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Energy Policy Chaos

This week the Coalition governments energy policy chaos has been dominated by fringe fossil fuel and pro nuclear interests.

This latest resurgence of pro nuclear propaganda has followed from a recent move by a few Nationals MPs to push legislation that would allow the Clean Energy Finance Corporation to fund nuclear power, along with gas, coal and carbon capture and storage. Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese described the move as “more chaos” in energy policy from the Liberal National coalition.

Dr Jim Green wrote in Renew Economy: “There’s conflict within the Coalition, as demonstrated by the unwillingness of the federal and NSW Coalition governments to repeal legal bans, and submissions opposing nuclear power to the federal inquiry from the SA and Tasmanian conservative governments as well as the Queensland Liberal-National Party. Coalition Senator Matt Canavan is at war with himself, previously noting that nuclear power would increase power bills but now supporting taxpayer funding for nuclear power through the Clean ­Energy Finance Corporation.” There is a frightening lack of any consistent energy policy that seeks to reduce carbon emissions, instead the actions of the coalition seem entirely geared towards supporting the gas, coal and uranium mining sector.

Pro Nuclear Pollies

You may be interested to know who in the federal government has come out as pro nuclear and or joined the “Friends of nuclear power parliament group” – you might like to write to them on the important issue of climate change and that nuclear is no solution. Read the joint statement opposing nuclear power and calling for urgent action on climate change to help draft your letter. We need to move past the energy policy chaos from this government.

NSW – LNP

  • John Alexander – Federal Member for Bennelong. PO Box 872 Epping NSW 1710 (02) 9869 4288 john.alexander.mp@aph.gov.au“trying to fight Muhammad Ali with one arm tied behind your back if you are going to ignore ­nuclear energy…This is a new era; let’s be right at the cutting edge,”
  • Trent Zimmerman – Federal Member for North Sydney. PO Box 1107, North Sydney, NSW, 2059. 02 9929 9822 Trent.Zimmerman.MP@aph.gov.au
  • Jason Falinski – Federal Member for Mackellar. Shop 1 1238 Pittwater Road Narrabeen NSW 2101, (02) 8484 0300 Jason.Falinski.MP@aph.gov.au
  • Andrew Bragg – Federal Senator for NSW. GPO Box 5411 Sydney, NSW, 2001, (02) 9159 9320 senator.bragg@aph.gov.au
  • Dave Sharma – Federal Member for Wentworth. PO Box 545 Edgecliff NSW 2027, (02) 9327 3988 Dave.Sharma.MP@aph.gov.au
  • Barnaby Joyce – Federal Member for New England. PO Box 963, Tamworth NSW 2340,  0267613080
  • Craig Kelly, Federal Member for Hughes. PO Box 1014, Sutherland, NSW 1499, (02) 9521 6262, craig.kelly.mp@aph.gov.au
  • (Co-Chair of the Friends of Nuclear Power parliament group) The Hon Dr David Gillespie MP (Nationals) – Federal Member for Lyne Corner of High and Hastings Streets, Wauchope NSW 2446. (02) 65864462 david.gillespie.mp@aph.gov.au

NSW – Labor

  • (Co-Chair of the Friends of Nuclear Power parliament group) Mrs Meryl Swanson MP (Labor) Federal Member for Paterson (Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence) – 35 Sturgeon Street Raymond Terrace, NSW.  02 4983 2401. meryl.swanson.mp@aph.gov.au
  • Joel Fitzgibbon (Labor) Member for Hunter (NSW) 3 Edward Street Cessnock NSW 2325. (02) 4991 1022. Joel.fitzgibbon.mp@aph.gov.au

Queensland – LNP

  • Andrew Laming – Federal Member for Bowman. PO Box 8024
    Cleveland, QLD, 4163 – 07 3821 0155 andrew.laming.mp@aph.gov.au  “I’m very keen to see the prohibition lifted…It is something that has to be taken to an election so Australians realise there is a significant change in energy policy.”
  • Gerard Rennick – Federal Senator for Queensland. PO Box 2350 Chermside Centre, QLD, 4032. (07) 32527101 senator.rennick@aph.gov.au
  • Ted O’Brien – Federal Member for Fairfax. PO Box 1978 Sunshine Plaza, Maroochydore Qld 4558 (07) 5479 2800 ted.obrien.mp@aph.gov.au
  • Matt Canavan – Federal Senator for Queensland. PO Box 737 Rockhampton QLD 4700, (07) 4927 2003, senator.canavan@aph.gov.au

Queensland – Minor Parties

  • (Deputy Chair of the Friends of Nuclear Power parliament group) The Hon Bob Katter MP (Katter’s Australian Party), PO Box 1636, Innisfail QLD, 4860/ PO Box 2130, Mt Isa QLD 4825. (07) 4061 6066 (07) 47433534 Bob.Katter.MP@aph.gov.au
  • Pauline Hanson (One Nation) Federal Senator for Queensland. GPO Box 228 Brisbane, QLD, 4001. (07) 3221 7644. Senator.hanson@aph.gov.au

South Australia – LNP

  • Rowan Ramsey, Federal Member for Grey. PO Box 296, Port Pirie, SA 5540. (08) 8633 1744 rowan.ramsey.mp@aph.gov.au
  • Tony Pasin – Federal Liberal Member for Barker. Shop 5, Murray Bridge Green, Riverview Road, Murray Bridge SA 5253, (08) 8531 2466, Tony.Pasin.MP@aph.gov.au

South Australia – ALP & Centre Alliance

  • Alex Gallacher (Labor) Federal Senator for South Australia. 265 Churchill Road
    Prospect, SA, 5082. (08) 8269 6022. senator.gallacher@aph.gov.au
  • Stirling Griff (Centre Alliance) Federal Senator for South Australia. 110 King William Rd, Goodwood SA 5034. 08) 8272 7575. Senator.griff@aph.gov.au

Tasmania

Victoria – LNP

  • Tim Wilson – Federal Member for Goldstein. 368 Centre Road Bentleigh, VIC, 3204, (03) 9557 4644, Tim.Wilson.MP@aph.gov.au
  • Katie Allen – ­Federal Member for Higgins. 1/1343 Malvern Rd, Malvern 30144, katie.allen.mp@aph.gov.au, (03) 98224422 “said, it was “hugely significant” the US was progressing with prototypes for small modular reactors.”
  • Kevin Andrews – Federal Member for Menzies. PO Box 124 Doncaster Victoria 3108, (03) 9848 9900, menzies@aph.gov.au
  • Bridget McKenzie – Federal Senator for Victoria. 172 High Street, Wodonga VIC 3690, (02) 6024 2560, Senator.McKenzie@aph.gov.au “We compete against the world with one hand behind our back while other nations avail themselves of cutting-edge, low-emissions technologies. For too long, Australia has blocked energy innovations such as nuclear and carbon capture technologies in addition to allowing (HELE) projects…. for too long, Australia has blocked energy innovations such as nuclear and carbon capture technologies’.”

Victoria – ALP

  • Kim Carr (Labor) Federal Senator for Victoria. 62 Lygon Street Carlton South, VIC, 3053. (03) 9639 2798 senator.carr@aph.gov.au
  • Raff Ciccone (Labor) Federal Senator for Victoria. 1A Blackburn Road, Blackburn Victoria 3130. 03 9894 2098. senator.ciccone@aph.gov.au

West Australia

  • Vince Connelly – Federal Liberal Member for Stirling. Po Box 989 Innaloo WA 6918, (08) 93442373, vince.connelly.mp@aph.gov.au said Australia was being “held back by an outdated ideology that seeks to paint nuclear technology as inherently evil”.