Bev McArthur MP, Member for Western Victoria Region, 13 January 2023
Just days ago in Geelong, Australia’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, and Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles, publicly committed to building a nuclear submarine industry in Australia.
They said it was a Government priority and would do it “as quickly as we can”.
Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur, welcomed the announcement.
“Brilliant. It’s Step One in recognising that Australia needs to open its doors to nuclear.
“Step Two is advancing our energy grid with nuclear power – a zero emitter of carbon dioxide,” Mrs McArthur said.
“If nuclear is good enough for our national security – it’s good enough for the security of our national electricity market.”
A moratorium on nuclear power exists in Australia.
But Mrs McArthur said Labor’s Federal position on nuclear submarines further changes the energy landscape, with the Liberal Party federally adopting nuclear as a potential energy solution.
“If Victorians and Australians want to lead the world in carbon emission reductions, then nuclear energy must be part of the debate – and part of the formula.
“Saying no on ideological grounds won’t cut it for much longer, given advanced nations are busy building nuclear capacity into their grids.
“Last year in France, for example, President Macron promised to build 14 nuclear reactors and smaller plants to reduce energy reliance on other nations.
“If it’s okay for the French to proceed with safety and certainty – why isn’t it good enough for Australia – a nation that exports uranium for the benefit of others?”, she asked.
The United States is also working on small modular nuclear reactors. Already the US has 93 nuclear reactors and France 56. In Britain, about 21 per cent of its energy comes from 15 nuclear reactors, with plans for more. It wants a quarter of its energy to be sourced from nuclear by 2025. Nuclear energy is currently used in 34 countries.
The greatest advances in global carbon emissions in recent decades have been brought about by the use of gas and nuclear.
“Nuclear provides reliable baseload power. Efforts continue to focus on making the energy source increasingly safe with stringent standards already in place.
“Energy experts have identified that nuclear energy could easily fit within Victoria’s grid – replacing the coal generators and not requiring a whole re-wiring of the state to achieve it.
“If the Victorian Government really thinks it is Australia’s most progressive jurisdiction – then it should be brave enough and big enough to drop the moratorium and get real about the energy solution staring us in the face,” Mrs McArthur said.
