Cook by-election candidate Simon Kennedy says locals are 'comfortable' living near nuclear reactors

The by-election for former prime minister Scott Morrison's southern Sydney seat has not garnered national fanfare the way other by-elections have in the past. Former McKinsey consultant Simon Kennedy has openly backed his party's push to introduce nuclear power to the national energy grid, with the opposition preparing to announce up to six possible sites for nuclear plants. When asked whether he would oppose a nuclear power reactor being built in the electorate of Cook, Mr Kennedy said locals were "comfortable" with the concept because there was already one positioned on its "doorstep" in Lucas Heights. "They're not looking for people pushing clean or coal or one over the other, they're looking for cheap, reliable and clean power," Mr Kennedy said. Mr Kennedy, who tried and failed to win the seat of Bennelong in 2022, said his party had several "exceptional" female candidates including the member for the neighbouring electorate of Hughes, Jenny Ware.