South Coast Register, Page: 2
Monday, 29 May 2006
By JUNE WEBSTER
IT WAS deja vu for former State Member for South Coast John Hatton when he heard of the latest push for a nuclear power plant in Jervis Bay "People should not be complacent about this issue," Mr Hatton said. "The last time we dealt with the Atomic Energy Commission they lied and prevaricated that was my experience. "I'm surprised that the Government is expecting people to trust them on this issue."
"The last time a nuclear power plant was proposed in 1970 and I was shire president at the time the only way council found out about it was through leaked information," he said. "This current situation is almost a replay of 1970." Back then we had a Prime Minister who was determined that it was going to happen and there was no debate," he said. "This time however the Prime Minister has control of the Senate whereas in 1970 he didn't," "I don't care what Jo Gash says, if the Feds want to put the nuclear power plant in Jervis Bay then they will put it there," Mr Hatton said.
Mr Hatton said it takes 10 years to build a nuclear plant so it's not a short-term option "It is more expensive than solar or wind power or coal-fired power stations," he said. "Australia has the leading technology in the world on solar power so a mix between solar and wind power and use of crop residues would all be far more economical than atomic power."
Mr Hatton said he was genuinely puzzled why the Federal Government with its huge surplus did not put more money into developing alternative power sources. "One thing people forget about is that when nuclear plants reach their use-by date no one knows what to do with them," he said. "If you include the cost of clean-up at the end of the life of a power station it's way over the top." he said.
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