Dr Ziggy Switkowski - When will Australia be ready for nuclear power?

Hosted by: Australian Institute of International Affairs, NSW

The event will start on: Tuesday, 28 September 2010 6:00 PM

And will end on: Tuesday, 28 September 2010 7:30 PM

At The Glover Cottages, Sydney

124 Kent Street , Sydney NSW

02 8011 4728     nsw.branch@aiia.asn.au

Posted by: nsw   

When will Australia be ready for Nuclear Power?

The nuclear age is at a crucial stage. Global warming and concern over climate change are driving governments to look at ways to reduce the burning of fossil fuels. Some of the world’s most advanced industrial nations are turning to nuclear power for clean energy. France is the world’s largest nuclear power generator on a per capita basis, and the French take its super fast trains and reliable electricity supply for granted. The country exports electricity.

 In Australia, although we have the largest deposits of uranium, neither of the main parties have embraced power generation from nuclear energy. With the Greens shortly to hold the balance of power in the Senate, the subject is off the political agenda, despite a clear wish by the public to tackle climate change.

Yet Australia’s demand for electricity - and energy in general - is expected to double by the middle of this century. The challenge is to try and moderate and meet the demand for electricity in an environmentally responsible way.

This discussion will continue our present series on the ‘ debates we did not have’ in Election 2010.

Meet Dr Ziggy Switkowski, who heads the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation.

Dr Switkowski will review the nuclear power cycle in the context of new emission energy technology. he will point to the potential role of nuclear power in Australia’s energy and climate change strategy. In an article in the Australian Financial Review on September 3, he argued strongly that energy, resources and climate change should be incorporated under one ministry. Dr Switkowsky has long argued the case for nuclear power, with articles in The Australian

He is a former chief executive of Telstra, Optus and Kodak (Australia).

In 2006 he headed Prime Minister John Howard’s review of uranium mining, processing and nuclear energy which returned nuclear power to the country’s strategic debate.

 He has a PhD in nuclear physics from the University of Melbourne and is a fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering.