Antinuclear

‘Hugely expensive’ nuclear a ‘Trojan horse’ for coal, NSW Liberal says as energy policy rift exposed

 Q & A By Jason Whittaker,14 May 24

• In short: NSW shadow minister Matt Kean told Q+A his assessment of nuclear energy didn’t “meet the threshold” on supply and affordability.
• He joins his leader, Mark Speakman, who says nuclear won’t deliver lower power prices in the short term.
• What’s next? The federal opposition is expected to unveil a new energy policy soon putting nuclear on the table.

A senior NSW Liberal Party figure says nuclear power generation is too expensive and a “Trojan horse” for the coal industry in his state, prompting the former state government to reject it.

Matt Kean, a former NSW treasurer and energy minister, told the ABC’s Q+A on Monday that nuclear failed his assessment on cost and supply, comments which put him at odds with federal colleagues pushing the technology.

On the program, he asked: “Is it going to drive down electricity bills? Is it going to ensure the system remains reliable? Is it going to set us up for a more prosperous future?

“On all of those three questions, nuclear did not meet the threshold for us in New South Wales.”

The comments expose a rift in the party on the issue, with federal leader Peter Dutton signalling nuclear will be a central plank in the opposition’s energy policy.

On Sunday, shadow treasurer Angus Taylor told the ABC’s Insiders that nuclear energy production was capable of delivering a return on government investment.

But multiple state Liberal figures have argued against removing bans on nuclear mining and nuclear enrichment facilities.

A fortnight ago, NSW opposition leader Mark Speakman told Q+A that investing in nuclear energy was not a path to lowering costs or securing electricity supply in the short term.

“We can’t wait for nuclear,” he said.

“We should be going ahead with our electricity road map, which will have heavy reliance on renewables.”

‘Trojan horse for coal’

On Monday, Mr Kean described nuclear as “hugely costly” and a front for those against renewable energy.

“As we looked more into it, we found nuclear was a Trojan horse for the coal industry, wanting to keep coal going, and it denied transition to an industry that allowed lower bills,” he said.

Mr Kean, now serving as a shadow minister for health, says federal Liberal policy “is a matter for them”, but “I think they need to explain” the viability of nuclear power.

“In New South Wales, there were three tests we applied for our energy policy and nuclear did not meet those tests,” he said.

Mr Kean has long been a champion of renewable alternatives like solar and wind power, often putting him at odds with some in the party.

Last month, he quit Coalition for Conservation, a group he launched with other conservatives to promote action on climate change, when he says it became “singularly focused on nuclear energy”.

Labor divisions over gas

The Labor Party also exposed divisions last week over energy after the federal government launched a new gas policy backing domestic production until at least 2050………………………………………………………………………..

Watch the full episode of Q+A on ABC iview.

May 14, 2024 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized