Carmel McCallum, the recently announced Greens candidate for Gilmore, has questioned the true motives behind the Prime Minister’s nuclear submarine announcement.
“None of the three options was favoured by the Navy in its 2011 review,” she said. “Port Kembla is too small and was eliminated very early.
“Sydney was the preferred option with sites in Jervis Bay as options two and three.
“Has the Navy been consulted on this?
“The Greens, which has a pillar promoting Peace and Disarmament, has supported for more than five decades, the strong resistance to a nuclear power station at Murrays Beach, and to Cruise ship visits in recent times.
“It looks like another khaki-election announcement. No-one who lives in the area wants to see two large military industrial complexes on the shores of the beautiful and largely pristine, Jervis Bay. Not only ugly, but a target,” said Ms McCallum.
Greens MP and Senate candidate, David Shoebridge said: “None of the three options currently proposed by the Morrison government look fit for anything more than a media release in a tough election.
“There is a very real concern that, after the election, plans will firm up on Jervis Bay which is high on the Navy’s list of preferred sites.
“Jervis Bay with its marine sanctuary and pristine environment is the worst place to put a $10 billion nuclear submarine base with all the construction and destruction that will come with it,” Mr Shoebridge said.
Most of Jervis Bay has marine park sanctuary status. ‘JB’, as it is affectionately known, has sea grasses which are essential to protection of the ecosystem and which absorb carbon dioxide more efficiently than any other ocean life.
During the 2019 state election, Andrew Constance, according to The Guardian, 14th March, 2019, “influenced the make-up of the marine park advisory group”, and that he “also criticised the NSW bureaucrats responsible for the marine parks and for enforcing the sanctuary zones”.
In The Bega District News, 23rd July, 2019, Is Nuclear Power an energy solution that could come to the South Coast?, Jervis Bay was recommended by Nuclear for Climate Australia as a site for a potential nuclear power plant, and that “at a recent conference the NSW Nationals passed a motion stating the party’s support for nuclear energy in Australia”. This was supported by John Barilaro, Deputy Premier and Member for Monaro at the time.
Carmel McCallum asked: “Was the Morrison announcement creating a distraction from the unprecedented floods in Northern NSW? Or was it about clinging to power by trying to grab back electorates such as Gilmore?
“The Shoalhaven has long been neglected, but this is not the kind of funding needed.
“We need to show our resistance to any of these proposals. Gilmore is not up for grabs for a government which dances to the tunes of the nuclear and fossil fuel industries, or a representative that doesn’t care about the beautiful environment of Jervis Bay.
“Why not JB? Because we love JB just the way she is. We ignore this ploy at our peril!”
For further details or media interviews, please contact Carmel on 0414 392 660 or email: carmelforgilmore@gmail.com. Campaign call back: 02 7229 1283
Shoalhaven Greens 