Antinuclear

Liberal National Party to debate nuclear despite ‘intriguing’ omission from Queensland state convention.

AFR, James Hall, Queensland correspondent, Jul 4, 2024 –

A senior federal Queensland MP has warned the party faithful will be “white-hot angry” if the Liberal-National Party’s state convention omits debating nuclear energy this weekend.

The alternative energy source has been left off the official running sheet for the three-day event in Brisbane, which the LNP hopes will serve as a celebratory launch for state leader David Crisafulli ahead of the October state election.

But the omission of nuclear from the more than 170 resolutions has perplexed Queensland’s federal Coalition MPs, given the energy pitch has become a headline election policy for Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.

They insist the energy source will be keenly discussed and debated despite efforts to minimise conflict between the federal and state branches following Mr Crisafulli’s refusal to support the policy.

There is an expectation among many that nuclear will be brought late to the convention floor as an urgent resolution, with Nationals MP Keith Pitt warning the base will react furiously to its possible exclusion.

He said members would be “white-hot angry” if a resolution on nuclear wasn’t considered, with the former minister insisting: “I’ve never been at a [LNP] conference when nuclear wasn’t discussed.”

“I’d be very surprised if there wasn’t a single branch, SEC [State Electorate Council], FDC [Federal Divisional Council] or others that hadn’t put forward a nuclear resolution,” Mr Pitt told The Australian Financial Review.

“There’s been one at every convention for as long as I can remember, so that would be a shock.”

Another MP told the Financial Review the omission “begs the question” whether a nuclear resolution had been put forward and rejected during the selection process by the agenda committee.

“It does seem a bit unusual that there wouldn’t be any,” they said.

“It’s intriguing for me because cost of living and energy are virtually one and the same at the moment, but energy is a very big issue for us federally.

“I know a lot of people are passionate about it [nuclear], so it not being on the agenda is intriguing.”

Mr Crisafulli’s repeated refusal to support the nuclear push has infuriated federal party figures, including Nationals leader David Littleproud and most vocally MP Colin Boyce, who previously said the state leader should “put his big girl pants on and face the energy issues”.

But state party figures are eager to hose down any suggestion of conflict.

They told the Financial Review the event would serve as a crucial opportunity for members to see “there’s no bad blood” between Mr Dutton and Mr Crisafulli at the LNP’s last convention before both the Queensland and federal elections………………………. more https://www.afr.com/companies/energy/lnp-to-debate-nuclear-despite-intriguing-omission-20240704-p5jr3s

July 5, 2024 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized