Premier Colin Barnett’s continuing pursuit of nuclear power for Western Australia even as radiation leaks from the Fukushima facility are appalling and out of step with his own party, Greens MLC Robin Chapple said today.
“It is truly incredible that anyone, let alone a State Premier, can continue to push for nuclear generated power in light of the tragedy unfolding in Japan,” Mr. Chapple said.
“I think that whilst events are largely speaking for themselves in terms of the safety of nuclear power, the Premier’s fantasy needs to face some harsh facts and these need to be raised systematically.”
“The Premier has said that nuclear should not be an option on fault lines. That should rule out Western Australia given that Perth is adjacent to a fault line.”
“We experience infrequent but significant seismic events such as the Kalgoorlie quake in 2010 – and as we have seen, it only takes one quake to cause a major incident and it only takes one major incident to contaminate a community”
“The Premier advises that he wants to see nuclear as an option once we have exhausted our fossil fuel supplies.”
“That in itself is an indication that the man has no vision with regards to any form of renewable energy generation and that he expects WA to remain chained to dirty energy to the bitter, unaffordable end.”
“He then wants to lock the State into an energy source that is basically an incredibly inefficient, expensive, and potentially catastrophic energy source that will dog future generations well after he is gone.”
“Nuclear is not a clean option because it generates highly radioactive waste that few countries or communities are prepared to have sitting around for thousands of years.”
“Nuclear is not a low emission energy source because the combined CO2e emissions from mining, processing and refining uranium, and the emissions from waste management are far higher than genuine renewable energy sources.”
“Nuclear is not a safe energy source, as has been made abundantly and tragically clear from its inception right up to the present moment. The industry itself is plagued with malpractice and faulty safety accounting.”
“Nuclear is also an incredibly expensive option and virtually impossible to insure without passing the cost on to the taxpayer.”
“Even Tony Abbott has said that nuclear is too expensive an option. This will be doubly true after the insurance agencies account for the Fukushima disaster.”
“Finally, the Premier has completely failed to grasp the implications of installing an incredibly water-hungry facility in a water-starved state.”
“Mr. Barnett is in the grip of a dangerous fantasy as a nightmare unfolds in the real world.”
For more information please contact Robin Chapple on 0409 379 263 or 9486 8255
