| Australia has one of the worlds largest | | | | |
| supplies of Uranium. It is therefore ironic | | | | The vast majority of Australian would have |
| that Australia has not taken advantage of | | | | the view of "not in my back yard". Whilst |
| this resource to produce power. Australia | | | | most wouldn't care if a power plant in the |
| only has one nuclear reactor and this is | | | | middle of the desert a couple of thousand of |
| mainly for scientific use/research not the | | | | kilometers away, the lack of water and |
| production of power. This is because | | | | transmission costs for make this an |
| Australia also has huge cheaply access coal | | | | unrealistic option. With a power plant in |
| reserves. Australia therefore has numerous | | | | their back yard there is the higher risk of |
| coal plants for the production of power, the | | | | radiation from the transport of nuclear waste |
| majority of power production coming from this | | | | to a holding facility (likely to be somewhere |
| source. Being a dry continent currently in | | | | in the outback). Although Australian could |
| the grip of a record drought the options for | | | | easily have a nucealr waste facility with no |
| hydro power is limited and largely already | | | | threat to people due to extreme isolation |
| exploited. | | | | and geological stablity in the outback, the |
| | | | problem lies in transporting the stuff there. |
| The problem with being so reliant on coal is | | | | Road and Rail transport are both subject to |
| the amount of CO2 and other gases produced | | | | regular accidents. A heavy vehicle carrying |
| that are contributing to global warming. | | | | waste could result in a mini-chernobyl with |
| Australia which continues to has a growing | | | | nuclear waste entering the environment from |
| economy and population has increasing power | | | | such an accident possibly endangering a large |
| demands like most of the world. Australia | | | | area and having long term consequences. |
| which has not sign the Kyoto agreement | | | | |
| (rightly so as Kyoto is a mere band aid | | | | Such waste from a nuclear power plant would |
| measure and will not seriously change our | | | | also give Australia the potential to |
| environmental problems). | | | | immediately make nuclear weapons in a very |
| | | | short space of time. Australia is already |
| Thus the Australian prime minister, John | | | | recognised has having the technological know |
| Howard, is pushing Australians to consider | | | | how to produce the require missle and warhead |
| the nuclear option to meet future power needs | | | | technology. Such an outcome would be very |
| as nuclear power plants don't emit CO2 or | | | | worrying for our neighbours and lessen our |
| other greenhouse gases. However there are a | | | | argument against nations such as North Korea |
| number of problems with this option. | | | | having nuclear weapons. |
| | | | |
| Firstly nuclear power is more expensive | | | | Likewise such nuclear power plants would be a |
| power. Australians already complain about | | | | magnet for terrorists and the like. |
| the size of their power bills (an average | | | | |
| family in Brisbane spends about $500-$800 a | | | | The final nail in the coffin for the prime |
| quarter or over $2000 a year). This is | | | | ministers idea is that the states have made |
| particularly felt most by those who rely on | | | | it clear they have no interest in nuclear |
| air conditioning to counter Australia's hot | | | | power. Such a battle over energy would be |
| climate. They are not willing to accept more | | | | over the very survival of states and their |
| expensive options. | | | | rights. If the states lost such a battle the |
| | | | point of having individual state parliments |
| Secondly although there are thousands of | | | | would be mute, they would be useless |
| nuclear power plants operating without | | | | overhangs from federation with the Federal |
| incident and although it happened on the | | | | government in fact taking over all government |
| other side of the world Australians are well | | | | in Australia should such an eventually occur. |
| aware of the Chernobyl disaster and the | | | | Some would argue this process of the |
| shocking consequences that continue to be | | | | destruction of the state government is |
| felt. Australia although a large continent | | | | already well underway, with the federal |
| is essentially like a giant island with a | | | | government grabbing ever more power, but |
| belt of green extending only a few hundred | | | | further on this is for another article. |
| kilometers inland from the sea with the rest | | | | |
| being in a vast desert or near desert | | | | Whilst nuclear power presents a vison of |
| condition for much of the time. Australia | | | | greenhouse gase free energy production it |
| couldn't afford to have any section of this | | | | doesn't present a realistic future for |
| 'green' band destroyed or a no go zone, such | | | | Australia. Australia has other options to |
| a result would have a greater impact in event | | | | explore, both wind and solar, possibly |
| of a disaster than in other 'normal' | | | | geothermal and even the real future for a |
| countries. It has already been made clear | | | | cleaner world - H2 - Hydrogen power. Perhaps |
| for nuclear power to be a option is must be | | | | putting research and money into this field |
| near a water source and near to power users | | | | will produce better and more politically |
| to cut down on transmission costs. | | | | acceptable results. |