Fifty years ago, all the plans for Australia to build nuclear power stations had been scrapped. John Howard tried unsuccessfully to revive the technology, but until recently there was broad agreement that it did not make sense for Australia. In defence circles, there had been some interest in using nuclear energy to power submarines, but also reservations about their complexity, cost and usefulness for defending Australia. Then the Morrison government proposed an agreement with the US and the UK to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. More recently, the Dutton Opposition has proposed building nuclear power stations. One of Australia’s most respected environmental scientists, Ian Lowe AO says, “While many informed observers doubt whether those proposals will eventuate, they would add a whole new dimension to the problem of managing radioactive waste. The Australian government has made three unsuccessful attempts to develop a national repository for low-level waste. Given the community opposition to those proposals, it is difficult to see how we might handle the much nastier waste from nuclear power stations or nuclear submarines.”
Professor Lowe, author of the book “Long Half-Life, The Nuclear Industry in Australia”, will discuss the issue of nuclear waste storage and other challenges of nuclear energy in Australia on October 25 at Friday Environment Forum.
Friday Forum is at the Noosa Parks Association Environment Centre, 5 Wallace Drive, Noosaville and starts at 10:30am with morning tea available at 10-10.25am. Entry is $5 by ‘tap & go’ at the door which includes morning tea/coffee.
Join the bird observers at 8.30am in the carpark for interpretive birding.
For more information: www.noosaparks.org.au
