Election 2007 - Year of the Backflip

Whether you're talking about the Liberals' reluctance to discuss nuclear technology or Labor admitting to a Kyoto-2 boycott without developing nations, it's obvious the election is upon us. That said, there's little value in trying to objectively discuss Australia's nuclear options any time soon.

Regardless of who 'wins', it appears that concerned Australians [the vast majority of us at the moment] will continue to keep a close eye on our contribution to [as well as impacts from] the related energy issues. These may include Australia's contribution to emissions linked to climate change, newly proposed fossil fueled generation plants, the price of petrol, our ever increasing coal exports, new mines, port expansions, the cost of electricity, lingering drought, severe weather, etc.

Can we wave our meager 1.4% of global emissions banner and honestly expect to get away with it? Is there a shred of moral or ethical justification to support the average Australian's HUGE contribution to global emissions vs. say the average Indian or China-man?

Eventually, Australia will become serious about implementing changes that amount to more than a 'drop in the ocean'. It won't happen soon, but - considering all technologies currently available - Australia can not and will not get there without considerable nuclear power capacity.

Brothers Rudd split on the atom

As reported in The Age:

Greg Rudd, Brisbane-based consultant and brother to Kevin Rudd

"My view is you are doing the wrong thing if you are a state or federal government if you don't have the [nuclear] debate," Greg Rudd told The Age yesterday [19-March].

Greg Rudd, a former political adviser who is the managing-director of Open Door Consulting, said he had no current clients with any interest in the uranium industry

The challenge of climate change meant policymakers would need a "portfolio mix" of energy resources, and that would, in time, include nuclear, Mr Rudd said.

"In terms of climate change a portfolio mix is the way to go forward," he said.

"To me this is a 40-to-50-year journey. We won't have nuclear power plants popping up all over Australia in the near future."

I could add in the remainder of the article... but won't. It's political and does not delve into the details of the discussion. But it is there for your reading via the link above should your curiosity get the better of you.

I support the views expressed above and am glad to hear them from someone so close to a potential future PM.