Nuclear energy part of the problem, not solution

Nuclear energy part of the problem, not the solution

Greens MLC Ian Cohen has today urged the NSW Government not to rush headlong into the false dawn of nuclear madness that seems to have gripped politicians in Canberra.

"John Howard's announcement today that development of nuclear power in this country is inevitable must be vigorously resisted." said Mr.
Cohen.

"If the Prime Minister is so concerned about rising fuel prices and greenhouse gas emissions he should be looking at the myriad of simpler, cheaper and more environmentally friendly options, such as wind, wave or solar power.

"Renewable energy is yet again being shafted in this vicious and dishonest campaign by the nuclear industry, and I implore the NSW Government to show leadership on this issue rather than kowtowing to the Federal Government. The Premier has spoken of his desire to reduce the state's greenhouse gas emissions. Uranium mining is part of the problem, not the solution.

How do the politicians preaching the nuclear message with such fundamentalist zeal propose to deal with the intractable problem of nuclear waste, an issue that the industry has been unable to solve in the half century of the nuclear age? Will they tell us along which roads it will travel? Will they tell us which communities the waste will be foisted on?

"NSW and Australia could be a world leader in renewable energy, yet governments across the country seem to be ignoring or even denigrating its potential. It is massively underfunded compared to the dirty coal industry. It was good to see John Howard admit that fossil fuels do not have a future, however this pursuit of nuclear power is a classic example of out of the frying pan and into the fire. The NSW Government must resist becoming the nuclear clone of the Federal Government." Mr. Cohen said.

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