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 nuclear will not be cheaper than using renewable energy. I have added solar system and reduced my energy bill. I not against countries like China, India, United states using nuclear energy as they do not have access to the natural resources that Australia does. Australia has an enormous opportunity to shift from Fossil fuels to build the infrastructure for sustainable energy to power homes and electric vehicles and be involved the emerging technology and become world leaders in this field.
We have no need for nuclear. We have ample sun and wind, and land to host it. The new normal of renewable supply and peaky aircon loads, makes the old concept of baseload out of date. We now just have to reliably supply energy at the lowest cost. Nuclear is high cost, and baseload, so it does not fit in our system. I also do not want the risk of nuclear waste polluting our land.
they create radiactive wastes that remain in our environment for thousands of years.
They are expensive to build and all it takes is another Chernobyl accident to poison our land.
I want Australia to have a nuclear free energy plan, because nuclear is too slow, too expensive, too dangerous and we already have the technology to go fossil free without nuclear energy.
I want Australia to be a leader in Green Energy free of Nuclear
I do not want nuclear energy in Australia because it is too costly, SMR’s do not even exist and we already have our solar and wind energy plans that are working.
Besides the risks and costs it it a very short term solution.
I want Australia to be nuclear free because:
a) nuclear is too costly
bI nuclear will be too late
c) we need emissions reductions now and renewables are the cheapest, cleanest and safest option
d) Australia is the driest continent the water needed for nuclear is not only prohibitive but in time of dough it may be dangerous…it’s a furphy
e) storage of nuclear waste is not only costly but dangerous.
sincerely
Christine Cook
No nuclear we need free energy
It’s a dangerous, uninsurable, dirty, thirsty and uneconomical industry and the coverups and lies are astonishing. It’s not the answer to Climate Change.
Nuclear energy will lead to mass extinction.
Regulatory framework is already in place banning nuclear power, Australia has already spoken, too risky, too expensive, too late. Climate change is now, it has been taught in schools since the 1980’s and documented by scientists well prior to that date!
I want to leave a safe, clean world for my future grandchildren. I don’t want them to have to deal with our nuclear waste because we were selfish.
I want AUSTRALIA to be nuclear free for several reasons- one being: there are safer, cheaper sustainable options in renewable energy sector.
I want Australia to be nuclear free because:
1. The by-products of nuclear practically last forever.
2. It is dangerous.
3. It is a wedge into the doorto get into nuclear arrmamaent.
4. It is very costly – to build, to store and cost of damage to the enviroment.
We need clean energy, not energy that supports the mining industry to keep polluting the air we breathe, plus giving us the problem of nuclear waste in an unstable natural environment due to more natural disasters.
It simply doesn’t make sense. The waste is scary. Also and perhaps more importantly we simply can’t wait for some way off time for this to come to pass.
AUSTRALIA’S FUTURE IS RENEWABLE,
NOT RADIOACTIVE