No moral objection but ‘numbers don’t add up’, says Chris Bowen

Chris Bowen says he has ‘no moral objection’ to nuclear while a Nationals MP who could host a nuclear reactor in his electorate insists the policy will ensure­ ‘safety concerns can be overcome’.

Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen at the Energy Nation forum. Picture: John Feder

Chris Bowen says he has “no moral objection” to nuclear but the Coalition’s un-costed plan doesn’t make economic sense, as a Nationals MP who could host a nuclear reactor in his electorate insists the policy will ensure ­ safety concerns are overcome.

Speaking at The Australian’s Energy Nation forum, the Climate Change and Energy Minister pointed out six of the seven owners of the potential sites identified by Peter Dutton to house nuclear reactors had said “those sites are not available for nuclear”.

“My objection to nuclear has never been moral. It is for some people … not for me. It’s not a moral or philosophical objection. It is a practical, evidence-based rejection for Australia. It is not the right answer for Australia,” Mr Bowen said.

“I interact with a lot of ministerial counterparts around the world. Even those who are contemplating nuclear are saying we wouldn’t be doing it if we had your renewables. Yes, we have more work to do, but the renewables in the grid are 25 per cent higher today than what they were when we came to office. We’ve added 7.8 gigawatts.”

Nationals leader David Littleproud said his colleague Darren Chester, who represents the electorate of Gippsland where the Loy Yang coal-fired power stations are located and one of the zero-emissions nuclear power plants is proposed to be built, was on board, despite having said safety concerns must be ­addressed.

“We’re taking a bold plan in modernising our energy system that protects regional Australia but actually protects Australia and particularly our manufacturers, in giving it what it needs to underpin it to keep it going. You just can’t keep subsidising manufacturing capabilities,” Mr Littleproud told the forum.

“Everybody that has those seven locations have been consulted. We’ve also polled widely about making sure this is a start of a 2½-year journey about proper consultation in understanding the opportunities and how this will change their regions.”

The Australian’s Political Correspondent Rosie Lewis speaks with Nationals Leader David Littleproud, Assistant Climate Change and Energy Minister Jenny McAllister and independent MP Allegra Spender at the Energy Nation forum. John Feder/The Australian.

Mr Chester said the ­Coalition’s plan respected ­regional areas but more detailed investigations into using La Trobe as a host community – where there is existing transmission infrastructure and a skilled workforce – would be required.

“(The Coalition’s plan) ­ensures any safety concerns can be overcome, and if we hosted a nuclear power station in the La Trobe Valley in the future, there would be enduring social and economic benefits to our community,” he said.

In his keynote address to the Energy Nation forum, Jim Chalmers said of the nuclear proposal: “This might be the dumbest policy ever put forward by a major party. It is the worst combination of economic and ideological ­stupidity.”

Teal MP Allegra Spender said nuclear didn’t make economic or scientific sense, indicating she wouldn’t support repealing the nuclear moratorium.

“I’ve never had a problem with nuclear per se, but … it’s too ­expensive and too slow,” she said.

“I’ve always said I will talk to my community (about legislation), but it is not a piece of paper honestly, the moratorium, that is holding this country from nuclear. It is the economics. And it is also the time frame because it makes no sense when we know that the next 10 years really counts from our climate point of view.”

Assistant Climate Change and Energy Minister Jenny McAllister said Labor simply didn’t see nuclear as a viable technology in Australia when asked if the party could support the technology.

She refused to say whether Labor would respect a Coalition mandate for nuclear if Mr Dutton won the election.

“We’re not really speculating about the Coalition winning an election and implementing this policy,” Senator McAllister said at Energy Nation.

“I would make the point that it’s actually quite a political approach and electorally-driven approach to bringing forward energy policy.”