With the federal election looming, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s speech in Melbourne on Sunday kicked off his pitch for the Prime Ministership.
He offered a blend of promising commitments and lingering ambiguities.

Family First cautiously welcomes his address and provides the following analysis.

Trevor St Baker, a prominent figure in Australia’s energy sector, has called for nuclear power to be included in the country’s energy mix, labelling its current ban as “absurd.”

With Australia’s coal-fired power stations being run down under the misguided idea that windmills and solar farms could replace them, St Baker has warned against the premature closure of coal plants without a robust backup system in place.

Family First agrees.

St Baker’s investments span electric vehicle charging stations, battery systems, and rooftop solar, showcasing his commitment to diverse energy solutions.
However, he stressed that nuclear energy is essential to complement renewables and ensure energy stability.

“Ageing coal-fired power stations can’t be retired until there is an alternative,” he told the Courier Mail this week, highlighting the risks of a power system reliant on intermittent renewables without sufficient dispatchable generation.

The energy investor also backed the establishment of a government-owned national electricity commission to oversee the integration of nuclear power, drawing parallels with past commissions that delivered some of the world’s cheapest electricity.

“The current system is broken,” he said, calling for bipartisanship to drive effective energy policy. 

Crucially, St Baker highlighted that not all renewables are equal. He advocated for “behind the meter” renewable projects, such as rooftop solar on commercial premises, which avoid the need for disruptive transmission lines through farmland and forests.

His Energy DeCarbon initiative exemplifies this approach, focusing on self-sustaining solar projects that bypass reliance on government subsidies.

St Baker joins other industry leaders, including Beach Energy’s Brett Woods, in urging the adoption of nuclear energy. Their stance reflects growing concern over skyrocketing energy costs, unreliable supply, and a lack of coherent policy to address these issues. 

Family First echoes St Baker’s warning: closing coal-fired power stations without reliable baseload power like nuclear is hurting families and undermining Australia’s economy. It's time for common sense in energy policy.