27-02-2025
Australia news live: former ADF chief warns nuclear power plants could be war targets; Greens unveil arts policy
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Australian nuclear reactors could become a target of war if the federal coalition was to go ahead with plans to build them, AAP reports.
The Australian Security Leaders Climate Group, a group of former defence leaders, has warned that the plan to build seven small nuclear reactors across five states on the sites of coal-fired stations could leave Australia vulnerable to missile warfare and sabotage.
One of its members, former ADF chief Chris Barrie, said modern warfare was increasingly being fought using missiles and unmanned aerial systems.
Every nuclear power facility is a potential dirty bomb because rupture of containment facilities can cause devastating damage. With the proposed power stations all located within a 100 kilometres of the coast, they are a clear and accessible target.
Former defence department director of preparedness and mobilisation Cheryl Durrant cited the Ukraine-Russia war where both sides have prioritised targeting their opponents' energy systems.
Australia would be no different. Share
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I'm Martin Farrer, bringing you the best of the overnight stories, and then it will be Emily Wind to take you through to the weekend.
Our lead story this morning is a report into the third-party groups campaigning to reduce 'Green and teal growth' at the federal election. Third-party groups are preparing federal election campaigns that include accusations that the Greens and teal independents threaten 'Australia's economic and social stability', and also focus in part on their views on the Israel-Gaza war. More to come.
Creative Australia's chief executive should be sacked and its board spilled with a comprehensive review of the funding body, the Greens have said. The party, which releases its arts election policy today, said the creative sector was in turmoil after the biennale fiasco, job cuts and festival cancellations. More coming up.
And a group of senior defence experts have warned that proposed nuclear power plants in Australia could be targets in case of war. More on that too soon. Share
