‘Act like an adult instead of a child’: Dutton lashes Energy Minister Chris Bowen and calls for national debate for nuclear energy

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has challenged Labor for a “proper” national debate on nuclear energy before calling out Energy Minister Chris Bowen to “act like an adult”.

In a speech to the AFR Climate and Energy Summit in 2023, Mr Bowen had accused the Opposition of being “climate charlatans” while using the “right-wing playbook” for their supposed false claims made about the potential of nuclear energy, which is banned in Australia.

Speaking on Tuesday afternoon from the factory floor of OzLED in Brendale, Queensland, in Mr Dutton’s electorate of Dickson, the leader of the Liberal Party addressed changes to his cabinet and took questions on energy policy and the cost-of-living.

The opposition is expected to announce their policy on nuclear energy and their plans to nominate sites for five or six power stations in the next two months before Mr Dutton gives his Budget reply speech in May.

“It’s a way of transitioning out of coal and into zero emissions technology. We know that of the G20 nations, Australia is the only country that hasn’t already utilised nuclear power or hasn’t signed up to it. Australia is the outlier,” Mr Dutton said.

“(The Albanese government) is proposing rolling out 20,000 kilometres of new poles and wires. Their program is at a cost of $1.2 to $1.5 trillion, all of which is going to be passed on in the form of higher bills to families and businesses who just can’t afford it.

“If Chris Bowen can act like an adult instead of a child, we can have a proper and national debate about what’s in our country’s best interest.”

Following the success of a small modular reactor, a new form of nuclear energy production, in the United States, Mr Dutton has been advocating the construction of similar power generators in Australia.

Both small modular reactors and larger scale reactors would be on the table.

The opposition has also highlighted the nation’s large deposits of uranium, arguing it has a competitive advantage that would allow for the rapid establishment of a domestic nuclear industry.

“The Coalition is prepared to stand up and have that debate… Life under Mr Albanese is going to get harder, not easier, over the coming years,” Mr Dutton said.

“The prime minister needs to explain to the Australian public why he dismisses it out of hand. Bob Hawke was a very strong proponent of nuclear energy, so too was John Howard. It means we can firm up the renewables that are in the system.

“Chris Bowen is taking our country and the economy to a very precarious place.”

Sky News Australia’s Political Editor Andrew Clennell reported the opposition’s determination to “press ahead” with the policy comes after a 3.7 per cent swing in favour of the Liberal Party in the seat of Dunkley following Saturday’s by-election.

Despite the swing, Labor slightly gained on their primary vote and retained the seat in Melbourne’s outer suburbs, a result Clennell believes proved the Coalition was not in an election-winning position.

Mr Dutton focussed on Labor’s delayed delivery on their promise to reduce energy bill costs by $275 while small businesses and families continue to feel the pinch.

“It’s no surprise to any small business or any family around the country at the moment that their bills, not only have gone up dramatically despite the prime minister’s promise on a hundred occasions that they would be reduced by $275, but people know the prices are going to go up and up under the Albanese government,” Mr Dutton said.

“The prime minister has had the opportunity to put forward a plan. He doesn’t have the guts to stand up and make the decision the country needs made, and we do need to look at the best technology.

“Zero emissions. I think it’s the best pathway we have to our international commitments to net zero by 2050.”