{"id":349912,"date":"2024-06-26T13:16:43","date_gmt":"2024-06-26T03:16:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=349912"},"modified":"2024-06-26T14:21:00","modified_gmt":"2024-06-26T04:21:00","slug":"towns-already-back-nuclear","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2024\/06\/26\/towns-already-back-nuclear\/","title":{"rendered":"Towns ‘Already Back Nuclear’"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Nationals Leader David Littleproud<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

June 26, 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nationals Leader David Littleproud says local communities have already backed the Coalition’s plan to build seven nuclear power generating sites around Australia.<\/p>\n

Mr Littleproud was interviewed on Regional Sky News on Wednesday morning by presenter Jaynie Seal.<\/p>\n

Ms Seal quizzed the Member for Maranoa about a report this week by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) which manages the National Electricity Market and the Wholesale Electricity Market.<\/p>\n

“AEMO have come out saying that they believe that nuclear will be more expensive and be too slow to replace coal stations set to close in 2038,” Ms Seal said.<\/p>\n

“They’ve also said that renewables are behind schedule. Certainly hearing a lot of divide with this nuclear policy. People are wanting more information. When do you expect to announce any further details?”<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mr Littleproud replied: “Very soon.”<\/p>\n

“Just appreciate it’s not just an all-nuclear policy, it’s also gas as well as renewables,” he said.<\/p>\n

“We’ll have a mix, we won’t go in (an) all-renewables approach. So there will be more renewable projects, there will be more gas with carbon capture storage in the right place.<\/p>\n

“And we’ll announce that mix as well as the costings, which we don’t agree with AEMO, and we don’t agree with this continuation of an all-renewables approach that regional Australia’s bearing the brunt of.<\/p>\n

“We don’t want a future of transmission lines, solar panels and wind turbines.<\/p>\n

“Our communities have already voted. Everywhere where we’ve announced where these nuclear power plants will go, the community backs us.”<\/strong><\/p>\n

“So regional Australians are just saying to metro Australians, please hear our plight.<\/p>\n

“We want to get to net zero, but let us do it in a way that doesn’t impact our livelihoods and takes away your food security by tearing up our prime land and driving up your food prices. Because all we’ve got is transmission lines, turbines, and solar panels over it.”<\/p>\n

Tarong Power Station, between Yarraman and Nanango, is one of the locations named by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton to house nuclear reactors.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mr Littleproud has previously stated local communities would be consulted but the Coalition would seek its mandate for nuclear power at the Federal Election.<\/p>\n