Antinuclear

Coalition trying to brainwash Queenslanders into nuclear

David Wilson, Rothwell, Qld, The Saturday Paper, 8 Feb 25

The Coalition are spending big trying to brainwash Queenslanders into nuclear, and as this letter to the Saturday Paper points out, it contains a lot of misinformation.

“… Selective reasoning

I have just received the Coalition’s A3 double-sided promo arguing the case for nuclear energy. When a political party argues a policy case based on misinformation, suppression of economic and critical science analysis, and contextomy of scientific experts, they go beyond bias and enter the realms of propaganda.

The pamphlet argues we should develop small modular reactors (SMRs) because nuclear generation is common in 32 other countries. It fails to point out that no country has established the cost-benefit of SMRs or operates them commercially.

Furthermore, the 32 countries cited employ large-scale reactors that have achieved cost-benefit only by their economies of scale. SMRs depend on a supply of enriched uranium. While pointing out Australia has uranium, it fails to address the virtual impossibility of enriching it – given the enormous cost of set-up, supply chains, political opposition, and available expertise (Karen Barlow, “Exclusive: Dutton’s nuclear plan requires ‘huge’ new bureaucracy”, February 1-7). Importing enriched uranium will have similar problems and costs.

Former chief scientist Alan Finkel is quoted selectively as a supporter of Coalition policy when in fact his focus is renewable energy and energy storage. Perhaps we can speed up political fact-checking with AI? – …” https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/letters/2025/02/07/selective-reasoning?fbclid=IwY2xjawITiE1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHSG1rbvgyOAkw2CIH8F4KBgSOe81fOz4SJAZ8JmjDMZaGceUg1ZguRtGNA_aem_ki4o0GqJqIOC-jNRB_HK8A#mtr

February 8, 2025 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Queensland, spinbuster