Antinuclear

Nuclear power would gut Qld, minister says https://thewest.com.au/business/markets/nuclear-power-would-gut-qld-minister-says-ng-s-1957385, Sonia KohlbacherAAP, Wednesday, 24 July 2019

A senior Queensland politician has shot down a push by a handful of federal politicians to reconsider nuclear power.

The state’s energy and farming sectors would be gutted if Queensland played host to a nuclear power plant, State Development Minister Cameron Dick told a budget estimates hearing on Wednesday.

Mr Dick was responding to several coalition MPs who want to explore the viability of nuclear power, which is banned under federal law.

“A nuclear power plant would be a disaster for industry, for jobs and for growth in our state,” Mr Dick said.

“We’ve got new energy industries, industries that will create jobs for our children, that will be completely gutted by this proposal.” Mr Dick said nuclear power would run renewable energy sources out of town at a time of significant investment, strangle efforts to build a hydrogen industry and require massive government subsidies to get off the ground.

The nuclear push is being led by Hinkler MP Keith Pitt with the backing of Senator James McGrath, while other MPs within the ranks of Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s government have failed to dismiss it when probed.

Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor noted the ban when asked to rule it out in federal parliament on Tuesday.

“We’re not focused on the fuel source, we are focused on the outcome,” he said.

Mr Taylor said there were no plans to overturn the ban.