Shortland MP Pat Conroy has slammed Opposition leader Peter Dutton's vow to pull out of Australia's 2030 emissions targets and focus on nuclear energy, arguing the Hunter does not want atomic power plants and investors do not want a return to the climate wars.
Mr Dutton told The Australian on Saturday that if he were prime minister Australia would not pursue the Albanese government's target of a 43 per cent emissions reduction by 2030 because "there's no sense in signing up to targets you don't have any prospect of achieving".
The Coalition has said it plans to build up to seven nuclear plants, one or more of which could be in the Hunter, in coming decades and rely on gas power in the interim.
Mr Conroy said the Opposition leader was "intent on continuing the climate wars that everyone thought were over after the 2022 election".
He said the Coalition's position was of particular concern for the Hunter, where the nationally significant power industry is being replaced by renewable energy.
"We're likely sites for multiple nuclear reactors, and I've yet to meet anyone who wants one of those next to their kids' school," he said.
"It will massively shake up the price of electricity, which will impact communities and our energy-intensive manufacturing here.
"And it will deny us the opportunities from manufacturing related to cheap renewable energy."
Tomago Aluminium, the state's biggest electricity user, has sought expressions of interest from renewable energy suppliers to power the smelter by 2028.
"If you're arguing for nuclear energy, you're arguing to close Tomago smelter," Mr Conroy said.
The 2030 target is part of Australia's commitment under the international Paris Agreement to incrementally reduce emissions before reaching net zero in 2050.
Mr Dutton remains committed to the 2050 target but has argued against offshore wind farms in the Hunter.
He said on Saturday that his plan would give Australian consumers and industry more assurance that energy supplies would not fail due to a delayed rollout of renewables.
"You can't have the Prime Minister saying we aren't going to have coal, we aren't going to have gas and we're not going to have nuclear power and we are going to keep the lights on. That's just fantasy," he said.
"We now have a debate about energy which I think we can win."
Mr Dutton has said nuclear plants could be built at the site of coal-fired power stations either already shuttered or due to close.
Vales Point, Lake Munmorah and Eraring on Lake Macquarie and Bayswater and Liddell in the Upper Hunter have been linked with the Coalition policy.
CSIRO and Australian Energy Market Operator modelling last month found nuclear plants would cost at least $8.5 billion each and take until at least 2040 to build.
A straw poll by the Newcastle Herald last week found public support in Muswellbrook for nuclear power over wind and solar farms.
Climate Council chief executive Amanda McKenzie said the Coalition climate policy was a "disaster".
"The consequence for Australians would be more extreme heat, fires and floods," she said.
"Instead of ripping up Australia's 2030 climate targets, Peter Dutton must listen to the communities already ravaged by worsening climate disasters.
"There are 195 countries signed up to the Paris Agreement. Opting out would make Australia a global laughing stock."
