Peter Garrett, the ALP's new spokesman for climate change, environment and heritage wrote an awesome op-ed in the Sydney Morning Herald today.
Garrett rightly takes issue with the governments bizarre view that introducing nuclear power stations to Australia is a valid approach to combat climate change. While it's true that nuclear power involves no carbon emissions, and that Australia has an abundance of uranium, Australia has no infrastructure for a nuclear power industry and the government's own investigating panel suggests that it will take until 2050 for 25% of Australia's electricity needs to be met by a nuclear power industry.
This timeframe is far from acceptable and it is only achievable with a significant amount of financial assistance from the government. Cheaper alternatives to nuclear power exist that can be implemented in the near future. The government has to stop protecting their friends in the mining industry and start thinking hard about how Australia will meet it's future energy needs.
