Antinuclear

Anthony Albanese accuses Coalition of hiding key details on nuclear policy

The prime minister has lashed out at the opposition for failing to reveal where nuclear power plants after ‘extensive’ polling was done in potential electorates.

Eleanor Campbell, May 19, 2024 , https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/other-industries/anthony-albanese-accuses-coalition-of-hiding-key-details-on-nuclear-policy/news-story/4869e764cab8286dc57a0883412c89c4

Anthony Albanese has attacked the coalition for failing to reveal key details of its controversial nuclear energy policy, which now looks be delayed until the end of the year.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s reply to the federal budget last Thursday omitted key details of the signature energy policy, including the total costs and locations of the six nuclear power plants slated to replace a retiring fleet of coal-fired power stations.

Nationals leader David Littleproud on Sunday said it would not have been “appropriate” for Mr Dutton to outline the full costs in his budget reply speech, but confirmed the policy would “of course” be released before the end of 2024.

“We have done extensive polling of the electorates, we’ll be looking at six or seven sites … and they have been very supportive of a nuclear future,” Mr Littleproud told Sky Sunday Agenda.

Describing the opposition’s nuclear idea as “shocking policy” when asked at a press conference on the NSW Central Coast, the Prime Minister accused Mr Littleproud of intentionally hiding details from the public because the plan “didn’t stack up”.

“David Littleproud has said that they have done polling in the areas where the nuclear reactors are going to be built,” Mr Albanese said.

“So he clearly has full knowledge of where these reactors will be built, but he won’t tell Australians where it will be.

“Earlier this week, he said he’d look Australians in the eye and tell them where it would be, what it would cost, who would build them and who would finance them.

“Today, he’s saying, ‘We’ve got polling, but we’re not going to tell you’.

May 22, 2024 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics