PASIN WELCOMES INQUIRY INTO THE NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE

Member for Barker Tony Pasin MP has welcomed the announcement that the Parliament’s Standing Committee on the Environment and Energy is set to investigate the nuclear fuel cycle at the request of the Minister for Energy Minister Angus Taylor.

While there is currently a moratorium on nuclear power generation in Australia, Mr Pasin said this inquiry would consider whether nuclear energy would be feasible and suitable for Australia in the future.

“There are certainly no plans for nuclear power generation in Australia anytime soon but this will be the first inquiry into the use of nuclear energy in this country in more than a decade. it’s important that we have the facts and keep an open mind as to whether nuclear generated energy could form part of Australia’s energy mix going forward.”

The Committee will be asking a range of questions to establish whether nuclear energy would be feasible and suitable for Australia including economic, environmental and safety issues.

“There are new and emerging forms of nuclear energy technology and I think it’s important to understand what’s possible and whether these forms of technology could be worthy of inclusion in our future energy mix. We need a long term perspective on how we can deliver the affordable, reliable and sustainable energy Australia needs. This inquiry will give us insight into whether nuclear could be part of this,” Mr Pasin said.

The Committee will specifically inquire into and report on the circumstances and prerequisites necessary for any future government’s consideration of nuclear energy generation including small modular reactor technologies in Australia, including waste management, health and safety, environmental impacts, energy affordability and reliability, economic feasibility and workforce capability, security implications, community engagement and national consensus.

Media contact: Charlotte Edmunds 8531 2466