Directions: Australia’s voters also coordinate nuclear power in May

In the parliamentary election in the G20 state of Australia, on May 3, it will also be decided whether the continent should get its first nuclear power plants. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who hopes for a second term and announced the election date on Thursday, mainly relies on the expansion of renewable energies. The conservative opposition leader Peter Dutton, on the other hand, wants to abolish the legal ban on nuclear power from the 1990s and have seven reactors built. While he promises lower electricity prices to the voters, most experts consider his plans to be unrealistic and warn of immense costs and risks.

Radioactive uranium is required for the operation of nuclear power plants – and the Australian occurrence are considered the largest in the world. So far, the country has focused primarily on the environmental combustion of coal and – to a lesser extent – natural gas. However, the proportion of renewable energies on the electricity mix has increased to a good third in the past decades, and growing and growing. Critics have told Dutton that his plan for commissioning the first Meiler in 2035 is illusory, no nuclear power plant could go online before 2040. The electorate is divided on the question.

Even with an election victory of his liberally leading Liberal Party, Dutton should hardly be a premier if one day electricity should really flow from nuclear power plants. The head of government in Australia can be re -elected as often as you like. However, the term of office is shorter than in most western democracies and is just three years, which made it difficult to implement complex projects and finally led to regular changes in power in the capital Canberra. Albanese, whose Labor party is most likely to be located in the social democratic camp for German standards, has to worry about his re-election.

Living costs exploded – help of the USA uncertain

For the Australian voters, the focus is already on other topics than energy policy. In view of the drastically increased cost of living and almost exploded rents, low earners in expensive metropolises such as Sydney and Melbourne can hardly make ends meet. Climate change also concerns many people who clearly feel the consequences of increasing weather extremes such as heavy rain, flooding, devastating bush fires and storms.

In addition, in view of the change of power in the United States, the country is worried about the support of its most important foreign policy ally. With its 27 million inhabitants and economic output, which is hardly a third of the German gross domestic product, Australia is dependent on international cooperation. However, the country has become increasingly dependent on the most important trading partner China in recent years. If the relationship with Beijing and the security situation in the Indopazacifik deteriorated, it would be questionable whether Australia under US President Donald Trump could count on the backing of Washington.