Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister. Can the Deputy Prime Minister advise the House that, following the government's $5 billion order for nuclear reactors from Rolls-Royce, our submariners are safe in the submarines with the nuclear reactor?

Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his sneaky 'gotcha' question about the nuclear reactors being constructed at Rolls-Royce in Derby. Can I just say, we're talking about sealed nuclear reactors that will never be refuelled, that are of the size to power one machine, that are not designed to power cities and that will need to be disposed of for the first occasion in the early 2050s, while those opposite are talking about establishing a civil nuclear industry which, if it's to have any impact on emissions reduction, will need to be operating in the 2030s, with all the attendant disposal associated with that.

But let me make one other point. Yes, the nuclear reactors will be safe for the submariners, as they will for those who are at HMAS Stirling. Why? Because we are spending an enormous amount of money to make sure they are secure. If you take that amount of money and apply it to all the—

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Deputy Prime Minister will pause. I appreciate the energy regarding this question, but I need to hear the answer. I literally can't hear anything, so it would assist the House if members could tone it down.

The member for O'Connor! The minister is halfway through, and I want to hear the remainder of his answer.

Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. If you take the cost that is being spent to ensure the safety of those reactors in the nuclear powered submarines and you apply that cost to civil nuclear reactors, which those opposite are suggesting, what you end up with is the single most expensive source of power that can be purchased in the world, in this country today. That is what those opposite are seeking to put before the Australian people.

The idea that you would try to draw some equivalence between small nuclear reactors, which are powering a single machine, and what those opposite are trying to suggest about nuclear reactors which are designed to power cities is patently ridiculous, and it's the kind of analysis which underpins the ridiculous thought that those opposite are trying to put on the Australian people.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Fisher will cease interjecting. When the House comes to order, I'll hear from the member for Wills.