Antinuclear

Federal election 2025: Peter Dutton’s nuclear plans worry voters in Nationals-held seat of Gippsland.

‘A big risk’: Voters wary of nuclear replacing coal-fired power Tom McIlroy Political correspondent, AFR 7 May 24

Voters in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley have raised the Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear disasters when asked about Peter Dutton’s plan to build large-scale reactors near them, suggesting strong reservations about the energy plan.

As the Coalition finalises a policy for coal-fired power station sites to host nuclear energy – and for small modular reactor technology to be deployed in other places – focus group research in the federal electorate of Gippsland showed voters had safety concerns about living near a reactor.

Mr Dutton wants nuclear to provide baseload power to firm renewable energy and ensure Australia achieves net-zero emissions by 2050.

Communities near coal plants would be called on to host nuclear facilities, with at least six sites expected to be named before the next election.

Mr Dutton says nuclear must stack up on four key criteria: safety, waste disposal, location and cost.

But a focus group of Coalition-leaning voters questioned by polling firm Redbridge last week revealed doubts in the seat held by Nationals MP Darren Chester.

One male participant said he was opposed to nuclear replacing coal-fired power at sites like Loy Yang A, Loy Yang B and Yallourn.

“I know there’s a lot of safeguards with nuclear but it is still a very big risk if something does happen,” he said.

“It uses up a lot of resources and at the end of the day, once it has used up all its radioactiveness, we have to go bury it in the desert somewhere because we can’t do anything with it.”

A woman told the group she did not know much about the plan but had strong concerns.

“The thought of it makes me want to move. I’ve got kids. I don’t want them to be exposed to something that could affect them.”

Another woman said future generations would suffer if Australia lifted the ban on nuclear power.

“We’ve seen in the past with Chernobyl. Obviously, the situation has got better and people have learnt from things but mistakes happen and it’s a risk that you have to weigh up when considering putting something into an area with population.”

Another male participant cited the 2011 accident at Japan’s Fukushima power plant. He said Australia could face the risk of a similar disaster if nuclear was developed here. Another suggested that carp in local waters would “be huge” in the event of a nuclear spill………………………………………………………..

Fellow director Tony Barry said there was “intense” opposition in Gippsland.

“There is some limited opportunity for the Coalition to leverage a perception that a nuclear reactor in the region might produce local economic benefits.

“However, the problem for the Coalition is that to overcome these wide and deep concerns and to successfully leverage the perceived benefits they will need to spend millions of campaign dollars on messaging.”……………………………………  https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/a-big-risk-voters-wary-of-nuclear-replacing-coal-fired-power-20240506-p5fp9d

May 7, 2024 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics