beattie fears nuclear threat to coal Beattie fears nuclear...

beattie fears nuclear threat to coal Beattie fears nuclear threat to coal
Renee Viellaris and AAP
06jun05
POLITICAL heavyweights wanting to debate nuclear power use in Australia were jeopardising Queensland's economy, Premier Peter Beattie said yesterday.

Mr Beattie accused Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson of having a "hidden agenda" and argued Queensland scientists could change the world with potential clean coal technology in a "handful of years".

Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer and NSW Premier Bob Carr's calls to explore nuclear power support Mr Anderson's belief that it potentially could offset drought caused by global warming. It comes as Australia negotiates to sell uranium to China.

Mr Beattie said he couldn't understand why they would want to "destroy" the coal industry in NSW and Queensland.

"I understand why people want to raise this debate but I mean for God's sake, we've got 300 years' supply of coal in Queensland," Mr Beattie said. "To say they're going to go to nuclear power, to do it is just crazy, and I just know there is a hidden agenda here to sell uranium to China and softening everybody up."


"They're using the most extraordinary argument to do it (and) it's just a lot of clap-trap."

He said the nuclear debate was pointless given its associated costs.

He said politicians were kidding themselves if they thought countries would stop buying coal overnight and start buying nuclear power.

"The smartest contribution we could make to reduce greenhouse gases, which also happens to be in our self-interest, that is to sell coal, is to devise clean coal technology which we can sell to the world," Mr Beattie said.

He said about $10 million had been invested into researching clean coal technology.

"Coal is about to clean up its act, it's not dirty any more. If you want to have safe, cheap power, coal is the best option," Mr Beattie said.

"Our coal is low in sulphur, and low in ash content and if we can master this clean coal technology, and we are not far away, then we will be able to sell 300 years' supply of coal to the world, plus be able to sell the technology."

He said it would guarantee a clean generation.

And, while the nuclear debate continued yesterday, the South Australian Government called for a national ban on environmentally damaging plastic shopping bags by 2008.

South Australia's Environment Minister John Hill said an agreement must be reached between state and federal governments to phase out single-use shopping bags

"We want the environment ministers to agree this year to an Australia-wide ban at the end of 2008," Mr Hill said.

A spokeswoman for Queensland Environment Minister Desley Boyle said she would attend a meeting on July 1 to adopt a new covenant aimed at reducing packaging and its threat to the environment.

"A nation-wide limitation on the manufacture and supply of plastic bags is on the meeting's agenda," she said.

"The new covenant is expected to have stronger targets and more incentives for manufacturers and retailers to reduce the amount of packaging used."

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