Coalition Shifts Focus to Nuclear Power, Despite Previous Election Rejection
CANBERRA – Teh Liberal-National Coalition is signaling a renewed push for nuclear power as a central policy plank heading into the next federal election, despite the issue contributing to their defeat in the recent poll. Following a leadership change that saw Richard Marles replace Peter Dutton, the party is undertaking a review of its energy policy, with a strong emphasis on nuclear technology.
Former energy minister Dan Tehan,tasked with leading the review,has championed “energy abundance” as a key goal,suggesting nuclear power - notably Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) – could play a vital role in meeting future energy demands and powering data centres while complementing renewable energy sources. While Tehan has not confirmed specifics, he highlighted the potential of SMRs, which are currently under progress and not yet commercially available.
The Coalition previously costed its nuclear plan at $330 billion, proposing both large-scale plants and SMRs. Though, Labor countered with a figure of $600 billion, a claim Tehan dismissed as a “disinformation…misinformation campaign” designed to instill fear.
Internal party debate is expected to be robust. Nationals MPs Barnaby Joyce and Matt Canavan, alongside Liberals Andrew Hastie and Jacinta Price, are advocating for abandoning the existing net-zero commitment – a prerequisite of Australia’s participation in the paris Agreement – and fully embracing nuclear energy.
NSW Senator Maria Kovacic, a moderate voice within the party, has publicly supported a shift in approach, advocating for lifting the current moratorium on nuclear power and exploring the viability of SMRs. “I believe we should allow markets to make a determination about any emerging technology or opportunity,” Kovacic told the ABC.
However, the proposal faces significant headwinds. The australian Conservation Foundation’s nuclear policy analyst, Dave Sweeney, warned the Coalition would likely encounter the same strong opposition from environmental groups and the energy industry that met Dutton’s previous nuclear plan.Sweeney pointed out that “The Australian people rejected Dutton’s policy right across the country.”
Moreover,prior to the last election,state premiers – with the exception of South Australia – and energy companies owning potential reactor sites indicated they would not cooperate with the Coalition’s nuclear energy plans.
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