Australia ‘can’t afford to wait’ on energy transition: Assistant Defence Minister

Assistant Defence Minister Matt Thistlethwaite says Australia “can’t afford to wait” on the energy transition away from fossil fuels. Mr Thistlethwaite joined Sky News Australia to discuss the latest on the renewables versus nuclear energy debate. “The problem with nuclear is you’re looking at least ten to 15 years before any of that generation capacity comes online,” he said. “Last Thursday the temperature of the water in Sydney off the coast hit 26.5 degrees, it’s never been that hot since the history of records have been kept in Sydney. “We’ve got an urgent situation where we need to take stronger action on climate change and that involves a transition, a gradual transition to renewables, and the phasing out of fossil fuels.”