Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Industry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Johnston, the Minister representing the Attorney-General. I refer the minister to the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources’ comments on ABC radio on 26 July when he said that the government was seeking advice on whether or not it could override state bans on nuclear reactors. Can the minister indicate whether the Attorney-General’s Department, the Australian Government Solicitor or the Solicitor-General have been asked to provide this advice? Have any of these agencies provided earlier advice to the government on this matter and, if so, when? When does the government intend to introduce legislation to give it the power to override state governments’ wishes and approve nuclear reactors?

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As usual, a desperate opposition seeks to trade on fear in asking a question about nuclear energy.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Alan Ferguson (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The question has been asked. You must allow the minister a chance to respond.

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The only contribution to the most important debate about Australia’s future energy needs from the opposition is to ask the question: whose backyard will have a nuclear reactor? That is their sole contribution. They have not brought to bear one piece of intelligence or consideration on this debate. The South Australian Premier has it all over them in terms of understanding Australia’s future energy needs and supports a nuclear industry as a viable option.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I hear senators ask: ‘Where’s it going to be? Hasluck?’  They would not know a nuclear reactor if it landed on them, because it is simply a question that is not on the radar for them. But the government, on the other hand, is prepared to look at the interests of all Australians into the future. Over 300 reactors throughout the world are providing a reliable source of energy and are greenhouse gas free, and all the opposition can do is ask, ‘Whose backyard will have one?’ What a disgrace.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order which goes to relevance. The minister was asked a specific question about the commitment of the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources to seek legal advice on the Commonwealth’s ability to override state laws to build nuclear reactors. The question was: ‘Has he got that advice; has he sought that advice?’ I would ask you to draw the minister’s attention to the question. If he does not know, he ought to take it on notice.

Alan Ferguson (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order, but I would remind the minister of the question.

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Advice will be sought with respect to all options confronting Australia into the future. Indeed, this government has spent a lot of money on developing solar energy, particularly at Mildura. There are a whole host of clean coal technologies and other energy technologies. I am advised that the Commonwealth will scope out and will undertake the necessary advice to understand what capacity we have to undertake investigations into all aspects of energy as a reliable source of underwriting Australia’s future energy needs.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Industry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I note that the minister said, ‘The government will undertake to seek advice.’ I ask, again: has the government already sought to have that advice provided, as the minister for industry indicated on 26 July? Given the government’s new-found interest in listening to what local communities have to say, can he indicate whether the government has any plans to ask the Australian Electoral Commission to conduct plebiscites on whether Australians want a nuclear reactor in their backyard? Don’t residents of the Queensland coast, the Hunter, Jervis Bay, the Victorian coast, south-east South Australia and elsewhere have a right to have a say about the government’s plan to build nuclear power stations in their backyards?

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was interested to hear the learned senator introduce the issue of plebiscites. What this government will not do about nuclear energy—or any other matter of public policy—is outlaw voting and plebiscites. We would never do that. Let me tell you that we would never, ever outlaw plebiscites of the people. Yet the senator’s party in Queensland—and he introduced this in his question—has completely obliterated every legal remedy to councils in that state. We would not do the same.