John Barilaro backs Mark Latham bid to lift nuclear power ban
The NSW Deputy Premier has backed a One Nation bill that would overturn a ban on nuclear power in the state.
The NSW Deputy Premier has backed a One Nation bill that would overturn a ban on nuclear power in the state.
John Barilaro will support the bill put forward by One Nation’s Mark Latham that seeks to remove state-based barriers to uranium mining and the construction and operation of certain nuclear facilities.
A parliamentary inquiry into the bill released its report on Wednesday. It said that the NSW state government should support the repeal of the Uranium Mining and Nuclear Facilities (Prohibitions) Act 1986 in its entirety.
If Mr Latham’s draft legislation is enacted, it would become legal to mine for uranium in NSW for the first time since 1987 – however, a ban on nuclear facilities would remain because of Commonwealth prohibitions.
Mr Barilaro has already said the Nationals will back the bill.
“That will put the focus on the federal government because without the federal government lifting its ban there’s no way we’ll see a nuclear industry here in Australia,” Mr Barilaro told Sky News on Tuesday.
Liberal MP and inquiry chair Taylor Martin said the bans reflected fears of the 1980s but the safety of nuclear technology has since advanced.
“There are no compelling justifications from an environmental or human safety point of view which would warrant the blanket exclusion of nuclear energy, especially in its emerging small scale applications, from serious policy consideration in NSW,” Mr Martin said in a statement on Wednesday.
The inquiry said that based on the evidence it reviewed that nuclear energy could be a “low emissions source of energy in the State’s future energy mix”.
It found that developing nuclear energy technology could deliver on net-zero emissions objectives and affordable energy.
But the draft legislation has also attracted criticism, with the Australian Conservation Foundation arguing the country doesn’t need to explore “dangerous” nuclear options.
“The state ban on uranium mining has served NSW well and should remain,” ACT nuclear campaigner Dave Sweeney said in a statement on Wednesday.
“Uranium mining in NSW would risk the health of the environment and regional communities for scant promise of return.”
Opposition Climate Change and Energy Spokesman Adam Searle said Labor supported a ban on uranium exploration, extraction and export.
“Nuclear is the most expensive form of power and its waste is a disaster for the environment,” Mr Searle said.
Greens MP David Shoebridge said the inquiry’s recommendations were dangerous for the climate, land and water, the state and household budgets.
Meanwhile, independent MP Justin Field called on NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to rule out supporting the bill.
“This is an expensive distraction from the urgent need to re-power the NSW and Australian economy with renewable energy that we know is cheaper and quicker to deliver without the risks of uranium mining and nuclear power,” Mr Field said.
Ms Berejiklian during question time on Wednesday said the government had until September to respond to the committee’s report on the bill.
Additional reporting: AAP
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