SYDNEY – For decades, Australian politicians – mainly from the conservative side – have toyed with the notion of adopting nuclear power for the country, but have typically shelved the idea after realising the immense scale and cost involved.
But, on June 19, Australian opposition leader Peter Dutton – a hardline conservative from the Liberal Party and a former Defence Minister – stunned the nation by confirming that, if elected, he planned to proceed with a plan to build seven nuclear reactors on the sites of retired coal-fired power stations in five states. The next election is expected to be held early next year.
