Antinuclear

Former federal Liberal Party treasurer Ron Walker, Hugh Morgan and Robert Champion de Crespigny are the key shareholders in Australian Nuclear Energy Pty Ltd, a private company reportedly behind the plan.

While the government-commissioned Switkowski report gave a cautious green light to the viability of nuclear-powered electricity generation, the government has given no endorsement to proceed with the construction of reactors.

Labor’s environment spokesman Peter Garrett said he was surprised plans to build a plant were so advanced.

“The prime minister must make clear whether or not Mr Walker has had discussions with the prime minister, the treasurer, any senior cabinet ministers or their staff in relation to these proposed plans,” Mr Garrett said.

The reports said a source close to the group claimed the company had raised its plans with the federal government and the Victorian and South Australian governments.

Both state governments quickly turned their backs on any such proposal.

SA Premier Mike Rann said there would be no nuclear power station in his state while he is premier.

“I have to say I was somewhat amused when I picked up the paper this morning,” he said.

“We have a very strong and clear policy in South Australia that we don’t intend to embrace a nuclear power plant because it would just be economically irresponsible, financially unviable and of course also force up the wholesale price of electricity by about 100 per cent.”

“They won’t be building a nuclear power plant in South Australia while Labor is in office.”

Victorian Premier Steve Bracks is to introduce laws into parliament Tuesday to give Victorians a voice on whether they want a nuclear power plant in their state.

Mr Bracks has announced he will hold a plebiscite if the federal government tries to override state laws and establish a plant in Victoria.

“There’s no safe way of storing radioactive waste, number one,” he said.

“Number two, the general safety of the plan is questionable and number three the economics are just not there, it actually would require a doubling of the price of electricity in Victoria.”

Greens leader Bob Brown said the cost of a reactor would be greater than even these wealthy men could handle, and would ultimately have to rely on taxpayers’ money.

“What the Melbourne business investors, if they’re really serious about this, need to do at the outset is sign on the dotted line for (the) decommissioning bill and the waste storage bill,” he said.

“The taxpayers, the ordinary families of Australia will end up paying for the folly of these people who apparently have got more money than sense.”

Late last year, Dr Ziggy Switkowski released his committee’s report on a possible nuclear energy industry in Australia, concluding 25 nuclear reactors could produce a third of Australia’s electricity by 2050.

It said the plants would have to be placed within tens of kilometres of the east coast national electricity grid.

A subsequent Australia Institute report named 19 likely sites, including four in Victoria and three in South Australia.

Cabinet minister Kevin Andrews ruled out a nuclear power plant in his Melbourne electorate.

“There’s probably not much room for a nuclear power plant in my electorate,” he said.