Ziggy: Australia will get there

ZiggySwitkowski, chair of the Australian Nuclear Science and TechnologyOrganisation (Ansto), told business leaders on 15 November that he isconfident nuclear power will one day be part of Australia's mix. "Wewill get there, I'm sure that we will get there, whether it happens inthe next term of government or the one after," he said. The AustralianAssociated Press reported that Ziggy continued: "The attitude inAustralia, I think, will move from concern to grudging acceptance, toenormous relief that we have this very efficient technology and thesevast reserves [of uranium] that will give us what we think will be thelowest cost, safest, cleanest form of baseload electricity." Australia'sLabor and Liberal parties have both made pre-election pledges to extendthe Mandated Renewable Energy Target (MRET) beyond the current level of9.5 TWh per year, but nuclear power has remained out of the debate.Polls indicate current prime minister John Howard's Liberal coalition,which has taken many steps to open a debate on nuclear power, is likelyto be replaced by Kevin Rudd's Labor Party, which has an anti-nuclearstance. This would affect future prospects for uranium enrichment andnuclear power, but would not change the status of uranium mining, whichis governed at the state level. Australians go to the polls on 24 November.