Tod O’Brien is asked if the coalition loses the election “would you and your advocacy for nuclear power take that as a rejection by the Australian people of nuclear energy? “

O’BRIEN:

We’re looking at pouring more gas in the short term and introducing nuclear in the near term not because we are driven by polls but because, hand on heart, that’s in our national interest. It’s the right thing to do. It is why other countries all around the world are now introducing nuclear energy. It’s in Australia’s interest. And, therefore, we have no intention of changing our view on that.

FOLLOW-UP:

If everything gets kicked back for three years. Would it be too late at that point?

O’BRIEN:

I don’t want to attempt the suggestion that we should be delaying action here. Australia is already behind the eight ball when it comes to zero emissions nuclear energy. The sooner we get going, the better. We have to remember, even though nuclear will take a good decade before it comes online, even so, it has proven around the world to be the fastest way to decarbonise electricity grids, faster than any other form of technology through the historical examples. So we can’t delay, we need to get on with it.