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It felt like a case of friendly fire this week when our close ally, the United Kingdom, erroneously included Australia on a list of nations signing onto a US-UK effort to accelerate the development of next-generation nuclear plants, ahead of a tripling of nuclear power globally by mid-century.
It might well have been an innocent mistake. Australia is, after all, planning to acquire eight nuclear-powered submarines. But by including us, it gave our most prominent nuclear advocate, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, a massive shot in the arm. Dutton dubbed the Albanese government’s stance against nuclear power an “international embarrassment”.
But as John Quiggin points out, it’s nothing of the sort. The US and UK have had domestic nuclear power for 70 years while Australia has, until now, stuck mainly with coal. And because the island continent is overflowing with sun and wind, it’s hard to argue how nuclear could ever stack up economically against cheap renewables firmed with storage.
Embarrassment or not, it sets the scene for the next election, at which Australia will be asked to choose between a future powered by nuclear or renewables.
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Doug Hendrie
Deputy Environment + Energy Editor
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John Quiggin, The University of Queensland
The US and UK want to triple nuclear power capacity worldwide by 2050. But that leaves renewable rich ally Australia in a tricky situation
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Renee Barnes, University of the Sunshine Coast; Aimee Riedel, Griffith University; Lucas Whittaker, Swinburne University of Technology; Rory Mulcahy, University of the Sunshine Coast
If left unchallenged, political deep fake videos could have profound impacts on Australian elections.
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Yassie Samie, RMIT University; Irene Maldini, Oslo Metropolitan University; Katia Vladimirova, Université de Genève
We give or throw away more and more clothes every year, overwhelming charities and triggering large exports of secondhand clothing. There’s a better way
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Kira Morgan Hughes, Deakin University
There’s been an increase in the number of Australians who report hay fever symptoms in the last 15 years. A history of hay fever – not asthma – is the major risk factor for thunderstorm asthma.
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Vaughan Cruickshank, University of Tasmania; Brendon Hyndman, Charles Sturt University
Some 90% of the world’s cricket fans are from the Indian sub-continent, but how exactly did the sport build such manic support in that part of the world?
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Jordan Peter Anthony Pitt, University of Sydney
A recent summit in Canada tackled the challenge of how science can be more inclusive and better engage Indigenous communities.
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Jodi McAlister, Deakin University
Cult classic Flowers in the Attic was a rite of reading passage for many teenagers – and sold nearly 3 million copies in its first year of publication. 45 years later, Jodi McAlister tells its story.
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Phoebe Hart, Queensland University of Technology
The new film from Stan manages to bend the rules of the Christmas genre without breaking them.
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Politics + Society
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Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
The Albanese government has rewritten the mandate of the Future Fund – the nation’s sovereign wealth fund – to urge it to direct investment into the “national priorities”
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Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
On this podcast we are talking with Special Minister of State Don Farrell about the changes to political donation laws and the criticisms.
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Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has admitted that economic growth is sluggish, but says many other nations have gone backwards.
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Health + Medicine
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Ian Musgrave, University of Adelaide
Two Australian teenagers have become severely ill after a suspected methanol poisoning in Laos. A pharmacologist explains what to know about this chemical compound.
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Jessica Ison, La Trobe University; Ingrid Wilson, Singapore Institute of Technology; Leesa Hooker, La Trobe University
Women are often told to watch their drinks while partying. But even well-intentioned advice can perpetuate the idea they’re to blame if they are assaulted.
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Eveline Mu, Monash University; Jayashri Kulkarni, Monash University
How do you know if what you are experiencing is standard premenstrual syndrome – PMS – or something more severe?
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Science + Technology
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Margarita Vladimirova, Deakin University
Despite the ruling against Bunnings, Australian businesses can continue to collect your biometric information without your explicit consent by simply putting up signs.
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Environment + Energy
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Thami Croeser, RMIT University
Have you heard of the 3+30+300 rule for urban forestry? See how Melbourne and Sydney compare to New York, Denver, Seattle, Buenos Aires, Amsterdam and Singapore on trees, canopy and park proximity.
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Education
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Amanda Keddie, Deakin University
Research on whether single-sex or co-ed schools are better is inconclusive. But we know a schools’ resources and culture matter for students learning and wellbeing.
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Arts + Culture
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Yves Rees, La Trobe University; Joanna McIntyre, Swinburne University of Technology
On Drag Race Down Under, Michelle Visage has become the authority who determines who sashays and who stays in the fierce contest.
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Books + Ideas
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Jane Lydon, The University of Western Australia
Santilla Chingaipe’s new book brings a fresh and urgent perspective to bear on Australian history. But in countering misrepresentations she overlooks existing scholarship.
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Business + Economy
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John Hawkins, University of Canberra
The Northern Territory’s economy might have grown the fastest but Western Australian remains the wealthiest of the states and territories, according to new data.
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Ayesha Scott, Griffith University
Despite global efforts to see economic harm as a form of domestic violence, New Zealand’s Family Violence Act doesn’t recognise it as a standalone form of abuse.
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The Conversation AU/NZ
Melbourne Victoria, Australia
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Full Time
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