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Nuclear power a good way for ships to travel the globe

I endorse Charles Etherington’s views (Sept 24) that all ships should be nuclear-powered.

It’s just a supremely practical way to push vessels around the globe without burning oil.

Nuclear power is clean and is continually becoming safer.

All technologies mature to a safe and efficient state after their growth period.

Aviation has done so.

Now we relax into our aircraft seats with little worry of any mishap.

But the Labour government’s total ban on anything nuclear in the 1980s was somewhat emotionally driven.

And like the gun buyback, it lacked some sense.

Ban nuclear weapons, yes, but it was silly to also ban nuclearpowered vessels.

However, too much nuclear power is not ideal, as easy nuclear electricity might deviate us from the good conservative path that we are now navigating.

That path is saving the planet. So, here, let’s replace concrete and steel with wood as much as we can.

Geoffrey Rathbun, Sheffield

Energy vs weapons

Charles W Etherington (Sept 24) suggests we look into using nuclear power to drive ships. Prepare for the lynch mob, Charles!

Our non-nuclear policy is firmly established on the basis of an Oxford Union debate in which David Lange joked ‘‘I can practically smell the uranium on your breath’’.

This remark so lifted his popularity that he incorporated it into Labour Party policy, where it has remained entrenched.

There is a world of difference between nuclear energy and nuclear weapons but the two have been bundled together as the big bogeyman.

Modern nuclear power could safely be used and would be a cleaner alternative than many other options.

Standing on principle is fine, but can result, as at present, in the importation of dirty coal, rather than using the cleaner minerals beneath our soil. Let’s have some genuine debate about this subject, rather than genuine hysteria.

Vic Smith, Halswell

Opinion

en-nz

2021-09-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-09-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://fairfaxmedia.pressreader.com/article/281938841062980

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