Former ABC political editor to host fund-raiser to help launch new nuclear campaign

Chris Uhlmann, the former ABC journalist cum anti-renewables campaigner and nuclear advocate is to anchor a key fundraising event for the Australian nuclear lobby as it prepares to launch yet another national marketing campaign.

The $235-a-head dinner in Sydney in May is being described by the Nuclear for Australia lobby group as a “landmark evening” for Australia’s energy future.

The nuclear lobby, like the coal, oil and gas lobbies (although it is often hard to spot the difference), is using the current fossil fuel supply chain crisis as the launchpad for a new campaign. The gas lobby, fearing a tax on their massive “super profits” from the crisis, has already mobilised.

The renewables lobby, of course, is also using the global crisis to underline the importance of its technologies to boost energy security, reduce costs, and emissions.

Australia currently has a target of 82 per cent renewables by 2030, although analysts say it is increasingly unlikely to reach that target, despite the continued optimism of federal climate and energy minister Chris Bowen.

But it might get close, and Australia in the following decade is likely to reach near 100 per cent renewables as the last major coal plants are retired, although the LNP state government in Queensland has vowed to put a spanner in the works of that plan by keeping its coal powered generators online to 2050 and beyond.

Australia’s opposition parties – the Liberals, the Nationals and One Nation – all support nuclear, either explicitly or implicitly, and all three argue that Australia should scrap its net zero target for 2050.

That is seen as both an acknowledgement of their disregard of climate science – even with the latest research predicting dire consequences should the main current driving the Gulf Stream slows or stops, as is now greatly feared – and a recognition that nuclear is not the answer to swift and forceful action on emissions.

The Coalition went to the most recent election with a poorly framed nuclear plan, and was soundly beaten. But the nuclear lobby is not giving up, hoping to tap into the fossil fuel crisis and the frustration and pain of higher inflation.

Uhlmann’s energy preferences first became clear when with ABC’s 7.30 Report and when he was determined to sheet home the blame of South Australia’s state-wide blackout on wind energy.

He has remained highly critical of renewable energy and its supporting policies, and has also appeared on behalf of the now disbanded Rainforest Reserves group at the Senate inquiry into climate and energy misinformation.

Uhlmann and the patron of Nuclear for Australia, the deep-pocketed renewable critic Dick Smith, will host the “invite only” event, that will also feature the nuclear group’s founder Will Shackel, and “special guests and members of our expert advisory group.”

The event promises to provide a “first-look, exclusive preview” of the new national advertising campaign, and all proceeds will go to the campaign and push to introduce nuclear in Australia.

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