SYDNEY, Sunday 13 April 2025 – Greenpeace activists have staged a ‘hazard cleanup’ at the Coalition’s election campaign launch at Liverpool Catholic Club in Western Sydney to send a clear message to Australian voters: Don’t risk Dutton’s nuclear.
Greenpeace activists dressed in hazmat suits and gas masks staged the clean up with Geiger counters outside the launch event during Peter Dutton’s election launch, and displayed banners reading: “Don’t risk Dutton’s nuclear”. The activists were escorted away from the entrance by security, but continued protesting near the building. Greenpeace is calling on Peter Dutton to dump his nuclear policies, saying the plans are too risky for Australia.
Speaking from the event, David Ritter, CEO at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said:
“We’re here today because Peter Dutton’s nuclear plan is too risky and too dangerous to proceed. We’re sounding the alarm on the dangers of the Coalition’s reckless nuclear plan that could expose Australian communities to an accident involving highly radioactive waste, and will prolong the use of climate-wrecking coal and gas for decades.
“Greenpeace will always challenge policies that harm people, nature, and the climate. That is why today we have sent a loud and clear message to Australian voters — don’t risk Dutton’s nuclear plan.
“The Coalition has no plan for dealing with toxic waste safely, nor for protecting locals and emergency services in communities like Collie, LaTrobe Valley and the Hunter Valley, where it wants to build nuclear reactors.
“Nuclear is a dangerous distraction from the urgent need to slash emissions this decade and phase out coal, oil, and gas at emergency speed and scale. It is a smokescreen to prolong coal and gas while we wait decades for nuclear.
“We have the solutions — why risk nuclear when we’re already almost halfway towards powering Australia with clean, safe and affordable wind and solar power? A credible energy policy is one that rapidly scales up renewables and storage, not one that locks us into dangerous, unnecessary nuclear and fossil fuels for decades.
“Greenpeace is calling on Peter Dutton to dump his unpopular, unviable, and dangerous nuclear plan, and instead support the proven, safe, and affordable renewable energy solutions that will benefit our economy, our communities and our planet.”
—ENDS—
Photos and video of the protest will be uploaded here by 2pm
For more information or to arrange an interview please contact Kate O’Callaghan on 0406 231 892 [email protected] or Kimberley Bernard on 0407 581 404 [email protected]
