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Peter DuttonLabour’s much-touted nuclear power policy has proved radioactive premierswho universally condemned the proposal.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said his state’s nuclear ban would not be lifted under his watch and suggested the proposal would halt investment in solar and wind power.
“We have about $30 billion of private capital invested in renewable energy,” he told reporters on Wednesday.
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“If you suddenly go nuclear, that investment is at real risk.”
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allen said her government would not allow the federal opposition to add nuclear power to the state’s energy mix.
“They want to bring more expensive, riskier, more toxic energy solutions to the people of this country,” she said.
“We will not accept that.”
Queensland Premier Stephen Miles said the prohibitive cost of setting up nuclear power in Australia would drive up electricity bills.
“That’s not to mention how future generations, my children, your children will have to manage dangerous radioactive nuclear waste forever,” he said.
WA Energy Minister Reece Whitby said it was a “crazy” plan and “wolf-whistling by extremists” that made no sense given the nation had the ingredients for affordable, renewable green energy.
“It’s a nightmare scenario (and) it’s the worst possible case you can imagine for meeting our energy needs in the future,” he said.
“Nuclear is extremely expensive – Peter Dutton talks about massive billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies that will go on and on and on.”
SA Premier Peter Malinauskas said Dutton should tell the nation how much it would cost to build the seven power stations.
“Why he doesn’t tell people is probably because he knows it will make energy more expensive,” he said.
The federal opposition leader wants to build seven coal-fired power stations if the coalition wins the next election, which must be held before May 2025.
“Not part of our plan”
The plants will be built at Loy Yang in Victoria’s Gippsland region, Callide and Tarong in Queensland, Mount Piper in Lithgow in central western NSW and Liddell in NSW’s Hunter region.
The small modular reactors will be located at Port Augusta in South Australia and Mudja, in the southwestern Washington region.
The policy also failed to win the support of state liberal leaders.
Victorian Liberal leader John Pesuto said the state coalition had no plans for nuclear power, but did not rule out the possibility of changing its mind.
He will not be drawn on whether to lift Victoria’s moratorium on nuclear power or stand in the way of the Dutton plan if elected premier in 2026.
Queensland Liberal National Party leader David Crisafulli has ruled out nuclear power if his party wins the state election in October.
“It’s not part of our plan … Peter knows my position on the matter and it’s not a secret,” he said.
WA Liberal Leader Libby Metham said the party’s energy policy of using gas to support renewables would not change.
“We don’t believe that nuclear power is going to build up in the short term,” she said.
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