Julie Bishop mentions the 'N'-word

The way ahead for Australia

And about time too. The government is plunging us headfirst into an emissions trading scheme, yet we rely almost entirely on coal and gas for electricity generation (if you discount a bit of hydro and a token solar panel and wind farm here and there). The US, UK, France and many other developed economies, on the other hand, have embraced nuclear power which will make it far less painful for them to cut back on fossil fuel use.

But here in Australia, we’re still stuck in the “Nuclear Power? No thanks” bumper sticker mentality. And in a country desperate to cut emissions and, more to the point, one which has the largest reserves of uranium in the world! It’s just too funny… or it would be if it weren’t so ludicrous.

But Julie Bishop has uttered the dreaded ‘N’-word and will no doubt suffer for it:

Deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop has also thrown a political hand grenade into the emissions trading debate demanding a “mature” debate on nuclear power.

…

Ms Bishop, the opposition foreign affairs spokesman, said Australia must have a debate about energy security and alternatives.

An opposition spokesman said today she had complained 19 out of 20 G20 economies were pursuing nuclear power. “It is time to have a mature debate,” she said.

Read it here.