Anthony Albanese criticises opposition’s ‘obsession’ with nuclear power while doubling down on renewables at NSW Labor conference

Mr Albanese was addressing hundreds of delegates at Labor’s annual event, which will run for two days at Sydney Town Hall, on Saturday.

Security was tightened earlier in Sydney’s central business district as pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside the venue ahead of the prime minister’s arrival.

Addressing delegates, Mr Albanese said Labor’s policies on cleaner and renewable energy would create a “new generation” of manufacturing jobs, particularly in regional Australia.

But he argued the Liberal Party’s nuclear energy agenda threatened job growth.

“They brag about driving the car industry out of Australia when they were last in power and now they want to sacrifice a new generation of manufacturing jobs,” Mr Albanese said.

“All in the name of their obsession with nuclear energy.”

Mr Dutton unveiled his long-awaited nuclear energy policy in June, proposing to build seven nuclear reactors in regional Australia if the Coalition wins the next election.

The proposed power plants would be built on the sites of old coal-fired power plants that are being retired.

“It’s been more than a month since the Liberals finally announced their plan to build nuclear reactors in every state on the continent, but they can’t find a single investor to support it,” Mr Albanese said.

“They won’t tell people how much it will cost to build these reactors or how long it will take.

“They have no answers on how or where to safely store nuclear waste.

“They can’t tell us how much energy these reactors will produce because they’re not sure how much there actually will be.”

Mr Albanese said renewable energy was the cheapest form of energy and could help Australia achieve its net zero emissions target by 2050.

“Peter Dutton spends a lot of time demanding a mature debate based on facts. He should give some and start by facing the facts,” Mr Albanese said.

“Nuclear energy is the most expensive form of new energy. Renewable energy is the cheapest.

“Building one nuclear reactor will cost taxpayers at least $8.5 billion and take at least 20 years.”

According to the GenCost 2023-24 report, CSIRO estimated that the cost of building one large nuclear reactor would be at least $8.6 billion and would take more than 15 years to build.

Mr Dutton has not revealed the full cost of the Coalition’s nuclear bid, but has previously claimed it would cost a “fraction” of the amount proposed by Labor as Australia aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

In his address to delegates on Saturday, the Prime Minister also announced the government would work with traditional owners to ensure the uranium mine at Jabiluka in the Northern Territory becomes part of Kakadu National Park.

“This means there will never be mining in Jabiluka,” Mr Albanese said.

The people of Mira have loved and cared for their land for over 60,000 years.

“Our government will work with them to ensure their safety forever.”

The conference was attended by Indigenous Affairs Minister Linda Burney and Skills and Training Minister Brendan O’Connor, who both announced this week that they would retire from politics at the next federal election.

All eyes are expected to be on Mr Albanese on Sunday as he announces who will take over their positions.