Interview with Peter Stefanovic, First Edition
4 March 2024
PETER STEFANOVIC: Well, Anthony Albanese held the seat of Dunkley over the weekend. That's despite Labor suffering a 3.6% swing against it. the PM seen in the electorate yesterday alongside the new MP Jodie Belyea. Well, joining us live now, Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume. Jane, good to see you. Thanks for your time this morning. So we'll get to all of that in just a moment. I want to ask you about nuclear today. Are you about to flick the switch on nuclear? I know we spoke about this a couple of weeks ago, and there was a bit of noise made about it, but is that going to be a central plank of your election hopes next year?
JANE HUME: Pete, we are at the advanced stage of our cheaper, cleaner energy policy, and there will be announcements that will be made by the shadow energy minister and the opposition leader shortly. I don't want to foreshadow-
PETER STEFANOVIC: What does advanced mean?
JANE HUME: What I would say, but what I would say is that we have foreshadowed this for a long time. We've been speaking about the importance and the idea of having nuclear in the energy mix as part of the energy mix now for about 18 months or so. And the idea that you would preclude nuclear from your energy mix on your pathway to net zero is simply an act of ideological belligerence. Because we know that those countries that have adopted nuclear, or have said that they will adopt nuclear, already have a cheaper and cleaner energy pathway to net zero. You look at somewhere like France, for instance, they have around 70% nuclear in their energy mix. They have some of the cheapest energy in Western Europe. Ontario in Canada has about 60% nuclear in its mix. Its energy bills are about half what we're paying here. So of course, to preclude nuclear energy from the energy mix in Australia is simply an act of ideology not sense.
PETER STEFANOVIC: So when it comes to advanced talks, does that mean you've sorted out what type of reactors will be here? Where they will go? What to do with the waste? Has that all been worked out?
JANE HUME: So as I said, I'm not going to announce energy policy this morning. As much as I would love to announce it come onto your show, you don't have to announce it.
PETER STEFANOVIC: You don’t have to announce it, but has it been firmed up behind the scenes in Shadow Cabinet?
JANE HUME: We are in the advanced stage of that policy and there will be announcements going into the next election. I think that's probably the best I can do for you.
PETER STEFANOVIC: So it's going to be it's going to be a plank, though, isn't it? You're confirming that nuclear is going to be a plank of your bid.
JANE HUME: We've made it very clear that we are technology neutral on the pathway to net zero. But we want to see not just cleaner energy, we want to see cheaper energy, too. We know that the Albanese government promised a $275 reduction in energy bills. It was the most hollow promise. They promised it over 100 times, and they have failed dismally.
PETER STEFANOVIC: Speaking of cheaper just on that point, though, speaking of cheaper energy, I mean, you know, that the government's going to say, well, the cheapest form of energy is renewables, not nuclear.
JANE HUME: Well, that's right. Except, as I said, you know, those countries that have nuclear already are actually demonstrating that electricity bills and energy bills are cheaper for a long time though.
PETER STEFANOVIC: So ten what, 15 years to get it going?
JANE HUME: Well maybe so. And on that pathway to net zero by 2050, which is a, you know, a fair way away, it's surely we should be open minded about the best way to not just get the cheaper, the cleaner energy, but cheaper energy as well.
PETER STEFANOVIC: So has the Dunkley loss changed your approach at all, Jane, in that a big ticket item is needed for you to sell to the public? That's completely different to what Labor's got.
JANE HUME: Well, we're not looking at this as a loss. You know, quite frankly our margins came back. You know, our primary vote came back in a way that we haven't seen in more than a decade in Dunkley. We certainly haven't seen it since the boundaries changed back in 2019. And so this is really quite exciting for us. Dunkley was not a marginal seat by any stretch. 6.3% is not a marginal seat but it’s certainly a marginal seat now. So it will very much be in the target range for the Liberal Party at the next election. As will seats like Aston, like Higgins, like McEwen. These are all very much now at play in the next election. That’s a very good sign.
PETER STEFANOVIC: What about seats like, I’m just referring to New South Wales here, what about seats like Wentworth, like North Sydney etcetera, because a big part of your swing came from the richer parts of Dunkley. So does this mean you return your focus now to Teal seats?
JANE HUME: Well certainly down here in Victoria in the seat of Higgins which is held by the Labor Party is definitely in that mix-
PETER STEFANOVIC: Kooyong?
JANE HUME: As is Kooyong for instance. Why would it not be? Why would it not be? These are marginal seats Pete. Of course they are going to be in our target range at the next election.
PETER STEFANOVIC: So you haven’t given up on the Teal seats?
JANE HUME: We will always fight on a marginal seat basis. It doesn’t matter who the incumbent is.
PETER STEFANOVIC: Okay. We only got 30 seconds left. Would you be hoping Victoria is in the King's itinerary? There's a report today suggesting that the premier's got to put up their hands to try and get him.
JANE HUME: Absolutely.
PETER STEFANOVIC: Are you hopeful that Victoria gets a nod there?
JANE HUME: I would very much hope so that, when Queen Elizabeth was here, I. mean, many years ago, I did actually get a chance to meet her. And it was an extraordinary honour, one I'll never forget. I would hope that I get to do the same with King Charles. I am quite-
PETER STEFANOVIC: fingers crossed he gets here.
JANE HUME: I'm quite a monarchist.
PETER STEFANOVIC: Jane Hume appreciate it. Thank you. We'll talk to you soon.