Albo’s hilarious Homer Simpson takedown over nuclear power

Anthony Albanese has likened the opposition’s energy spokesman to Homer Simpson during a debate over nuclear power.

The Prime Minister compared Coalition MP Ted O’Brien to the hapless safety inspector during question time in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

“Putting the member for Fairfax in charge of a review on nuclear power bears an uncanny resemblance to Mr Burns putting Homer Simpson in charge of nuclear power safety in Springfield,” Mr Albanese said.

“No one loves a reactor like a reactionary.”

The conniving billionaire Charles Montgomery Burns sets in motion many of The Simpsons’ storylines when he promotes an unwitting Homer to the crucial role of safety inspector at his nuclear power plant.

The plant comes close to catastrophe and suffers many near misses over the course of animated series’ 31 seasons because of Homer’s incompetence.

Liberal leader Peter Dutton and Nationals leader David Littleproud have this week backed an examination of nuclear power, which is banned in Australia.

The Opposition has sought to reignite the nuclear debate as Labor’s signature climate legislation is discussed in parliament.

Mr Albanese told reporters on Wednesday he was confident his Bill would pass both houses after securing support from the Greens.

The Simpsons joke wasn’t the only nuclear-related take-down Mr Albanese made. He said the Coalition was ignoring the energy generating potential of the “biggest nuclear reactor of all” – the sun.

Labor’s Bill will enshrine in law its target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 43 per cent on 2005 levels by 2030, as well as the longer term goal of net zero emissions by 2050.

It was a cornerstone of the party’s election campaign.

Mr Albanese said the Greens’ proposal to install a “climate trigger” in Australia’s environmental laws to guide the assessment of new fossil fuel projects was a debate for another day.

“We are dealing with today’s legislation; (it’s) pretty significant,” he said in response to questions from reporters on the trigger.

Energy Minister Chris Bowen said it was a “good day for Australia”.

“A good day for the economy, a good day for the future. The climate wars may not be over, but they are suddenly in retreat, under this government,” he said.

The House of Representatives was largely occupied on Wednesday morning with debate over the legislation.

Labor MPs spoke in favour of the Bill, as did a number of the teal independent MPs, who campaigned hard on climate change before this year’s election.

Independent MP Kylea Tink said she had fought for amendments to help ensure parliamentary “responsibility and accountability” over the government’s response to advice from the climate change authority.

“This is how we will keep climate policy on track, regardless of which major party may be in government,” the member for North Sydney told the lower house.

Greens leader Adam Bandt used his speech at the National Press Club on Wednesday to confirm his party would vote with Labor to pass the legislation in both houses of parliament.

Mr Bandt flagged that the Greens would continue to put pressure on the government in an effort to prevent new fossil fuel projects.

He said if Labor continued to open up coal and gas mines “the planet will burn” and “that is the mandate we all need to listen to”.

Earlier on Wednesday, Australian Youth Climate Coalition advocates strung up some 70 letters from young people around the country outside Parliament House, calling for “climate justice” and an end to fossil fuels subsidies and expansion.

Labor Canberra MP Alicia Payne, independent ACT senator David Pocock and independent Kooyong MP Monique Ryan joined them on the lawn outside the building.