First regional public hearing on nuclear power in Biloela, central Queensland, with locals divided

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The first public hearing on nuclear energy outside Canberra has taken place in central Queensland. The committee heard from local farmers concerned about the impact of renewables on agricultural land.

Transcript

00:00This power station near Biloela in central Queensland could become the site of a nuclear

00:07reactor.

00:08Coal operations are due to be wound back and it is one of seven sites being considered

00:13across the country if the Liberals win the next federal election.

00:17But local opinion is divided.

00:19I just don't think it's viable and I think it's way, way too expensive.

00:23The first parliamentary hearing into nuclear energy is taking place in the town as the

00:28region experiences a renewables boom.

00:31Some farmers prefer nuclear over wind and solar farms.

00:35It's using up and consuming large tracts of very valuable agricultural land, untouched

00:41pristine forests and areas with really high biodiversity.

00:44Nuclear, the benefits of it are that it can be set up at existing infrastructure with

00:49existing transmission lines.

00:52It's a power that is baseload, it's reliable.

00:55There are concerns about water capacity.

00:58The reservations that I still have then are water, water's quite scarce in this valley.

01:05The other thing that really bothers some of us is dealing with the waste, the nuclear

01:11waste.

01:12The hearing's been told consultant David Collins, hired by the federal opposition,

01:17has visited stakeholders.

01:19Queensland's new LNP government says nuclear energy is not part of its plan and laws currently

01:24banning the industry in the state would need to be overturned and that could prompt a plebiscite

01:30on the issue.

01:31There's been several speakers, obviously, some for and some against nuclear energy.

01:37Obviously it's a polarising debate.

01:39Nuclear is the only alternative, if you're not going coal.

01:43The hearings continue in Nanango and Brisbane this week and interstate next month.

01:54For more UN videos visit www.un.org

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