Paul is right, we need to focus on the things that matter to the overwhelming bulk of Australians. And that isn't giving big tax breaks to folks who by and large pay SFA tax?

Tax reform should lower the taxes of those who pay most of it and force the avoiders to at least pay some tax. And that is done by Jettisoning current tax practice and replacing that with an unavoidable flat tax of 15% above a generous tax-free threshold!

Then there is the cost of energy and climate change. Both of which are addressed with, MSR thorium, nuclear energy. which is safer than coal, vastly cheaper than coal and carbon free to boot! With far less toxic waste than coal polluting the environment! TBC
Alan B.

On the topic of nuclear energy, there are two types, uranium and thorium. Uranium powers solid fuel conventional nuclear. The rods are hollow, and the fuel is inserted inside as small ceramic bullets. The rods are then lowered or raised to control the reaction by electron magnets. Which need continuous guaranteed power to avoid a meltdown. They need constant monitoring by alert expert technicians and the fuel rods need to be relocated every 18 months or so and completely replaced every 4.5 years after on using around 5-10% of the available energy component of the uranium fuel with the rest becoming nuclear waste with a half-life of thousands of years. Now, the longer the half-life the less radioactive the substance. And nuclear waste decays with age to become in around thirty years mostly plutonium that can then be used again as nuclear fuel or burnt immediately in MSR technology where it is, mostly unspent fuel!

Molten salt Reactors, (MSR) burn thorium as their preferred fuel and Australia has around 40% of the world's known reserves in both thorium and uranium. Solid fuel reactors operate up to 300 atmospheres and require a reactor vessel 7 inches thick and a reinforced concrete containment building to contain a hydrogen/oxygen explosion, if a crack occurs in the reactor vessel or heat transfer pipes.

MSR thorium on the other hand, operates at ambient atmospheric pressure and fluoride salt does not boil below 14C! does not need all the expensive reactor vessel or containment building.

If for any reason there is loss of power, the molten salt self-drains into purpose-built tanks where no reaction is possible. Old mine workings/rail tunnels would be suitable for MSR thorium and could be secured fairly easily. TBC.
Alan B.

We could with the political will, convert all current Collins class subs to nuclear power. And done with MSR thorium replacing the diesels in the engine room. Then, replace the SMR MSR every four years or so and do the reprocessing of the fuel/reactor vessel etc., onshore.

The heat would heat seawater that would drive the alternators and a tried and proven steam venturi drive system that would make these things all but fly underwater.

Torpedoes could be replaced by underwater capable long-range rockets that are in use elsewhere today.

Effective shielding would ensure these reactors were less radioactive than a banana.

And the venturi drive would produce speeds that would ensure they would hardly ever be caught by pursuing destroyers.

Even then stern mounted rockets could ensure pursuit ended very abruptly!

Conventional metallurgical treatment of the reactor metal parts would protect them from corrosion. And replacing the heat transfer salt with something else now in use, would absorb the tritium.

When the new subs arrive, that should be designed as virtual aircraft carriers. The "aircraft" would be miniature steam venturi powered acrylic one-man subs carrying underwater capable rockets. Modern acrylics are far stronger than steel and could operate at depths no steel sub could match. And they would allow human eyeball visuals. A steam venturi drive system would enable these watercrafts to all but fly and be invisible to any metal detection systems. And sonar?

Superheated steam when passed over a known catalyst immediately decomposes to hydrogen and oxygen. A spark all that would be needed to ignite the fuel and produce massive thrust via an extremely robust venturi drive system.

Warning, do not try this at home!
Alan B.

In any conventional nuclear reactor, the loss of power for any reason is a massive disaster in the making.

As both electromagnets and water pumps need electrical power to operate. Without pumps pumping water around exchanging heat etc. The water boils to super-heated steam and adds to the possibly 300 atmospheres of almost unimaginable pressure.

And pressure that sure to crack something releasing superheated steam that immediately decomposes to hydrogen and oxygen still hot enough to combust as a virtual fuel air bomb.

Such a bomb released by humans from a plane could wipe out several city blocks and flatten them to the ground. This is why we will never have conventional nuclear energy as a choice for Australia, regardless of their admired safety record.

MSR thorium on the other hand, operates at normal ambient air pressure and therefore needs no huge thick seven-inch-thick reactor vessel. nor hugely expensive containment building.

And given MSR thorium is designed to operate in complete safety, in a molten state. A meltdown is not part of foreseeable risk factors. Should the power fail for any reason, they Automatically self-drain into purpose-built tanks where no reaction is possible and cool till solid salt.

There were a couple of unresolved issues with MSR thorium that have since been sorted. And given the all the foregoing we could build as many as fifty walk-away-safe, MSR thorium power plants for the same cost as one conventional uranium reactor.

Micro grids and graphene under road cling wrap thin, underlays would replace poles, wires and all transmission lines eventually. And graphene cored undersea cables would allow almost resistant free electrical transmission to anywhere, to produce ever increasing income (multiple trillions PA) unmatched by coal, food and iron ore exports!

Only idiotic ideology and ideologues prevent that potential outcome! Antinuclear simpletons and jibber, jabber greenies with IQs that more or less match the ambient temperature? Also fit the above description. And if the cap fits?
Alan B.

I can't find anything on a think tank named "MTG" apart from a Facebook appearance and a savage anti-Muslim rant, nor any reference to a Jobs Summit on the Gold Coast in September so I wonder who these representatives were and how many were casting those votes.

Facebook says "the MTG was formed in 2010 as an advisory group for small to medium businesses, and to use the collective knowledge of the initial 72 companies, to convey opinions in a humorous and positive way".

It all seems rather odd to me.

Hi rache,

Anyone can set up a "group" and claim it represents anything they like it to "represent". From there they can churn out all the facts they like. The bloke who wrote this article is just a far right nutjob and can't be taken seriously.