DEAR News Of The Area,

THE Liberal Party candidate for the Federal seat of Paterson has declared that, under a Liberal government, offshore wind turbines will not be in the area of Port Stephens (NOTA 21/11/24).

This may, or may not, also be the case under a Labor government depending upon the results of final environmental impact studies which are required in accordance with the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act legislated by the Morrison Liberal government in 2021.

That’s right!

In the case of offshore wind turbines, the Labor government is just following the approval processes set down by the previous Liberal government!

What the Liberal candidate for Paterson can be sure of however is that, under a Liberal government, a nuclear reactor will be built in a proven earthquake prone part of the Hunter Valley.

Based on historical global evidence, an accident in a nuclear power reactor in the Hunter could result in a radioactive cloud covering hundreds of km around the Hunter Valley and Port Stephens, poisoning people, flora, fauna, domestic stock and marine life.

It could create an exclusion zone around parts of the Hunter that could be uninhabitable for decades and spread radioactive particles around the Hunter area and surrounding waterways that could take a thousand years to decay.

The construction of nuclear power plants around Australia is the only policy that the Liberal Party has announced (although the policy is un-costed and short on detail).

Are the voters of Paterson, and the Liberal Party candidate, prepared to accept the real risk of a nuclear accident in the Hunter?

As has been proven in other parts of the world, such an accident could have dire consequences.

Regards,
Grant KENNETT,
Corlette.