A nuclear reactor in Bega? Radioactive waste in Coffs Harbour? A uranium processing in Broken Hill? How about Shoalhaven, Kempsey, Port Macquarie or Albury?
This is the fantasy of a small group of nuke-spruikers who want to systematically remove federal and state protections and clear the way for nuclear power and uranium mining across the country, especially in New South Wales.
First they got the ear of One Nation’s Mark Latham, who brought a bill to the NSW parliament that would open the state up to nukes – but Premier Gladys Berejiklian and her Cabinet rejected it.
Now the nuke-spruikers have got NSW Nationals leader John Barilaro pushing for their nukes plan from inside the Liberal/National Cabinet.
New South Wales has enjoyed legal protection from nukes for 33 years now. Removing this safeguard is risky and unnecessary. Our shared energy future is renewable, not radioactive.
Barilaro is on four weeks leave, but this ridiculous plan is still live. Let’s build on the momentum of the first rebuff – email Premier Gladys Berejiklian and her Cabinet.
In your email:
- Be sure to thank Premier Berejiklian and her Cabinet for rejecting Mark Latham’s dirty energy push. Then call on them to step up once more and reject this second push from Deputy Premier John Barilaro.
- Ask Cabinet to keep NSW nuclear-free, and instead focus on real climate solutions like clean energy from the sun and wind to power the state, and export to the world.
- Remind Cabinet that nuclear power is dirty and dangerous, and would also guzzle up and degrade large volumes of water in this drought-stricken country.
Header image: Albury – one of the the Australian Nuclear Association's proposed locations for a nuclear reactor in New South Wales