Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has made his first visit to the north Queensland flood zone spruiking nuclear power. Meanwhile, Anthony Albanese has promised to secure the future of the Macquarie Harbour salmon industry from the threat of an endangered fish.
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00:00In the skies above flood-ravaged North Queensland, Peter Dutton can see an election on the horizon,
00:10spruiking his nuclear plan as a better option in natural disasters.
00:15When you have a rain period, a rain event like this, and the power goes out, the batteries
00:19last for three hours on the mobile towers. We need to have a stable electricity system.
00:24Nuclear or not, it's the poles and wires that carry electricity to remote North Queensland,
00:30and they're often no match for the weather. It was Mr Dutton's first visit to Queensland's
00:35disaster zone. Asked whether he'd spend more on disaster funding, there was no commitment.
00:40Firstly, we've got to win the election, so we've got a long way to go until that point.
00:46At the other end of the country, the Prime Minister is making his own moves to retain
00:50power, stepping in to shore up Tasmania's salmon farming.
00:55The jobs should be secured and the science is spoken.
00:57The industry's future has been uncertain as the Federal Government weighs up its impact
01:02on an endangered fish, the Morgian skate. Anthony Albanese, today seized on new figures
01:08showing its population is stabilising, writing to Salmon Australia, promising to introduce
01:15legislation to ensure appropriate environmental laws are in place to continue farming.
01:20I am over the moon, obviously. I have stood with those workers. I have said I would never
01:25give up on them. The PM has been dragged kicking and screaming,
01:29trying to kill off this political issue for him.
01:31The Prime Minister's intervention overrides the authority of his Environment Minister,
01:36Tanya Plibersek, who is yet to make a decision on the future of salmon farming in the harbour.
01:41But the PM's call could win him crucial votes in a marginal seat, and that is his priority.
01:48It's understood the Government will introduce the laws in the next sitting week, but with
01:52speculation mounting an election will be called imminently, that promise may have to wait.