Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Hansard source

I'm not sure where he would have us find the gas to pump into the system. The honourable member might like to talk about what gas he thinks is lying fallow there that we can just press a button and get going. The honourable member talks about energy prices and policies to reduce energy prices, and we on this side of the House are actively working to ensure that the impacts of the Russian war do not flow through to industries and businesses in Australia.

But I give credit where it's due: those opposite have been active as well. They've been promoting alternative views as well. Last week, they held a seminar about atomic energy—about nuclear energy. That was their big idea for lower power prices last week. The member for Fairfax, the shadow minister, was asked about the views of the CSIRO and AEMO that nuclear energy is the most expensive form of energy available. He said, 'Personally I don't accept those views.' Apparently, the CSIRO is wrong. The honourable member is nodding. Down at the CSIRO all those PhDs are handing back their degrees because the member for Fairfax says they're wrong! What would they know? The AEMO CSIRO found that the cost of small module reactors, which those opposite are so in love with, would cost $16,773 a kilowatt in capital cost. That would be $5 billion a reactor, and we know that they would need 80 across the grid. That would amount to $402 billion, or 17 per cent of GDP. That's their plan for lower energy costs. Now they say they want a conversation. It will be a gasbag-led recovery!

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