February 26, 2025
A federal report has confirmed that nuclear energy is too risky for Australia – and spokespeople in proposed reactor locations agree.
The federal Coalition has proposed introducing nuclear energy to Australia if it wins this year’s election. It says it will build nuclear reactors at seven sites around the country, including in the Hunter Valley.
In December, a federal parliamentary committee into nuclear energy visited all seven sites for public hearings, and has today delivered an interim report that shows nuclear energy is not a viable option for Australia’s energy needs or climate commitments.
The below spokespeople from the Hunter Valley are available for comment.
To arrange interviews, please contact:
Emily Watkins on 0420 622 408 or at emily.watkins@climatemediacentre.org.au
Dr Ben Ewald, epidemiologist, medical researcher and GP, is a member of Doctors for the Environment Australia and is an expert in air pollution. He has recently conducted analysis of the air quality in Muswellbrook since the Liddell Power Station shut down last year, which shows it has already improved.
Location: Newcastle
Dr John Van Der Kallen, rheumatologist and Doctors for the Environment member and immediate past chair. Dr Van Der Kallen can talk about the health risks of delaying the transition to renewable power.
Location: Newcastle
Bob Hawes, CEO of Business Hunter, the largest regional peak business group in Australia, can talk about how the Hunter can benefit from continued investment and development of renewables in the region.
Location: Newcastle, NSW
Trevor Woolley, former senior engineer at Bayswater power station (retired) who has lived off grid at Denman in a passive solar house for more than 30 years and drives an electric car.
Location: Denman
Steve Phillips, coordinator of the Hunter Renewal project, has campaigned on mining issues in the Hunter for two decades. Hunter Renewal is a network of residents and organisations established in 2017 to advocate for the effective region-wide coordination of the Hunter Valley’s transition to a post-coal economy.
Location: Newcastle
Justin Page, Hunter Jobs Alliance coordinator, can talk about the need to continue the energy transformation already underway in the Hunter, where industries are already on the right path to transitioning to renewable energy.
Location: Newcastle
Myles Egan, energy transition researcher with an interest in the future of regions undergoing economic and social transitions. As part of his Honours studies, he explored emotional and attitudinal responses to the resources and energy transition in the Hunter Valley coal mining community of Singleton.
Location: Greater Newcastle
Sam Mella, Beyond Zero Emissions senior project officer, is BZE’s Hunter engagement lead and can talk about the opportunities for Hunter industry that continued investment in renewable power will bring.
Location: Newcastle