Former Miss America Grace Stanke is on her Australian tour, spreading awareness about the benefits of nuclear power and why it should be the go-to option for the country. The 22-year-old ex-beauty queen’s 10-day tour comes months ahead of the Australian elections, and it may lead to a major shift in government policies and strategies.
Ms Stanke is working in public relations for the US energy giant Constellation.
Australia has banned nuclear power for nearly 30 years, relying mainly on renewable energy and gas. However, there is growing debate about the ban, especially as the opposition Liberal Party promises to build seven nuclear power stations, should it come to power. The current Labor Party government supports renewable energy and gas.
Ms Stanke, who studied nuclear engineering as a “flex,” has been advocating for nuclear power, arguing it can provide reliable and clean energy for Australia’s future.
But not everyone agrees. During her speaking tour, a woman in the audience at an event in Brisbane last Friday began shouting, becoming the first of several people ejected from the room. Other attendees, too, booed and jeered, as per CNN.
Reacting to the protests, Ms Stanke said, “You know what? I respect people because they’re using their voices.”
Opponents of nuclear power argue that it is costly, unsafe, and takes too long to build nuclear plants. Others believe renewable energy projects are damaging farmland, destroying forests, and causing divisions in rural communities.
Shackel, NFA’s founder, wants the nuclear ban lifted; he said, “I think we need to move away from fossil fuels. Gas is a fossil fuel. So, I think that if we want to be able to move away from those sources, nuclear energy is something that’s going to be increasingly important.”
While people previously voted for parties focusing on climate-friendly policies, nuclear power is now back on the table for the first time in decades as part of the upcoming election debate.