Nuclear facts and fictions S25 Ep16

Nuclear power and nuclear weapons are policy realities in this current federal election. Both major parties support them in one way or another. The Leader of the Opposition has been open in saying a Coalition government would build nuclear reactors in Australia to replace “ageing coal power stations”. Both Labor and the Coalition are committed to AUKUS, which would see Australia supplied with eight nuclear-powered submarines, at a cost of approximately $360,000,000,000. Neither party is keen to discuss how they will store spent nuclear fuel, operational waste or the decommissioning of a sub’s reactor at the end of service life, although the waste will need to be stored in highly secured facilities for over 10,000 years and Australia does not have any such facility. Although nuclear waste volumes are relatively small, they remain dangerous for extremely long periods, requiring multi-generational planning and robust political and technical solutions.
Both parties assure Australians that their policies are safe, well thought out and needed, but is this the case? On EarthChat this week, Tim and Ruth talk to Prof Ian Lowe, AO about nuclear options. Ian Lowe is an emeritus professor in the School of Environment and Science at Griffith University. Among the 16 books he has published, Long Half-Life analyses the nuclear industry in Australia. He has been involved in many advisory bodies, including the expert advisory group for the South Australian Nuclear Royal Commission, and for twelve years represented the public interest on the Radiation Health and Safety Advisory Council. He is also Patron of the Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN). Read more about Ian on his Wikipedia page, or an ABC article here. Listen to Ian's musical choice "We'll all go together when we go!" here, it is quite something.