Bridget McKenzie fires up in favour of nuclear energy

Former Nationals deputy leader Bridget McKenzie has thrown her support behind nuclear and hydrogen energy.

Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie. Picture: AAP

Former Nationals deputy leader Bridget McKenzie has rejected a zero net emissions target by 2050, warning that it can’t be achieved without hurting jobs in mining and agriculture, as she throws her suppor­t behind nuclear and hydroge­n energy.

The Victorian senator, who was forced to resign from cabinet this month after breaching ministerial standards during the sports rorts affair, said if Australia wanted to reduce emissions then all technol­ogies and fuel sources, including uranium, should be considered.

“Rather than just exporting so others can take advantage of this fuel source, Australia has a great heritage and tradition of leading the world when it comes to nuclear science,” Senator McKenzie said.

“I would see that (nuclear reactors) as a natural progression but obviously the economics have to stack up and we do know they take a long time to build. There have been changes over time around not needing a big facility but to have more smaller, bespoke technology available to be able to generate enough electricity for a town.

“If hydrogen is going to be quicker in terms of its development (than nuclear) as an industry for generation, then more power to it.”

While Scott Morrison has said there would need to be bipartisan support for nuclear energy before moving forward, there is a less ­hostile attitude within government for it to be considered in the future energy mix.

The Australian ­revealed this week that the Morrison government’s technology investment blueprint, a key plank of the Prime Minister’s pledge to drive down emissions, has assessed the ­viability of small nuclear reactors.

As divisions simmer in the ­Coalition over its climate change policy, Senator McKenzie ­de­clared that a zero net emissions target by 2050 applied economy-wide — as has been adopted by Labor — would damage important regional industries.

Labor MPs in coal seats have said jobs and exports won’t be ­affected by the party’s new target.

“I don’t see how that’s achievable and we maintain jobs in the mining industry and the agriculture industry, which is my primary focus as a National Party senator,” Senator McKenzie said.

Northern Territory Nationals senator Sam McMahon also called for nuclear energy to be on the table, saying it was a zero-emissions technology that would boost jobs. “For the Northern Territory, we have almost unlimited reserves of fuel for nuclear reactors,’’ she said. “We dig it up and provide it to other countries for their nuclear reactors and we don’t use it ourselves. We certainly could be.

“It’s something we could look at. It’s safe, reliable baseload power but it’s possibly not affordable at the time being.”

Queensland Liberal National Party MP ­Michelle Landry, who represents the seat of Capricornia, wanted more information about nuclear energy — including how safe it was, and how it was handled, stored and disposed of — before committing to the technology.

She said a zero net emissions target by 2050 would not be good for her electorate, which was ­reliant on coal. “They’re doing a lot of things now to lower their emissions but I think zero emissions by 2050, how do you do it?”