Turnbull says Labor waging nuclear scare campaign. 28/02/2007. ABC News Online

Turnbull says Labor waging nuclear scare campaign.

tell me more ! -- says Natasha

it's a conspiracy ! -- says Christine

Federal Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull has attacked what he calls Labor's scare campaign on nuclear reactors.
The Opposition is pushing the Government to explain where nuclear power plants might be built if a nuclear industry is developed in Australia.
Prime Minister John Howard yesterday told Parliament that last year he spoke to Melbourne businessman Ron Walker, who is behind a new business called Australian Nuclear Energy.
Mr Turnbull says it is too early to discuss the location of nuclear sites.
"There is a scare campaign being run but people are concerned about all sorts of developments, people are concerned about wind farms, people are concerned about coal-fired power stations, naturally they'll be interested in what is happening in their backyard," he said.
"But the siting of a nuclear power station, or indeed a coal power station or a wind farm, has to take in a whole range of considerations."
He says Labor's opposition to nuclear energy casts doubt over its commitment to addressing the impact of climate change.
"You cannot run a modern economy on wind farms and solar panels," he said.
"It's a pity that you can't, but you can't.
"Labor refuses to recognise the reality of the challenge - they panic about the challenge then they take the solutions off the table, for no reason other than their own ideology."
Democrats Senator Natasha Stott Despoja says John Howard should reveal more details about his conversation with Ron Walker.
Senator Stott Despoja says she wants to know more.
"I'd like to hear the Prime Minister detail his conversation," she said.
"Nuclear energy and power is not currently sanctioned in this country and yet this is a business company that is going to invest in and potentially develop nuclear energy if it's allowed.
"And he's had a chat with the Prime Minister - you bet I'd like to know more."
Greens Senator Christine Milne says Mr Howard has more questions to answer over his conversation with Mr Walker.
"I'd be very interested to know about the relationships between the Prime Minister, the polling, the waste dump, the task force and nuclear reactors," she said.
"These businessmen have got access to polling companies, the same companies the Government uses.
"The whole thing looks very much like a little inner cabal."
Convincing public
Federal Liberal backbencher Mal Washer says the Government must act quickly to convince the public that nuclear power is the way forward.
"We have a lot of work to do to to allow our public to do that appropriately and that's going to take some time, and I think we should be starting now," he said.
"Let's not worry about the electoral cycle, let's start now."
Another Liberal backbencher, Russell Broadbent, says he would not support a nuclear power plant in his Victorian electorate.
Mr Broadbent says his electorate in the Latrobe Valley produces coal-fired power and is not an appropriate location for a nuclear plant.
"Quite seriously, why would you put a nuclear plant that's 20 times dearer than clean coal, right on top of the opportunities that we have in Victoria?' he said.
"Yes, there are other parts of Victoria that you might put a power plant but you wouldn't put it in Gippsland."