Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to talk about energy policy and the Albanese government's plans for a renewable future compared to Mr Dutton's reckless, uncosted and, frankly, unfathomable nuclear pipedream of a policy. Tasmania has a proud renewable history. As I've said in this place before, we have a plan for a new offshore wind zone in the Bass Strait off Tasmania's north coast which has the potential to unlock secure regional job opportunities and clean, cheaper energy for Tasmanians. It is an exciting opportunity for jobs, education, training and cheaper power bills through renewable energy.

The world is already decarbonising, and Australia will benefit from this by joining with the rest of the world and investing in jobs of the future—a renewable future at that. My home state of Tasmania is a place of opportunity, and we need to ensure that every Tasmanian understands this sentiment—understands that our clean, green image serves our state for the better. This project is clean, green and job ready.

In stark contrast, as I have been saying for some time, we have a nuclear pipedream from those opposite. Has Mr Peter Dutton's nuclear plan been costed? No. Do they have a nuclear industry in Australia? No. Do we know where their nuclear power stations will be located? No. Are those opposite aware that one in three Australians have said no to a nuclear power plant in their neighbourhood? They don't seem to understand that. What do you do with the said nuclear waste? Those opposite have no idea.

Very recently, I wrote an op-ed about our energy plan versus the 23 failed energy policies of those opposite and critiqued Mr Dutton's energy plan. Admittedly, I did use some hyperbole to get my point across, but I think Senator Askew missed my point altogether.

Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, I didn't!

Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My point, Senator Askew, was that there is no feasible plan for a nuclear power industry in Australia. Therefore, why should that policy and Mr Dutton ever be taken seriously? There is no debate to be had.

Almost every scientific expert has said that nuclear energy is not feasible in Australia. The CSIRO, our science and energy experts, have said that nuclear power was more expensive than renewables and would take at least 15 years to develop, including construction. The CSIRO also said that nuclear power does not currently provide the most competitive solution for low-emission electricity in Australia. It would take almost two decades to create an industry and potential power plants. Even if you could make this happen, where would you put the nuclear reactors? The current owners of old and to-be-decommissioned coal-fired power stations have said no to nuclear energy on such sites. My point was: if Mr Dutton can't find anywhere to put a nuclear power plant, we may indeed find that Tasmania will be sent one from a future Liberal government. Nobody in the rest of the country wants them. I say to you, Senator Askew: Tasmania doesn't want one either.

The whole point of my argument was that Mr Dutton's plan is ridiculous. There is no actual plan. There are no costings. There's no practical application plan for the nuclear pipedream, so why should Tasmanians or Australians take Mr Dutton seriously? Australians want leadership, and they are not receiving that—there's no hint of that—from Mr Dutton. What they are getting is leadership from Mr Albanese. What is really interesting is that Senator Askew is sent out to try and have a go at the wicked Senator Polley about nuclear plans. The reality is: if you vote for Bridget Archer, you will get Mr Dutton. No to that, I say.