Labor senators back anti-nuclear energy rethink

Labor senators Raff Ciccone and Alex Gallacher say the ALP should reconsider its long-term opposition to nuclear energy at next month’s national conference.

Labor senator Raff Ciccone.

Labor senators Raff Ciccone and Alex Gallacher say the ALP should reconsider its long-term opposition to nuclear energy at next month’s national conference amid vast support within the ­Coalition to lift a ban on the controversial fuel source.

Senator Ciccone, the convener of the Victorian Right faction, said there should be a debate on whether nuclear energy could be an option to help Australia lower its emissions, after The Australian revealed two-thirds of ­Coalition MPs back lifting the ban. “We have got to look at all options in the lead-up to the nat­ional conference,” he said.

Senator Gallacher, from South Australia, said it would make “perfect sense” to lift the ban on nuclear power, given the vast uranium resources in his state. “If you want to advance the climate change agenda, you need firming power and nuclear should be in the mix,” he said. “Slow to build but lasts for a long time.”

Anthony Albanese said he did not support nuclear energy, while it was also strongly opposed by opposition assistant environment spokesman Josh Wilson and Victorian Labor MP Josh Burns.

“I am not a supporter of nuclear energy in Australia because it doesn’t stack up,” the Opposition Leader said.

The office of opposition energy spokesman Chris Bowen did not respond to calls on Thursday.

Some 49 of 71 Coalition backbenchers have endorsed lifting the prohibition on nuclear power, after Nationals MP Pat Conag­han on Thursday threw his support behind changing the regulation.

Just one Coalition MP has voiced opposition to lifting the nuclear prohibition while 21 MPs are either undecided or did not respond to questions.

The Australian reported on Wednesday that Nationals senators have drafted legislation allowing the Clean Energy Finance Corporation to invest in nuclear generators, high-energy, low-emissions (HELE), coal-fired power stations and carbon capture and storage technology.

Scott Morrison has signalled he will not move ahead with legalising nuclear energy unless there is bipartisan support with Labor.

Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox said the government should be “open to all forms of energy that can contribute to the reliable, affordable and clean energy system we need”.

“It would be principled to replace the ban on nuclear electricity generation with a workable regulatory regime to protect the community,” Mr Willox said.

“If innovative designs and mass manufacturing change the game in future, that openness would stand us in good stead.”

Australian Workers Union secretary Daniel Walton urged the Prime Minister to push ahead with lifting the ban on nuclear power, given the strong support from his backbench. “Everyone likes to doubt that nuclear will play a role in Australia but there is one thing I’m sure of: if a ban remains in place, it will never get off the ground,” Mr Walton said.