TRANSCRIPT - Sky News Afternoon Agenda with Tom Connell

PAUL FLETCHER MP

Shadow Minister for Science and the Arts

Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy

Manager of Opposition Business in the House

TRANSCRIPT

SKY NEWS AFTERNOON AGENDA

21 JUNE 2024

Tom Connell: Joining me now for more on this, Shadow Government Services Minister Paul Fletcher. Thanks for your time. So you are going to consult. We had the Shadow Minister on and he's said that will happen to an extensive degree. But even though there's consultation, your Party's made it clear these sites are firm, you won't be changing them?

Paul Fletcher: Well yes, Tom, there will be very extensive consultation. We've laid out a timeframe with about two and a half years set aside for consultation. And we've also set out some of the initiatives we'll be bringing to the table as we work with local communities to demonstrate to them the benefits that will come if a nuclear power station is hosted in their community.

So that's things like obviously cheap, affordable, reliable energy, emissions free energy. It's also then, enterprise zones and attracting the kinds of businesses that require power and reliable power in large quantities. And that's things like smart manufacturing, it could be things like downstream minerals processing, certainly data centres - data centres are absolutely central to a modern economy, but they use a lot of power.

So these will be some of the things we'll be working through with local communities to explain to them what will be the consequences and the benefits of having a nuclear power station.

Tom Connell: Ok right, and that's fine. And there's that consultation. But the Coalition has criticised Labor for having large scale renewable projects. They say if locals don't want them, don't have them there yet for nuclear, if locals don't want nuclear power plants, your reaction is going to be too bad.

Paul Fletcher: Well, again, what we've done is laid out a staged process, including an extensive period for community consultation, including making sure that we use that time to work with local communities. We've also proposed what we call regional deals and this is based upon the experience we had under the previous government where we had both city deals and regional deals.

As Cities Minister, I was involved in a lot of these city deals and it very much involves bringing together local community leaders, community groups, to identify what are the things that a community wants to achieve, what are the priorities. And so the point is that the first enabler of economic growth is abundant, affordable power.

But what we want to do is put that together with other elements in deals that will work for the community. And this is not a hypothetical concept. I can point to both city deals and regional deals that we did in the last government where we went through exactly this kind of process.

Tom Connell:  What about this? In your seat of Bradfield, you're up against the so called Teal last time. I think you're going to be again. Is this going to make your seat harder to win?

Paul Fletcher: What this announcement demonstrates above all, is how committed we are to achieving net zero by 2050, and a measured, staged, achievable plan to do that. And let's be clear, of course, as part of our plan, there will be a large role for renewables that is absolutely clear and central.

But there will also be baseload power to replace what is being removed from the system as most of the coal fired power plants exit. And I think what my constituents want to see is proven performance on emissions reduction. You know, under a Coalition Government - 

Tom Connell: Do they want to see nuclear?

Paul Fletcher: Well, what they want to see is a reduction in emissions. Under a Coalition Government, we promised in 2015, we took our nationally determined contribution that we'd achieve a 26% - 28% reduction on Australia's emissions levels by 2030. Now, our 2005 levels were 610 million tonnes. End of 2022, 432 million tonnes. That's a 29% reduction. Almost all of that achieved under a Coalition Government. We promised, we delivered on emissions reduction. What's Mister Bowen done since that time? Emissions reduction have flatlined.

Tom Connell: I've given you a couple opportunities. Do your constituents want to see nuclear power?

Paul Fletcher: I believe that Australians everywhere, including in Bradfield, want to see affordable, reliable, emissions free power as part of a grid which contains a mix of renewables and other sources. And the simple fact is if we don't have an appropriate amount of baseload in there, then there's a real risk to the sustainability of the grid.

Tom Connell: So I believe that is, it doesn't sound like you want to say they're keen on nuclear, but they'll accept it because you think it's the sort of what last resort?

Paul Fletcher: I am very confident that we can make the case to the people of Bradfield as to the people right across Australia, that the Coalition's plan is a measured, pragmatic, achievable plan that delivers, reliable and emissions free nuclear power as part of a mix with a very extensive role for renewables as well.

Tom Connell: Are you going to run in Bradfield again?

Paul Fletcher: I am.

Tom Connell: You are. No qualms with the recent redistribution? No thoughts at all, 100% going?

Paul Fletcher: I'm pre-selected. I went through a pre- selection process, and I'm m seeking to represent the people of Bradfield again.

Tom Connell: And what would you think, or what do you think around Kylie Tink considering a run? Would it be fair enough? She lost her seat. It's the logical one for her to go to, isn't it after the redistribution?

Paul Fletcher: I'll focus on what I can control, which is my aim to serve the people of Bradfield, and the policies that I and the Liberal Party will be taking to the next election in Bradfield and nationally. And I'll be making the point that our nation's in a mess right now under this Labor Government, and it's only the Liberals who can fix this mess. I'll be urging, my constituents not to waste their vote on an independent.

Tom Connell: Early stump speech there. Look, we're within a year. We'll allow that. Paul Fletcher, thanks for your time.

Paul Fletcher: Thanks very much, Tom.