Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I just want to start by commending Senator Babet for his motion. Of course, I acknowledge that, as a senator for Victoria, he's up against it when it comes to energy policy, so I commend you, Senator Babet, for bringing this forward. We know that Premier Andrews has decided to ban gas. One thing is for certain: he wouldn't want to see nuclear power in that state. So I commend you, Senator Babet, for bringing forward a very sensible proposition that we're dealing with right here. It's very sensible. Despite what we hear from those on the other side and, in particular, from the Greens' corner of the chamber, this is a very sensible proposition.

Last year, the Leader of the Opposition, Peter Dutton, announced that the coalition would undertake a formal internal process to examine the viability of the use of nuclear energy in Australia. It is a critical discussion that we must have as a country if we're going to deal with the energy mix that's required to get to whatever targets we want to get to. Nuclear energy has to be part of that mix, because it provides the reliability that is necessary to balance the energy market. When nuclear energy is mentioned, Labor and the Greens team up and have this little freak-out. They immediately cite the nuclear disasters of old and talk about the fear and the danger of having nuclear energy here in Australia. We must remind ourselves that nuclear energy technology has come a long way.

Senator Grogan said that I was going to deliver the same speech that I delivered last time we had a debate on this, and there's some truth to what she said. But I tell you what: the technology is advancing so quickly in this space that what I might have said three or four months ago could be complemented by the developments of technology in this space. We know that this is true, because the rest of the world is embracing nuclear energy. In fact, in the United States, through the Inflation Reduction Act, they've put nuclear on par with renewables when it comes to receiving support in subsidies and tax concessions. So the United States, of all places, have adopted this. Canada has recently announced the lifetime extension of one of its largest nuclear power plants. Eighteen months ago, they decided they were going to build the very first small modular reactor, even though we heard on this side that that's pie-in-the-sky, theoretical stuff. Canada, of all places, with their government, have decided to further embrace nuclear and some of the newer technologies that are emerging. So it is a sensible debate that needs to be had, and we should embrace it. (Time expired)