Kate Thwaites (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

What a note to begin speaking on. I note the opposition come into this place suggesting that this government hasn't done anything on energy, and they have some quite unique and novel solutions for us. I did know that the member for Fairfax was a big proponent for nuclear energy. I had not realised the member for Mallee was a fellow traveller and also a proponent for nuclear energy. Having listened to the member for Mallee explain some concerns in her electorate around renewable energy and the potential for renewable energy, I do wonder if the member for Mallee has consulted with her electorate about how they might feel about a nuclear reactor in the member for Mallee's electorate. I wonder whether she has asked that question and whether the member for Fairfax has thought about where his dream of nuclear energy might be rolled out across Australia?

While the member for Fairfax has been travelling the world, posting videos from Hiroshima about nuclear energy, our government has been getting on with the work of securing our country's energy supply. Our country has been getting on with doing the work that those opposite failed to do for nearly a decade. We have been investing in the supply our country needs for our future. And we know that there are very real cost-of-living pressures on Australians at the moment. Inflation is a global problem. The war in Ukraine has disrupted energy and energy supply across the world. These are real problems that our government has taken seriously and dealt with seriously, as grown-up governments do. We have not been flitting around the world filming videos at Hiroshima. We have not been pretending that our country should have a nuclear industry, an industry that all the experts tell us would be more expensive. In fact, nuclear modular reactors aren't even commercially viable yet. Building this industry in our country just makes absolutely no sense. But do you know what does make sense in our country? Renewables. And do you know what people in this country want our government to deliver? Renewables.

See this speech in context