Nuclear submarines? Dennis please

Liberal MP Dennis Jensen's nuclear obsession will put Western Australia at risk, the Greens warned today.

Senator for WA Scott Ludlam said Dr Jensen's push for Australia to acquire nuclear submarines and to turn Western Australia into a "high-traffic service station" for American nuclear vessels was "counter-factual and dangerous".

"Successive governments have indulged in a series of expensive debacles chasing military hardware - the Member for Tangney wants to continue that dubious tradition by pursuing second-hand American nuclear submarines.

"As for turning our state into a high-traffic service station for the US Navy - the risks of routinely floating nuclear reactors in and out of Cockburn Sound shouldn't be underestimated. Western Australian police and emergency services personnel are completely under-resourced to cope with even a minor reactor leak.

"And is the State prepared for the social and environmental impacts of a dramatically expanded foreign military presence in our communities?

"The former Federal Government welcomed a base hosting 2,500 US marines on a rotating basis in Darwin and rolled over a deal with Washington over use of the North West Cape base for another 25 years. Will the Abbott Government go one step further down this reckless path?"