Dutton ‘respects’ anti-nuclear LNP premier

Peter Dutton says he will continue to convince “sensible premiers” on the Coalition nuclear plan, with newly installed Queensland Liberal National Party premier David Crisafulli committing to his anti-nuclear push.

Speaking on Monday, the Opposition Leader appeared unfazed by the divide between the state and federal Coalition, with the election pledge to build seven reactors by 2050, including the first two to come online between 2035-37.

Mr Dutton said he “respected” Mr Crisafulli’s position.

“It’s been longstanding, and I knew it before the election, and I know it now. It’s the same with (South Australian premier) Peter Malinauskas and (NSW Premier) Chris Minns,” he said.

“But I think you can have a conversation with sensible premiers, and I put the three of them in that category.”

Mr Dutton noted Mr Malinauskas’ “championing” of the AUKUS nuclear submarine technology, adding that federal Labor members previously were against the Defence policy before changing their position.

“I think the question that we really need to ask ourselves now is why is Anthony Albanese standing in the way of a bipartisan position on nuclear energy, which would be zero emissions, it would provide stability of electricity, and it would also make us internationally competitive,” he said.

He added the Prime Minister’s stance on nuclear was “just political” and was “putting our economy at risk”.

NUCLEAR INQUIRY

Critics and advocates of the Coalition’s nuclear plan have made their cases at a Labor-dominated parliamentary inquiry into nuclear energy.

The Smart Energy Council, which has estimated the plan’s cost as high as $600bn, said the Coalition’s push for atomic power was driven by “anti-renewable” ideology rather than science.

In contrast, Sarah Lawley, a researcher with decades of experience in the field, said Australia was facing “the choice between fossil fuel generators to underpin the system and nuclear power plants to underpin the system for their reliability”.

She said she did not believe Australia could get to a net-zero power grid by 2050 “without nuclear power”.