Almost every crackpot idea - from turning coastal rivers inland, building pulp mills, establishing wall to wall gasfields, clearing forest remaining on private land through to monetising national parks and turning over biodiverse crown land to property developers - has initially been supported by some or many members of the NSW National Party.
So I would bet
my last dollar that NSW Nationals MP for Clarence, Chris Gulaptis, thinks sending the North Coast nuclear is a great idea.
Both he and fellow National, the Minister for Regional NSW and NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro, would be easy prey for persistent foreign and domestic lobbyists from the nuclear energy industry.
The story so far......
Both he and fellow National, the Minister for Regional NSW and NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro, would be easy prey for persistent foreign and domestic lobbyists from the nuclear energy industry.
The story so far......
THE debate on a nuclear
power industry in NSW has once again reared its head.
NSW Labor Opposition has
called on the Premier to intervene and put an end to the investigation by her
Deputy, National Party Leader John Barilaro, into the potential establishment
of a nuclear power industry in NSW.
In his speech to the
Small Modular Reactor Summit in Atalanta this week Mr Barilaro said: "We
need to have the discussion (about nuclear energy) and we need to have it
now."
He added the discussion
will take place over a "5-10 year period", before any nuclear energy
options could even be introduced in Australia.
A spokesperson for Mr
Barilaro said he met with some companies in the US including NuScale and
U-Battery, who are developing Gen IV reactors which will possibly be available
mid 2020's, as well as the US Department of Energy to get an insight in
relation to the Governments approach to new nuclear technology.
They said "the
meetings were an opportunity to learn and gain knowledge about the
sector".
The Nuclear for Climate Australia website identifies 18
possible sites for nuclear power plants in NSW - including a 250km stretch of
coast from Port Macquarie to north of Grafton.
The plan envisages the
18 reactors being constructed in NSW by 2040.
Last year NSW Labor
leader Luke Foley accepted Mr Barilaro's invitation to debate nuclear power and
suggested Lismore host the forum.
In a letter addressed to
the Premier dated June 1 2017, Mr Foley described nuclear power as "both
risky and irresponsible" and said: "I accept your call for a debate
and propose that we hold a public debate in Lismore to discuss the issues at
stake.
"Lismore would be
an appropriate location for such a debate as it is one of the most
environmentally conscious communities in NSW."
But when asked if Mr
Barilaro was considering the offer his spokesperson said Mr Foley was
"playing politics with the issue and is completely ignorant to the issues
and clueless about the technology".
"Mr Barilaro has
always welcomed and encouraged discussion on the opportunity for NSW to
consider the prospects, the technological advancements and associated benefits
of nuclear energy.
"But any discussion
should be done experts in the field...Mr Foley thinks of nuclear reactors as
those seen in a Simpsons episode.
"New Gen IV
technology is promising reactors that no longer are water cooled, nor need to
be located anywhere near the coast," they said.
More recently, Shadow
Minister for Industry, Resources and Energy, Adam Searle MLC and Shadow
Minister for Primary Industries, Mick Veitch MLC, made a two day visit to the
North Coast to meet with primary producers and explore potential solutions to
the energy crisis.
Mr Searle said nuclear
reactors would tarnish NSW's clean and green image, and threaten the reputation
and emerging markets of many north coast primary industries.
"Mr Barilaro's
nuclear thought bubbles were a distraction from real long term energy solutions
that provide the cheapest and most sustainable forms of electricity for the
community and business - which is renewable energy," he said.
"The Premier has
let this debate run for too long and now needs to rule out herself any proposal
to build nuclear power plants here in NSW."
He also called for the
Deputy Premier to "come up to the North Coast and explain why the National
Party believes nuclear reactors are the best option".
Mr Veitch said:
"North Coast primary producers pride themselves on the quality of their
goods and their clean and green reputation."…. [my yellow highlighting]
From Port
Macquarie to north of Grafton in the coastal zone?
According to Nuclear For Climate Australia when siting a nuclear reactor:
Some of the issues that will influence the selection of a region of interest would be:
According to Nuclear For Climate Australia when siting a nuclear reactor:
Some of the issues that will influence the selection of a region of interest would be:
*
being near to the coast or inland bodies of water for cooling,
*
having reasonable access to the grid,
*
having low local population densities.
*
presenting the potential to replace exiting coal or gas burning generators
*
containing good regional geology for foundations.
*
reasonable access to road, rail or ports for transport.
Let me see…..
Much of the NSW coastal land close to water sources between Port Macquarie and north of Grafton is between 1m and 17m above sea level. Further inland in the 100km coastal zone elevations are higher but the terrain is often unsuitable or has no road-rail infrastructure nearby.
Much of the NSW coastal land close to water sources between Port Macquarie and north of Grafton is between 1m and 17m above sea level. Further inland in the 100km coastal zone elevations are higher but the terrain is often unsuitable or has no road-rail infrastructure nearby.
Then there’s the
Hastings River, Nambucca River, Bellinger River, Kalang River, Macleay River, Orara
River, Nymboida River, Mann River, Clarence River, Wilsons River, Richmond River
to name but a few in that area which regularly flood.
There are also at least four significant flood plains within the coastal range indicated by Nuclear For Climate Australia - one of which contains Grafton and northern lands beyond and another which is the largest coastal flood plain in NSW covering est.1,000 sq kms.
There are also at least four significant flood plains within the coastal range indicated by Nuclear For Climate Australia - one of which contains Grafton and northern lands beyond and another which is the largest coastal flood plain in NSW covering est.1,000 sq kms.
Mapping by Australian Bureau of Meteorology
Where on
earth do these NSW National Party ideologues think they can site a nuclear reactor on the mid-North Coast, or in
the aptly named Many Rivers (Northern Rivers) region, where this will not happen?
ABC News
ABC News
ABC News
Images range in no particular order from the Hastings River in the Port Macquarie district up to the Clarence River system and the Richmond & Wilsons Rivers in the Lismore and Ballina regions, NSW.
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