AUSTRALIA'S NUCLEAR FUTURE

That the left opposes nuclear power is, of course, well known. Here are representative statements from two high profile green politicians on the future of nuclear power in Australia:

Peter Garrett:

Such is the knee-jerk willingness by some to assume nuclear is a viable and safe energy option that when I recently said that climate change is one of the critical issues we face and that open debate about all aspects of the energy question, including the pros and cons of nuclear energy, was to be welcomed, I too was portrayed in some quarters as opening the door on nukes. I wasn't - and I said so.

To repeat, I do not think nuclear power, still beset with insurmountable problems of risk particularly in waste storage, is the solution to global warming problems. But we do need a vigorous debate about how to respond to climate change - with all options subject to the same scrutiny and charged with the same requirements of producing energy that is clean, safer and sustainable.


Bob Brown:

The Prime Minister will grant the Nelson-Macfarlane request for a $1 million nuclear Australia study plan, Greens Senator Bob Brown said today.

"This is ready-set-go nuclear Australia. The plan is Mr Howard's
$1 million dog whistle for getting nuclear power up and greatly expanding uranium mining in Australia," Senator Brown said.

"The Nelson plan ignores two huge problems: the increasing risk of nuclear terrorism in an age of handbag sized nuclear bombs, and storing high level waste which Nelson shrugs off, irresponsibly, as 'that will be a matter for the (state) governments of the day'. Nuclear power is not the answer to global warming and the $1 million should go to solar power development and to making Australia energy efficient." Senator Brown said.

Fortunately, at least some scientists are willing to look at the pros and cons:

A new study by a group of Melbourne scientists endorses the use of nuclear energy and attacks some of the data used by anti-nuclear campaigners.

The scientists from the University of Melbourne say their research shows that the benefits of nuclear energy have been underestimated and concerns about nuclear waste overplayed.

You mean the left's anti-nuclear scare-mongering campaign isn't reality based? Shocking.