket ban? I think if Bill Gates thinks small modular reactors are going to be a big part of the future, maybe we shouldn’t be so confident about dismissing their long-term potential,” he said.