Australia Nuclear Update

Yesterday, we gave you a general update on happenings in Australia around nuclear energy, and it's clear now that the debate is really heating up. Click here to participate in an online debate that's been sparked by comments by New South Wales Premier Bob Carr that Australia needs to have a national debate on nuclear energy.

The Skeleton is one blogger who is ready for an honest discussion on the topic:

It'’s time to more beyond the screeching of extreme conservationists and at least have a civilised public discussion on the issue. I can't see that nuclear power used properly would be any worse than a coal-fired power station. Time for people to stop going off their respective rockers and discuss the factual pros and cons.

And in many ways, it's clear that nuclear energy has some important advantages over other elements of the fuel supply.

Here's Leslie Kemeny of the International Nuclear Energy Academy, writing in the Australian:

Japan's 54 nuclear power stations alone save the equivalent of Australia's total greenhouse emissions. And the secret of this success is uranium fuel imported from Australia. Over a critical window of the next 20 years no other energy technology can achieve such results and satisfy the immense growth in energy demand by the world's developing nations.

For more from reporter Dave King, click here.

Thanks to reader Matthew Bohun and Pharoz for the links.

UPDATE: Here's more from the Brisbane Courier-Mail.

Technorati tags: Nuclear Energy, Environment, Energy, Politics, Technology, Economics

Comments

Matthew66 said…

The electronic forum on the ABC's website has now closed. The forum canvassed a wide variety of views - 360 responses were posted. The ABC will likely keep the responses on its site for six months or so, so there is plenty of opportunity to read the different threads. It was interesting to see the wide variety of responses. Unfortunately, many contributors based their arguments on outdated scientific opinions, or just plain prejudice. I was also disappointed to read that Bob Carr, the NSW Premier who started the ball rolling, is willing to have Nuclear Power plants in his State, but does not want to accept responsibility for managing used nuclear fuel. I don't think you can do one without the other.

June 8, 2005 at 4:47 PM

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