Here at the Lowy Institute we have promoted a broad, informed discussion on all aspects of Australia's nuclear future, through panels, papers and debates, including through The Interpreter.
An anti-nuclear protest outside the Lowy Institute in April, 2011.
The recent Fukushima crisis has reinforced the importance of engaging with the public on the role of nuclear energy in comparison to other sources of energy for future economic growth, and how global governance arrangements for nuclear safety, security and nonproliferation can be improved.
John Carlson, Visiting Fellow at the Lowy Institute and the former Director-General of the Australian Safeguards and Non-proliferation Office, recently argued ('Nuclear Power for Australia-an outline of the key issues') for the Australian Government to facilitate an informed public discussion and to make available the considerable expertise that exists in government for this purpose. He suggests that one of the first steps should be to refresh the Switkowski Report and to bring it up to date.
Our next nuclear panel, 'How Australians Feel about Nuclear Power', will be held at the Age offices in Melbourne on Thursday 9 June from 12.30pm to 2.00pm and will examine how Australian attitudes to nuclear energy are shaped. Should you be interested and attending, please contact our Events Manager Kate Weston on kweston@lowyinstitute.org.
Photo by The Lowy Institute's Ashley Townshend.
