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CSIRO hits back at Dutton’s ‘unfounded’ criticism

Peter Dutton on CSIRO criticism

Source: Nine Network

Australia’s national science agency has taken aim at Opposition Leader Peter Dutton in a highly unusual public intervention.

In an open letter released on Friday, CSIRO chief executive Doug Hilton “staunchly” defended the organisation and its scientists from “unfounded criticism”.

It follows Dutton’s claim on Tuesday that the organisation’s criticism of nuclear power was “discredited” and “not a genuine piece of work”. Dutton said the CSIRO’s annual GenCost report did not “take into account some of the transmission costs, the costs around subsidies for the renewables”.

Hilton emphasised the importance of science in tackling issues such as the Covid pandemic, protecting biodiversity, and keeping Australian industry productive and sustainable.

“For science to be useful and for challenges to be overcome it requires the trust of the community. Maintaining trust requires scientists to act with integrity,” Hilton said.

“Maintaining trust also requires our political leaders to resist the temptation to disparage science.”

And he defended the GenCost report – the latest of which does include the cost of integrating renewables such as solar and wind into the electricity grid.

“The GenCost report is updated each year and provides the very best estimates for the cost of future new-build electricity generation in Australia,” Hilton said.

After Hilton’s letter, Dutton softened his stance – although without withdrawing his criticisms.

“There’s nothing disparaging about the comments that I made or that we’ve made,” he told Nine’s Today show.

Dutton said his point was about the “need to compare apples with apples”.

“At the moment, that report that was released, it doesn’t take into consideration all of the costs around renewables,” he said.

The tit-for-tat was sparked when Dutton was questioned in Sydney on Tuesday about his support for nuclear energy despite the GenCost report having concluded “nuclear power does not currently provide an economically competitive solution in Australia”.

It found wind and solar cost an average of $112 per megawatt hour in 2023, decreasing to just $82 in 2030. By comparison, the small modular reactors proposed by the Coalition cost an average of $509 an hour in 2023, dropping to $282 in 2030.

On Tuesday, Dutton said “independent, verifiable evidence” showed a transition to nuclear power would lead to cleaner, cheaper and reliable energy in Australia.

Dutton on 'discredited' CSIRO

Source: Sky News Australia

On Friday, Hilton said the methodology behind the CSIRO’s report was “clearly articulated”, the report was updated regularly, and the organisation’s scientists were open and responsive to feedback.

“The GenCost report can be trusted by all our elected representatives, irrespective of whether they are advocating for electricity generation by renewables, coal, gas or nuclear energy,” Hilton said.

“No matter the challenge we are tackling, CSIRO’s scientists and engineers can be relied on by the community to work creatively, assiduously and with integrity.”

Government Services Minister Bill Shorten said Dutton was trying to take on the best scientists in the country.

“Chucking on a white lab coat doesn’t make you a scientist, Peter,” he said on Today.

The high price tag and long process to bring nuclear projects online have been the federal government’s key criticisms of the Opposition’s energy plan, along with an alleged lack of details about how the Coalition’s nuclear-led energy solution would work.

– with AAP

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