Re: Australia and nuclear energy


nada wrote:
I don't know Rolf, most polls indicate opposition to nuclear power by a
slight majority. At any rate, the population is evenly split,
regardless of a slight majority one way or another. One needs a pretty
big majority to get the state to invest in nukes right now. Also,
uranium mining is being banned.


It's even more complicated than that. Every state and territory
government in Australia is currently controlled by the ALP, and the ALP
has on its books opposition to nuclear power. In Tasmania, they are
reliant on Green support. Every election, the Conservative opposition
(the "Liberal-National Coalition") swears on a stack of bibles that it
would never allow nuclear power facilities in their state, and while
the Federal government could probably force the issue through using
powers over corporations that were recently enlarged by a ruling in the
High Court, this would split them politically and probably bring about
their downfall.

And whatever people think about nuclear power in the abstract, hardly
anyone wants to live within 50 miles of such a plant. Most Australians
live within 50 miles of the coast and that's where the ideal place for
such plants is. Most of those who say they favour it, favour it being
located some place else -- ideally somewhere in the middle of the
Simpson Desert. That's not to say that this opposition is rationally
based, but the NIMBY factor on nuclear power plants makes that applying
to airports, prisons, drug rehab and needle exchange centres and mental
hospitals look utterly trivial.

Uranium mining, however, is not being banned. In fact, there's a
realistic prospect in the near future of new mines being allowed in
South Australia.

Fran

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Relevant Pages

  • Re: Australia and nuclear energy
    ... At any rate, the population is evenly split, ... regardless of a slight majority one way or another. ... has on its books opposition to nuclear power. ... be fooled into believing that such plants are "dangerous". ...
    (sci.energy)
  • Re: Australia and nuclear energy
    ... regardless of a slight majority one way or another. ... Rolf Martens wrote: ... Australia using nuclear power. ... Is Australia known globally as a good site for nuclear energy? ...
    (sci.energy)
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