Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Multicultural Engagement) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to say that the nuclear energy debate is a debate this country must have. Firstly, I want to pay tribute to my good friend and colleague Mr Ted O'Brien, the federal member for the seat of Fairfax in my home state of Queensland. I think one of the reasons we're now in the serious steps of this debate is the gravitas, professionalism and rigour which my dear friend Ted O'Brien has brought to this debate. It really is a compliment to Mr O'Brien—who's part of a wonderful Queensland family, the O'Briens—and I really do congratulate him for it.

If Australia does not move, we are going to be left behind. The risk is that the rest of the world embraces nuclear power and Australia doesn't. That's the real risk. I want to give you some startling figures. There are currently 440 nuclear energy power plants around the world, providing clean energy. There are 61 new plants being built today, and they're on every continent except Antarctica and Australia. In North America, Canada has 19, Mexico has two and the USA has 94. In South America, Argentina has three and Brazil has two. In Europe, Finland has five, the Czech Republic six, Hungary four, Romania two, Slovakia one, Ukraine 15, France 56, the Netherlands one, Spain seven, Sweden six, Switzerland four, the UK nine, Armenia one, Belarus two, Russia 36, Bulgaria two and Belgium five, and Turkiye has one under construction. In Asia, the United Arab Emirates has four, China 55, India 23, Japan 33, South Korea 26, Taiwan two, Pakistan six and Iran one, and Bangladesh has one under construction. In Africa, South Africa has two and Egypt has one under construction. We cannot afford to be left behind. (Time expired)