Subjects: Labor’s embarrassing nuclear ad shocker, featuring anti-AUKUS and anti-Israel two-time Greens candidate; Labor’s cost of living and energy crisis; Keith Pitt.
E&OE.
SAM ARMYTAGE:
A political war of words is brewing this morning with the Government defending a video linking nuclear power to health issues, including cancer. Take a look at this:
[excerpt]
MARGARET BEAVIS:
There are definite increases in cancer, strokes and heart attacks with nuclear power. With renewable energy, we have much safer alternatives. There are significantly increased rates of cancer, heart attacks and strokes amongst the workforce in the nuclear industries. This research has looked at over 300,000 workers over 30 years, and it’s very clear that working with radiation has no safe lower limit.
[end excerpt]
SAM ARMYTAGE:
Now we spoke to Energy Minister Chris Bowen on Today a short time ago:
[excerpt]
CHRIS BOWEN:
Well, I’ll tell you what’s codswallop is these costings they released last week. So one, this modelling is flawed. Two, Peter Dutton is lying about it. So if he wants to have a discussion about codswallop, bring it on because his entire energy plan is complete codswallop.
[end excerpt]
SAM ARMYTAGE:
Let’s have a discussion about codswallop. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton joins us now from Brisbane.
Peter, good morning to you.
PETER DUTTON:
‘Morning Sam.
SAM ARMYTAGE:
What’s your reaction to the Energy Minister’s comments there?
PETER DUTTON:
Well, Sam, I think the most important thing to note at the moment is that the Prime Minister’s Office has distanced themselves from Chris Bowen and this pretty tardy video that they’ve put together. It’s a Greens candidate, and, I think to be honest, what we need as a country is a mature debate about how we can have a reliable energy system, how we can have a downward pressure on costs, because at the moment going into Christmas, families just can’t afford to pay their electricity bills under the Government’s energy policy.
We need to have reliable power. The Government’s now talking about regular blackouts and brownouts. It’s part of the reason that we’ve seen a threefold increase in manufacturing closures in our country over the last two years. So, we lose those jobs, we lose the economic multiplier in the economy.
As you know, as every Australian knows, the Prime Minister stood up, shook hands with the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to sign the AUKUS deal, which is the nuclear submarine, exactly the same technology that we’re talking about using in the civil industry. Our Defence Force personnel will sleep alongside that reactor in the submarines. If there is a security or a safety concern, the Prime Minister should front the Australian people today because there will be a lot of concern within the Defence community that the Government’s signed them up to a technology that’s not safe. Of course, that’s not the case and I just think Labor, instead of running around with these juvenile ads, needs to have a mature adult conversation about what’s in our country’s best interests. That’s exactly what we’re doing.
SAM ARMYTAGE:
Peter, this is the lead story today, so this is effective advertising from the Labor Party because we’re all talking about it. I do want to point out the video is starring Dr Margaret Beavis, who’s a former Melbourne GP and, as you say, a Greens candidate. Is there any truth to her claims? Were you aware of any of these issues with childhood cancers or leukemia prior to developing energy plans, or is it propaganda?
PETER DUTTON:
Look, there are all sorts of extreme views on the internet, and it just shows that this is a Government that’s in a death spiral at the moment – that’s the problem. The economy is in freefall, the government’s spending is out of control, and I just think we’re seeing a Government in its last days – and they’re becoming more and more desperate.
I’m happy to challenge the Prime Minister to a debate on nuclear power whenever he wants, but he won’t take up that, because when you see images of the Prime Minister, you know that he’s, I think, scared at the moment. He’s scared of the fact that he doesn’t know what he’s doing. They don’t know how to manage the economy. Australian families have now been in seven successive quarters of going backwards in their household budgets. That’s what the Government’s presided over.
In relation to nuclear power, there are 32 countries who are using nuclear power – France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, China, etc., etc – there are 50 countries who are looking to sign up to nuclear. Australia is the only country of the top 20 economies in the world that hasn’t signed up to or doesn’t intend to sign up to nuclear power. We are looking at the international experience in terms of safety, in terms of disposal, in terms of cost, in terms of what it means for the economy, and if you look at it on an intellectual basis and dispassionately, you understand that we need to have 24/7 power. The Government pretends and Chris Bowen will tell you that they’ve got batteries and wind and solar. We’re fully in support of renewables. In fact, our plan requires 54 per cent renewables in the energy mix, but they’re are part-time power and we have a full-time economy. The intensive care unit at the hospital doesn’t work on wind and solar. It needs that baseload power. We can’t keep cold rooms running 24/7 and the economy doesn’t run without that permanent power, and that’s the debate we should have.
SAM ARMYTAGE:
Yes, absolutely. Peter Dutton, I just want to ask you quickly on what’s going on inside the National Party. I don’t know if you know, but Federal MP Keith Pitt is quitting politics and he’s taken aim at National Party Leader David Littleproud for his obedience to your net zero plan. What do you make of that? What’s going on in there?
PETER DUTTON:
Well, Sam, I spoke to Keith yesterday. He’s an incredibly smart guy. He’s frustrated with being on the backbench, I understand that. He’s had a job offer in the private sector and he’s going to take that. He’s made an enormous contribution as a Minister and as the Member for Hinkler in Bundaberg. He’s a well-respected local Member, and I think he’s looking forward to the next stage of his career and he’s a good friend of mine and he’s certainly been a great colleague to work with, and I wish him all the best into the future.
SAM ARMYTAGE:
Is there instability in the Nats this close to an election?
PETER DUTTON:
I don’t think there is. As I say, I think he’s frustrated because he’s got a lot to give, he wants to be on the frontbench. He’s not on the front bench. He’s taken a decision to move to the private sector. But, again, I don’t think that should overshadow the contribution that he’s made, and he’s contributed significantly to his local area in Bundaberg and that region.
SAM ARMYTAGE:
Okay, we have to go. Peter Dutton, thanks for your time today.
PETER DUTTON:
Thanks, Sam.
[ends]