Nuclear energy proposed for Australia

[DIEHARD]

Nelson proposes N-energy option study

Science Minister Brendan Nelson has proposed Prime Minister John Howard establish a $1 million academic study into the nuclear energy option for Australia.

Dr Nelson said Australia, as a major uranium exporter, owed it to itself to thoroughly investigate nuclear energy in a time of rising energy demands.

"What I'm proposing is that the Australian Academy of Science and our learned academies in humanities and social science collectively, at a cost of just under $1 million, conduct a full examination throughout Australia," he told the Nine Network.

Such a study would take in the geological, environmental, physical, social science and all other aspects of the prospects of a nuclear power industry.


Dr Nelson is a supporter of nuclear generation of electricity, while Mr Howard has urged an open debate on the contentious issue.

"I've put a proposal to the prime minister, jointly with the Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane, and the prime minister will consider that in due course."

Dr Nelson said it was obvious that human behaviour had contributed to global warming but Australia's energy demands were going to treble over the next 40 years.

"Notwithstanding the enormous coal deposits that we have in our country, I think we owe it to our future to examine all of our options," he said.

"We can't responsibly dig ... 30 per cent of the world's uranium out of the ground, export it overseas, and allow some 440 reactors to operate and expand in other parts of the world, and not seriously consider this as an option for ourselves.

"But ... that's a matter for the prime minister and the government."

Source: http://www.ninemsn.com.au

[DIEHARD]

Nuclear power examined

The Federal Government is building the case for a nuclear power industry in Australia, planning a high-level academic inquiry into its prospects.

Science Minister Brendan Nelson and Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane have put a proposal for the inquiry, costed at less than $1 million, to John Howard.
The proposal responds to the Prime Minister's call earlier this year for a nuclear power debate.

In a television interview yesterday, Dr Nelson said the inquiry would involve the Academy of Science, together with the academies of social science and humanities. The Technical Science and Engineering Academy is also involved.

"I think we owe it to our future to examine all of our options," he said.

"We can't responsibly dig 30 per cent of the world's uranium out of the ground, export it overseas and allow some 450 reactors to operate and expand in other parts of the world and not seriously consider this as an option for ourselves."

He said the inquiry would examine the geological, environmental, physical and social aspects of a nuclear power industry in Australia.
Although the academies often make submissions individually to Government inquiries, such as reviews of higher education, it is the first time a Government has gone to them with a proposal for a combined inquiry.

"The Government certainly had strong support from the academies from the outset, " Academy of Social Science executive director John Beaton said yesterday.

"The academies all welcome the opportunity to consider how issues of nuclear power and related topics will affect society," Dr Beaton said.

"Nuclear power generation and waste management have come a very long way since Chernobyl and this debate needs to be had in the light of a much better understanding and newer technology, but it also must respond to concerns of the Australians."

The Government is still refining the terms of reference for the inquiry, which is expected to take a year to complete.

The Government's objective is to have a set of facts that can be marshalled against opponents of nuclear power.

Although there has been discussion within the Labor Party about its policies on uranium and nuclear power, it remains opposed to an expansion of the industry.

Labor spokeswoman for education and research Jenny Macklin said yesterday that no matter which organisations Dr Nelson got to do the study, it wouldn't address the concerns of Australians about nuclear power.

"Australia is as far into the nuclear cycle as the Australian public wants to be. It's absurd that Brendan Nelson is running this issue of nuclear energy when he can't even get consensus or public support to locate a dump for existing low-level waste," Ms Macklin said.

Dr Nelson said the Government was determined to build a low and intermediate level nuclear waste repository for waste from medical and industrial uses in the Northern Territory.

He noted there was already 16 cubic metres of nuclear waste stored at Darwin Hospital and at Mt Todd, 40km from Katherine.

"We owe it to ourselves. I mean, every Australian will benefit from a nuclear-sourced medical procedure," he said.

Dr Nelson said that "under no circumstances" would the proposed repository be used for storing high-level nuclear waste from any eventual nuclear power industry in Australia.

Source: http://www.NEWS.com.au

[Dakink]

I totally agree - done properly it is safe and a good option as we do have uranium deposits!

[Teegy]

If the are going to do it then yes it must be done properly otherwize it could end in disaster

[League Freak]

You know, we have a country that most of it has NOTHING doing....you could build a power plant in the middle of Australia that could more than cater for everyones enegry needs and that would be no where near any sizable population centre.

[Queenslander]

You know, we have a country that most of it has NOTHING doing....you could build a power plant in the middle of Australia that could more than cater for everyones enegry needs and that would be no where near any sizable population centre.

But think of the money.........cost to build it out there would be double if not triple due to transportation alone. Then power cables back to civilisation. Its a good idea but pollies would never agree with it.

[Teegy]

You know, we have a country that most of it has NOTHING doing....you could build a power plant in the middle of Australia that could more than cater for everyones enegry needs and that would be no where near any sizable population centre.

Thats a good point

[League Freak]

I think out in the middle of no where....you could build pretty much what ever you wanted without to much trouble.

I know the costs would be high, but you'd think the enegry that we'd get out of such a move and the self reliance Australia would go a way to gaining would help it along.