Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Acting Prime Minister, Australia is at odds with every comparable economy and ally in rejecting zero-emissions nuclear energy, putting at risk energy security and energy costs. Can the Acting Prime Minister confirm the reason Labor is rejecting nuclear power has nothing to do with cost or time but is due to their political battle with the Greens in inner city seats.

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

No. We're going to do this again because I couldn't hear the question because there were too many people on my right interjecting. The way question time works is—for those on my right—I need to hear the question if a topic comes up or there's a point of order I then have to make a decision on. It makes my job really hard if I can't hear it, so we're going do this again and the member for Hume's going to have his question.

Government members interjecting—

I don't need any commentary; otherwise, people will leave and not hear the question.

Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Acting Prime Minister, Australia is at odds with every comparable economy and ally in rejecting zero-emissions nuclear energy, putting at risk energy security and electricity costs. Can the Acting Prime Minister confirm the reason Labor is rejecting nuclear power has nothing to do with cost or time but is due to their political battle with the Greens in inner city seats?

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

Order! The Minister for Social Services is warned.

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

Yes, we do have a battle with the Greens political party, and we join that battle with relish, which really does stand in stark contrast to what we see from those opposite who, when it comes to housing, the environment or now immigration, are in the greatest love affair of all time with the Greens political party.

I think Romeo and Juliet teaches us that love conquers all, but I definitely do not think that Shakespeare imagined what was going on here. What we are seeing here is the most unholy alliance between the Greens and the Liberals. So every Australian needs to know that when they go out and they vote for the Greens political party or when they vote for the Liberals, when it comes to Canberra it is the one team.

What I can confirm is that the simple reason why we are not supporting a civil nuclear industry is that it makes no financial sense, whatsoever. The fact that it makes no financial sense is exactly why this shadow Treasurer would be proposing it. He is the man who has refused to make any sense, when it comes to the economics of this country, since he's taken up his post. Economic management certainly ain't his strong suit.

We certainly will not be pursuing a civil nuclear industry. It will be $1,200 per household more expensive in 20 years time and, at that point, it's only going to contribute four per cent to our electricity grid. So, no, we are not walking down that road.