Efforts to halt Dutton’s nuclear energy proposal draw support from labor unions, environmentalists, and religious organizations.

Trade unions, environmentalists, Indigenous groups, church congregations, and community organizations have united to oppose Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton’s proposal for nuclear reactors across Australia. The coalition has pledged, if elected, to construct seven nuclear reactors to replace retiring or retired coal sites, naming locations in Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, and Western Australia. Forty-one groups have now signed a joint statement expressing their support for real climate action through the transition to clean energy and their opposition to the perceived false promises of nuclear energy. The statement criticizes the nuclear industry for playing a spoiling role in the shift to renewable energy and for undercutting public support for cleaner alternatives. According to the groups, nuclear power is too slow, expensive, and inflexible to play a significant role in decarbonization efforts, and it introduces unique risks and long-lived wastes. The communities represented by the Seven Regions Nuclear Free alliance are adamant that their opposition to these plans should be heard and respected, expressing deep disappointment that Dutton has not engaged with their communities directly. An Arabunna man from Port Augusta highlighted that there are more pressing needs for the community than the introduction of a nuclear power station. Despite Dutton’s assertion that the coalition will continue to push for its nuclear plan, the energy minister, Chris Bowen, dismissed the proposal as a “silence of the plans,” stating that Dutton is attempting to conceal the proposal from the public. The policy has united a diverse range of groups, including churches, unions, and environmental organizations, all advocating for a focus on renewable energy as a faster and more cost-effective solution to addressing climate change and energy costs.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/apr/23/peter-dutton-coalition-nuclear-reactors-plan-risks-waste