Senator Christine Milne



PM Howard out touch on nuclear - just as with Snowy Hydro: Greens



Senator Milne, 4th June 2006

Prime Minister John Howard is out of touch with the community in promoting  nuclear power, Australian Greens climate change and energy spokesperson  Senator Christine Milne said today.

"Just as the Prime Minister was shown to have misjudged public concern about  the sale of the Snowy Hydro power scheme, he has misjudged Australians'  concern about nuclear power," Senator Milne said in Hobart.

"The Prime Minister should come clean with the Australian people about exactly  what he has been discussing with the United States, where he intends to put  reactors and nuclear waste dumps in Australia, and how much taxpayers' money  will be given to subsidise the nuclear industry.

"The Prime Minister never initiates a debate of this kind without having a  specific outcome in mind. He should be honest with the Australian people and  tell them in exactly whose communities the processing and enrichment facilities  will be built.

"On the eve of World Environment Day, the federal government has released a  report on the economics of nuclear power which reveals how prohibitively  expensive it is, not to mention the environmental and security risks associated  with turning Australia into a nuclear nation.

"The report, written by a former director of the UK Atomic Energy Authority,  compares nuclear power with coal and gas but dismisses renewables. ANSTO  officials admitted last week at Senate Estimates hearings that they had  completely disregarded solar power in preparing the report.

"After ignoring climate change for a decade, it is hardly a surprise that the  Howard government has 'discovered' the issue at the same time that the  resources dollar signs are flashing.

"Why is the government so intent on dismissing solar thermal technology when  its own scientists have said it could be cost competitive with coal within seven  years?

"Does anyone really think we would be having this so-called debate about the  need for nuclear power if Australia did not hold 40 per cent of the world's  uranium?

"Let's have a serious debate about meeting Australia's energy needs while  reducing greenhouse gas emissions, not about maximising profits for uranium  mining companies and facilitating the dangerous global nuclear fuel cycle."

Contact: Katrina Willis 0437 587 562

