Member for Farrer Sussan Ley calls for nuclear power stations

Member for Farrer Sussan Ley on a recent visit to Hay. Image: The Riverine Grazier / Cheyenne Hurst.

By Krista Schade

Member for Farrer Sussan Ley has backed the call for nuclear power in Australia.

On a recent visit to Hay the federal member and deputy leader of the opposition said there needs to be an important discussion about nuclear energy production.

“I'm pro renewables because we all need to make the renewable energy transition,” Ms Ley told The Riverine Grazier.

“We (the opposition) differ with the government on how we do it.

“We need a genuine discussion about whether we should have a nuclear option, which I think is a really important discussion.”

Ms Ley said the Albanese government’s stance on gas was disappointing.

“Unfortunately, the current government turned its back on gas and said ‘We're not going to do gas.’

“So they're trying to do everything with renewables, which is why it's not working.

“We're saying, take the time to keep gas in the system while we need it. It's not nearly as detrimental as coal.

“Then build nuclear, because, while expensive to build, it's very cheap to operate, and nuclear is zero emissions.

“If Australia is serious about reducing emissions, we have to do what 30 other countries in the world are already doing, which is either operating nuclear, or building nuclear.”

Ms Ley also said she understood the opposition to wind and solar farm developments.

“All of the renewable energy infrastructure in our part of the world and indeed across rural and regional areas of western New South Wales, is doing one thing - it is sending renewable energy to Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong.

“There is no opportunity for anyone here to benefit from the energy that has been created in this region and is transmitted directly to the cities.

“Farmers and rural communities are saying to me ‘I don't think that's really very fair’.

“People also talk to me about the changes to the landscape that wind turbines bring - which are now three times bigger than they were when they first were put up 20 years ago - and the scale of solar farms.

“We’re talking about pylons that are the same height as the pylons on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, so we’re talking about massive changes to the landscape.”

Ms Ley is also concerned about insurance ramifications for neighbours.

“Energy infrastructure comes with battery storage, which is important.

“Batteries create fires. Insurance companies are now saying if there's a battery, you need to have insurance, not just on the place where it is, but all the landholders around.

“You could be in a position as a landowner where there is a battery on a farm next door, that’s not even yours, that you have to increase the insurance on your property for.

Ms Ley said she hadn’t seen much in the Government’s push for renewable energy production that she agrees with.

“I'm not impressed with the rip tear bash approach. There are better ways of doing this, and I have a lot of questions.”