2 weeks Ago By Angus Thomson
Renewable energy developers are pressing Opposition Leader Peter Dutton to reveal how much more wind and solar would be allowed to join the electricity grid under his plan to embrace nuclear reactors, amid intensifying doubts about what technology mix the Coalition is targeting. Energy has become a key battleground issue ahead of the May 3 election, with voters set to decide between the Albanese government’s plan for renewables to make up 82 per cent of the grid by 2030 and the Coalition’s push to abandon that target in favour of building seven nuclear generators across the mainland by 2050. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has committed to build seven nuclear plants across the country if he wins the next election Credit: Alex Ellinghausen, Getty Images Dutton says his plan for taxpayers to fund and own nuclear facilities would be cheaper than Labor’s strategy.
To support this claim, he cites modelling from Frontier Economics comparing the total cost of the government’s renewables-dominated proposal against the Coalition’s competing vision for a grid powered 37 per cent by nuclear generation and 54 per cent by renewables. But when quizzed about the impact of slowing the renewable rollout to ensure it did not exceed 54 per cent of the 2050 power mix, opposition energy spokesman Ted O’Brien insisted there was “no policy we have which is capping any technology”. You can read the full story by Nick Toscano here .
Just hours after the news of Pope Francis’ death was confirmed by the Vatican , an emotional prime minister addressed the Australian public. Albanese, who spoke over the Easter weekend of his Catholic faith and upbringing , said the pontiff would be mourned by “Catholics and non-Catholics alike”. “The first pope from the Southern Hemisphere was close to the people of Australia.
For Australian Catholics, he was a devoted champion and loving father,” he said. “My sincere condolences to everyone for [whom] tonight it will be a very difficult evening.” All flags on Commonwealth buildings will fly at half-mast today.
Good morning, and welcome to our live coverage of the 2025 federal election campaign. My name is Angus Thomson, and I’ll be taking you through this morning’s headlines. With just 11 days to go until polling day, here’s some of what is making news this morning:.
