Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

  (i) the decision of the government to award the contract to DCNS for the construction of new Barracuda-class submarines, and

  (ii) That the pump-jet propulsion used in the Barracuda-class submarines has only ever been powered by nuclear reactors; and

(b) calls on the Government to unequivocally rule out the use of nuclear reactors to power Australia's new submarines.

Scott Ryan (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make an exceptionally short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Scott Ryan (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Defence made the government's position on this issue clear in question time yesterday. The government is not proposing a nuclear-powered submarine.

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The reason we put this motion up was because of the minister's statement in question time yesterday. We did not read it as being an unequivocal statement. In fact, I think she said, more or less, that it is not under contemplation or consideration at this moment in time. This motion is very simple. Let me read it to a lot of the senators who just get told where to go by their whips:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

  (i) the decision of the government to award the contract to DCNS for the construction of new Barracuda-class submarines, and

  (ii) That the pump-jet propulsion used in the Barracuda-class submarines has only ever been powered by nuclear reactors; and

(b) calls on the Government to unequivocally rule out the use of nuclear reactors to power Australia's new submarines.

My party, the Greens, and our supporters, our members and our voters have significant concerns about any future nuclear power being used in submarines. We want the government to rule this out now before we support this proposal. (Time expired)

Question agreed to.