Nuclear Red Herring

LAST week Michael Johnsen, Member for the Upper Hunter issued a tweet to gauge the support for a nuclear power plant to be based in New South Wales.

Mr Johnsen was unavailable for comment but John Preston, candidate for the Fishers, Shooters and Farmers party had plenty to say.

“If they were to start building a nuclear power plant today, it would be 25 years before the first watt of power was generated,” said Mr Preston.

“People need a power solution now, not in 25 years time,” he said.

“The power stations will soon be decommissioned and the local workers can’t go walk down the road to find work at another one.

“We need to start building new coal fired power stations today to keep the lights on and the best place for those power stations is in the Upper Hunter where we already have the infrastructure and the workers,” he said.

“In terms of renewable energy, that’s great, let’s do that too, but at the moment the regulatory framework is so uncertain nobody is investing to develop those and we need a solution now; not red herrings about nuclear power plants in 25 years time being thrown about by the National Party; I mean let’s get real,” he said.

“I’d encourage Mr Johnsen to peak through the venetians and look at all of the black stuff around in the Upper Hunter, that’s coal and there’s plenty of it!” John Preston said.