General News
30 June, 2024
Nuclear proposal finds favour, says Webster
THERE was early support in Loddon communities for the Coalition’s nuclear power plans. That was the feedback to Mallee MP Anne Webster after pop-up community sessions in Boort and Pyramid Hill last Thursday. Dr Webster’s visit to the Loddon...
THERE was early support in Loddon communities for the Coalition’s nuclear power plans.
That was the feedback to Mallee MP Anne Webster after pop-up community sessions in Boort and Pyramid Hill last Thursday.
Dr Webster’s visit to the Loddon Shire came just a day after Opposition Leader Peter Dutton announced the Coaliation policy for the next election due by May.
She said the policy charted a responsible pathway to net zero carbon dioxide emissions in Australia by 2050.
Dr Webster said policy contrasted with the Federal Government’s rush for renewable energy and Victroria’s proposed VNI West renewable energy transmission line.
“As I have been consistently saying for years, Labor has been steamrolling regional communities in Mallee and beyond without social licence. Labor are trying to build 28,000km of transmission lines, 22,000 solar panels a day and 40 wind turbines a month to reach an exclusively wind-and-solar path to energy generation,” Dr Webster said.
“Mallee residents have felt the brunt of Labor’s approach with abysmal consultation on the proposed 400km of VNI West transmission lines and poor - or disingenuous - community consultation by wind turbine proponents across the electorate.”
The Coalition has proposed seven nuclear power plants across Australia - two in New South Wales, one in Victoria at Loy Yang, two in Queensland, and small modular reactors in South Australia and Western Australia. Affected communities will benefit and be engaged through a 30-month community consultation process.
“Wind turbines require 360 times more land than nuclear, and photovoltaic solar panels require 75 times more – and neither figure includes the land needed for transmission lines. (The) announcement preserves our prime agricultural land and pristine bushland across regional Australia,” Dr Webster said.
“The Coalition’s responsible energy plan stops Labor’s railroading of regional communities dead in its tracks.
“We can use the existing poles and wires and work with local communities and their skilled energy workforces. There is no need to rewire the energy grid at enormous cost to Australian energy customers during this cost-of-living crisis.”