Antinuclear

Cook by-election candidate Simon Kennedy says locals are ‘comfortable’ living near nuclear reactors

ABC News, By Ethan Rix 13 Apr 24

The by-election for former prime minister Scott Morrison’s southern Sydney seat has not garnered national fanfare the way other by-elections have in the past.

And as voters head to the polls today, you can count the apathy being felt in the electorate of Cook — with early voting down by about 11 per cent compared to the 2022 federal election and nearly 13 per cent lower than the Voice referendum late last year, according to the Australian Electoral Commission.

Even the Liberals’ candidate, Simon Kennedy, won’t be able to personally boost voter turnout as his team confirmed he didn’t move into the electorate in time to meet the registration deadline — denying him an opportunity to pose for the cameras as he votes for himself.

Perhaps the lack of enthusiasm is because the Liberals look set to comfortably hold a seat they have held for half a century, or maybe it’s because the Labor Party has opted not to put a horse in the race, diminishing any usual analysis the result could be a “test” of Anthony Albanese’s leadership.

But for people who are eligible to cast a ballot today, what are they really voting for?

A nuclear reactor in Cook’s backyard

Former McKinsey consultant Simon Kennedy has openly backed his party’s push to introduce nuclear power to the national energy grid, with the opposition preparing to announce up to six possible sites for nuclear plants.

When asked whether he would oppose a nuclear power reactor being built in the electorate of Cook, Mr Kennedy said locals were “comfortable” with the concept because there was already one positioned on its “doorstep” in Lucas Heights.

“People are comfortable with where Lucas Heights is, they’ve been comfortable with that concept,” he said.

“I haven’t heard any fear or worries about that at all.”

Lucas Heights, which is located on the outskirts of the Sutherland Shire, is home to Australia’s only nuclear reactor, which is not used to produce electricity.

It instead produces medical and industrial isotopes and stores low-level waste and a small amount of intermediate-level waste on-site.

“They’re [voters] not looking for people pushing clean or coal or one over the other, they’re looking for cheap, reliable and clean power,” Mr Kennedy said.

Looking at getting more female candidates

The number of female MPs in the Coalition has also been a key question in the lead-up to this by-election.

Mr Kennedy comfortably defeated the only female candidate to put her hand up for Liberal pre-selection, Veteran Family Advocate Commissioner Gwen Cherne, who received 35 votes to his 158.

The result was said to have upset those within the party pushing for more females to be preselected to safe Liberal seats……………….

Who else is running?

…………… The Australian Greens have put up Martin Moore, who has a Fine Arts Degree with a Masters in Social Ecology and ran for the local seat of Miranda at the 2023 NSW election.

Mr Moore disagreed with Mr Kennedy that locals would be comfortable living next to a nuclear reactor.

“I feel that people are really concerned that we’re being dragged into a nuclear wasteland with the AUKUS deal … and the opposition’s ideas of reactors,” he said……………………………… https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-13/cook-byelection-simon-kennedy-nuclear-reactors/103696760—

April 14, 2024 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics