Don't nuclear reactors take a long time to build?

Yes and no. Whilst it certainly would take time for Australia to develop a nuclear industry, there is no reason why constructing civil nuclear power reactors would have to take a long time to build if we were ambitious about it. 

In countries such as South Korea, the UAE and many others, they have proven that with the right regulations and investment strategies, civil nuclear power reactors can be built in one decade. For example, the average construction time in South Korea and the UAE, is approximately 9 years.