House debates
Tuesday, 19 November 2024
Questions without Notice
Nuclear Energy
2:00 pm
Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. Overnight, at COP29, the United States and the United Kingdom signed a new agreement for civil nuclear reactor collaboration. The UK Labour government has stated the agreement is 'expected' to also be signed by Australia and it will 'speed up the deployment of cutting-edge nuclear technology to help decarbonise industry and boost energy security'. Can the Acting Prime Minister confirm Australia will sign this civil nuclear reactor agreement?
Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Order! The member for Fisher is warned. I don't want people interjecting—and I don't think anyone wants people interjecting—before a minister or the Acting Prime Minister speaks.
2:01 pm
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 question. I can confirm that the Australian government will not be signing that agreement. For Australia, pursuing a path of nuclear energy would represent pursuing the single most expensive electricity option on the planet. For Australia, pursuing a path of nuclear energy would be pursuing a path which would see $1,200 added to the household energy bill of each household in this country. For Australia, pursuing nuclear energy would be pursuing a path which wouldn't see any new electricity into our grid for 20 years. For Australia, pursuing a path of nuclear energy would be pursuing a path which would only see, at best, four per cent contributed to the electricity grid two decades from now. Because we do not have a civil nuclear industry, this agreement does not apply to us, pure and simple.