Mount Isa nuclear energy forum debates solutions to energy crisis

Flinders Shire councillors Trevor Mitchell and Bill Bode were among those who took part and the former said it had been a good starting point to begin debate with.

"I'd have to look into it more before I could say whether I'd support the idea but I was glad I went," Cr Mitchell said. "I'll report back to council and we'll discuss it, but I doubt it'll fall within Flinders' province."

One of the points that struck him was the comment by keynote speaker Professor Stephen Wilson that until recently, many Australians were not aware there was a national ban on nuclear energy.

"As we know, it takes a lot to change legislation and a lot of people have got to want it," Cr Mitchell said.

Uranium mining is banned in Queensland but is allowed in South Australia and the Northern Territory.

Nuclear energy is used to produce electricity in 31 countries from 450 nuclear reactors, providing around 10 per cent of the globe's electricity.

Prof Wilson said there would be a need to change laws in Canberra, and Brisbane in the case of Queensland, in order for domestic nuclear energy options to be pursued, but that the political and legal hurdles were just the beginning.

"The central part (then) would be the conversation and discussion around society in Australia - in communities like Mount Isa and across the country, people need to get to a certain level of understanding and comfort about what nuclear energy is and what it can do for Australia," he said.

"That conversation is now definitely up and running - I used to worry how were we going to get this conversation started, and now I'm convinced there's no stopping it."

The energy economist, engineer and lead author of the University of Queensland report "What would be required for nuclear energy plants to operate in Australia from the 2030s", delivered one of the keynote addresses.

The forum had been convened in Mount Isa by Katter's Australian Party to debate solutions to the nation's mounting energy costs, which has seen Australian electricity bills rise by up to 20 per cent over the past 12 months.

It involved energy experts, industry leaders and rural and regional representatives, and Cr Mitchell said it had taken a 'what if' approach to nuclear energy.

"I think we all went along to be informed, and we found it was all in very early stages," he said. "We heard that a country with plenty of power is wealthy, and that wind and solar can't do it because they don't have the continuity."

KAP leader and Traeger MP Robbie Katter said dozens of people had converged on the industrial city surrounded by "legally un-mineable" uranium deposits.

He said the forum was well-received and indicated there was a groundswell of concern within regional communities regarding the energy transition.

He said rural and regional interest in nuclear energy options was high.

"We are hurtling towards spending $1.5 trillion by 2030 and $9 trillion by 2050 if we are to continue on the delusional path to reach 'net zero' via batteries, wind and solar," he said. "On Wednesday we had genuine experts in the room and streamed in, who explained to attendees what the nation could pursue in terms of nuclear power generation, and this was very exciting."

The federal government has committed to a renewables energy target of 82 per cent by 2030.

As at 2023, renewables account for 35 per cent of Australians energy production.

To date, all levels of government are refusing to consider nuclear technology in Australia's future energy mix, but Nationals leader and Maranoa MP David Littleproud said his party welcomed any new support for nuclear energy.

"It's been the Nationals' longstanding belief in nuclear that has also changed the federal Liberals position to support the exploration of a broader nuclear civil industry in Australia," he said.

"One of the first things I did when I became leader of the Nationals was to ask the Prime Minister to hold a national energy summit so that all energy sources, including nuclear, could be discussed which he sadly rejected.

"Regardless, the Nationals along with the Liberals, will bring forward an energy policy to the next federal election that will include nuclear energy as part of the energy mix here in Australia."