If you think we should get our policy leads from Namibia I guess:
State Libs NIMBY on nuclear power
* By Danny Rose * April 29, 2007
VICTORIAN Liberal Leader Ted Baillieu said today there was no need for nuclear power in Victoria despite Prime Minister John Howard's call for a national debate.
Mr Baillieu spoke outside the Victorian Liberal state council today where he said the state's future low-emission energy needs could be met with “clean coal” technology, and not nuclear power.
“I think the Prime Minister is right that we have to explore each and every alternative available, but when it comes to Victoria I don't see that it is necessary,” Mr Baillieu said.
“We have enormous fuel resources here in Victoria and I don't see a nuclear industry being needed in Victoria.”
Mr Baillieu then said it was “up to the other states” when asked where a nuclear power plant should operate in Australia.
The comments come after Mr Howard used his address on yesterday's opening day of the state council to a call for a national debate on nuclear power, as his party's federal nuclear strategy was also released.
Mr Howard told the gathering of 1000 Liberal Party members “if we're fair dinkum on this climate change debate then we have to look at nuclear power”.
Climate change was discussed by those on the floor of the state council today.
Delegates voted in support of two motions calling on the Liberal Party to develop its global warming-related energy policy, and also to condemn the Labor state government for failing to promote zero-emission geothermal power.
Mr Baillieu also gave his first address to the council since he took over as party leader in May last year, and since Labor was returned in the November state election.
He pledged to lead the party to the next state election in 2010.
“I want to lead this party back to government, that is my commitment, 100 per cent, to 2010 and beyond,” Mr Baillieu said.
The Victorian Liberal Party saw a 3.4 per cent gain in voter support in the November 25 poll, but it made only a small dent in Labor's massive majority.
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