Australia must remain a nuclear-free country.
Nuclear energy and arms are not compatible with a clean future.
The Coalition's nuclear energy plan is light on detail but heavy with danger. It's a costly distraction from effective climate action that risks delaying – and even derailing – the sensible, considered and speedy transition to renewables that is already well underway and essential to protect the environment and safeguard our future.
To our representatives, we call on you to make Australia nuclear-free:
- End uranium mining and exports, and clean up all old uranium mines;
- Say no to nuclear power – it is high-risk, high-cost and a dangerous distraction from real climate solutions, like clean energy from the sun and wind;
- Take a strong stand against nuclear weapons – this includes signing and ratifying the UN nuclear weapons ban treaty;
- Manage radioactive waste transparently and responsibly.
The exaggerated claims being made by the latest round of nuclear promoters do not alter the evidence which clearly shows nuclear is the worst option for Australia. Promoting nuclear today will keep coal and gas burning for decades to come!
There are many reasons nuclear energy is not a viable alternative for Australia’s energy future:
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It takes too long – on average, it takes about nine years to build a nuclear power station and another 10 years for planning and licensing. Effectively that means two decades between first idea and first power. These are the critical decades to immediately reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.
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It’s dirty and dangerous – Nuclear power stations pose significant community, environment and health risks. Apart from the radioactive waste they generate, nuclear power stations run on uranium which, like coal and gas, is not a renewable resource.
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It’s far more expensive than renewable options – Modelling shows developing nuclear infrastructure is 5-10 times more expensive than solar and wind. And even if the technology was in place, it would also cost more to produce.
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It needs a lot of water – Nuclear reactors use tonnes of water per second to cool the reactors to produce electricity. This is unlike wind and solar which require little or no ongoing water use.
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We have no proven options for managing long-term radioactive waste – All reactors create waste, and this is a growing and unresolved global management issue. For decades successive governments have tried to impose low and intermediate level waste dumps and stores, predominantly on First Nations lands, across multiple sites in Australia.
We must leave the uranium in the ground to keep our communities and the nature we rely on safe.
Let's get it right and make Australia nuclear-free.
Header image: Sea lions gather on the beach on the Eyre Peninsula. At the top of the Peninsula is Kimba, where the government is proposing to put a national radioactive waste site despite unanimous opposition from Barngarla Traditional Owners
Latest Supporters
I want Australia to be nuclear free because expanding renewables combined with minimal storage can replace coal and gas in the next 3-5 years not in 18-25 years which is a likely nuclear timeframe. This is too slow. Nuclear is dangerous in the long term and has a legacy of waste, damage to the land when mined and disasters. It is expensive and a burden to the taxpayer.
I dont want an unhealthy and unsafe community from Nuclear Energy For the next generation we need to be forward thinkers and help reach climate targets, keep people babies children out of hospital admissions and repeat health services and choose a clean energy that our Australian environment can easily help provide
We will have a better future keeping uranium in the ground.
The nuclear industry is a dirty, mean, and destructive, poisonous industry that we must do without!
It does not represent a viable option for the energy transition away from fossil fuels on a number of fronts: timeframes, cost, environmental impacts, safety. It is a mere distraction from where our efforts and focus need to be now – solar, wind, and hydro solutions in parallel with investments in grid upgrades and community battery development.
END THE TOXIC AUKUS NUCLEAR WASTE DEAL
Where are they going to dispose of the nuclear waste? Are they pushing for this because of the money that they will be making from the programme?
Reduce the long term risk to the environment
Maralinga was a disgrace.
My father died when I was 11.
IAustralian industry and commerce need reliable power 24/7 and less environmental damage from solar and wind farms with their networks.
This is a community discussion that has been I thought thrashed out and resolved back in the 70s nothing has changed let’s leave it in the past and move forward to a clean safe future.
We need to protect the planet
I want Australia to be nuclear free because I want clean energy, not dirty, polluting, radioactive waste producing energy which is too slow and expensive to avert a climate crisis. Nor do I want Australia in any way to support the production of nuclear weapons through the supply or uranium.
In our country there is not enough water long term in safe places for supporting a nuclear power station. With our renewables we don’t need it anyway. PLEASE keep Australia nuclear free.
It is an unnecessary risk to the people of Australia. No matter how much people try and manage these risks, the potential consequences are unacceptably high. Such projects have the potential to be mismanaged in the name of reducing costs, and increasing profits out of pure greed. Australia has endless possibilities when it comes to renewable energy, and the costs for capturing and storing that energy is reducing on a continual basis. We have an amazing abundance of clean energy, so there is no need to take such risks in the lucky country that is full of unspoilt wilderness and natural environments. History has proven that safety at nuclear plants can not be guaranteed. They failed at Three mile island, Chernobyl and most recently at Fukushima. Recent events in the middle east and Ukraine would suggest that installing nuclear plants in Australia would be like putting a target on our back.
I want Australia to be nuclear free because
our country is primed for major renewable investments that will have much much less negative and cost impact on Australians economy, health and wellbeing than developing an industry around plutonium and uranium where nuclear meltdowns have been poisoning the planet since the 70’s. This self destructive path is not supported by ordinary Australians even though nuclear power was promoted through our education system in the 2000’s as ‘clean energy’. Also prolonging polluting industries such as coal that has been a critical part of the climate crisis. ‘Climate events such as extreme heat already cost an estimated 2.5 billion hours of labor in the U.S. and 490 billion hours globally on an annual basis.’Harvard Business Review July2024. Then the question is who does nuclear really benefit and why are elected representatives of the community not standing up for the communities rights to a healthy and productive country – the rise in temperature has fatal consequences for all human beings – let’s not go there!
it is very unsafe, no solution to nuclear waste.