Nuclear energy - a game changer?

Glenn Milne reported in The Australian that shadow minister Greg Hunt, in a recent speech to the Business Council of Australia about nuclear policy, said that "a model for discussion is on the table", and expressed a desire to "sit down and negotiate a consensus on the issue". This is a serious offer by the opposition, and should be taken up.

If the PM actually wants a consensus on climate action then nuclear is the only way to do it. Any non-nuclear solution to achieving significant cuts in emissions will never get a consensus in Australia because too many people know that attempting it with windmills, solar thermal and hot rocks etc would simply trash our economy, and is entirely unrealistic. This group includes the big end of town. Remember them?

Nuclear is the only alternative that allows for our natural growth to continue, while still having an impact on future emissions in a substantial way.

That leaves the diehard anti-nuclear vote out on their own. Big deal! This constituency is largely greenish-left, and would never vote for Tony Abbott anyway.

By playing the MRET nuclear card, the government will have succeeded in quickly clearing the air, so as to sell its other messages of the campaign, and the national interest will be served, albeit as the bastard child of political expediency.

It is also worthwhile to reflect on what might happen if the PM decides against playing the MRET nuclear card, and the opposition comes out with it instead!

Abbott gets an arguably credible energy and climate policy, which he doesn't have at the moment, and the PM will have the dilemma of either agreeing with the opposition, or sticking with the die-hard anti-nuclear vote. Not an ideal situation. The ALP would be totally skewered. And deservedly so. A big risk, in my view.

The PM should also announce that Australia will apply to join the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) consortium.

This will serve to demonstrate that any nuclear rollout Australia might undertake is for one generation only, so as to play our part in meeting the low-carbon challenge. And by the time they are ready to be retired, we will have nuclear fusion, or generation 4 nuclear on tap. Or something better that hasn't been invented yet!