Prime Minister Stands Firm on Cheapest Form of Energy, Rejects Nuclear
Labor politicians, including Anthony Albanese, have accused the Coalition of coming up with a ‘fantasy’ plan for a nuclear future.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the Coalition’s plans for a nuclear future for Australia are fantasy.
The prime minister has been critical of the plan by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton to introduce seven nuclear reactors across the nation, should Mr. Dutton take his job at the next election.
Speaking on the ABC’s Breakfast Radio program, Mr. Albanese remained firm in his stance that renewables are the cheapest form of power.
The leader spoke of a 25 percent increase in renewables since Labor came to power, with record amounts spent on batteries and storage.
“We’ve seen 330,000 additional rooftops have solar panels on them,” Mr. Albanese said.
“Because households recognise that it makes sense for households to reduce their energy bills by having renewable energy. And just as it makes sense for an individual household, it makes sense for our national economy as well.
Related Stories
“That’s why we’ve approved 50 major renewable energy projects right around the country. And we know that it’s the cheapest form of new energy.”
He has also expressed concern over a lack of detail in Mr. Dutton’s plan, such as the absence of costings, a definite timeframe or information on what proportion of nuclear will be incorporated into the power system.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong also chimed in on the debate, saying on the ABC that the plan was “a risky and expensive gamble that won’t work.”
She said nuclear reactions would deliver more expensive power following years of public subsidy.
“Is this what Peter Dutton wants Blinky to look like in 50 years?” he said.
Mr. Leigh said the Coalition’s plan would prevent the delivery of reliable renewables and clean energy jobs, subject Australia to years of rolling black-outs, and raise taxes to pay for what he says is the most expensive form of energy.
But Mr. Dutton has proposed a full roll-out of the seven reactors by the 2040s, if elected.
He told reporters Labor’s renewables policy was “not fit for purpose.”
“No other country in the world can keep the lights on 24/7 with the renewables-only policy. We need to ensure hospitals can stay on 24/7, we need to ensure that cold rooms can stay on 24/7, we need to make sure that our economy could function 24/7—and we can only do that with a strong baseload power,” he said.
