Share this @internewscast.com
Some Coalition politicians have indicated their ongoing support for nuclear energy, despite an expert calling it “electoral suicide”.
Liberal MP Tim Wilson argued that without nuclear power, Australia will need to “de-industrialise,” as he advocated for the energy source in a statement.
The Liberals and Nationals are set to review their policy platform following a significant election defeat that led to Labor securing majority government.
The Coalition has lost several moderate MPs as urban areas have shifted away from the Liberals.
Wilson has defied this trend by regaining the Goldstein seat in Melbourne from independent MP Zoe Daniel, expressing his support for a future where nuclear energy has a part.

“In my fundamental belief, I support the role of nuclear power,” he stated.

‘Many’ in the Coalition are pro-nuclear

Nationals MP Michael McCormack said many members of the Nationals and Liberals remain “very pro-nuclear”.
When asked if could cause a split between the Liberals and Nationals, he told Radio National on Thursday morning: “We’ll have to wait and see.”
Asked to clarify his response, McCormack said: “There are many people within the Liberal Party who are very pro-nuclear, just like the National Party, and obviously there will be people who will now want to review all the policies.”

“Everything will be on the table, there will be reviews by both parties,” he said.

McCormack said it’s a “matter for the parties” whether a nuclear energy policy will be taken to the next election in three years’ time.
“People do believe that if we’re going to get to net zero, that it [nuclear] has to be part of the energy mix, there are a lot of Liberals on board with that too,” he said.
However, Liberal senator Maria Kovacic said she wanted the policy to be dumped.

“The Liberal Party must immediately scrap the nuclear energy plan and back the private market’s investment in renewable energy,” she said on Tuesday.

How feasible is nuclear power in Australia and what would it cost? CSIRO and experts take a look image

What was the Coalition’s nuclear policy?

In mid-2024, then-Opposition leader Peter Dutton announced that if elected, across NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia, pledging it would lead to cheaper energy.

The Coalition estimated the project would cost $331 billion and had planned to build the plants in the following electorates:

  • Liddell in NSW, electorate of Hunter
  • Mount Piper in NSW, electorate of Calare
  • Tarong in Queensland, electorate of Maranoa
  • Callide in Queensland, electorate of Flynn
  • Port Augusta in SA, electorate of Grey
  • Loy Yang in Victoria, electorate of Gippsland
  • Muja in WA, electorate of O’Connor
The party’s plan to build the reactors faced opposition from members of the public as well as state premiers who were against nuclear facilities in their home states.

Dutton didn’t visit any of the proposed sites during the five-week election campaign.

‘Electoral suicide’

There were swings against the Coalition in nearly every seat where it proposed a nuclear plant, except for Flynn in Queensland, according to Australian Electoral Commission data.
Meanwhile, Labor recorded positive swings in every seat where offshore wind projects have been announced.

Adam Simpson, a senior lecturer in international studies at the University of South Australia, labeled pro-nuclear policies as unpopular “electoral suicide”.

But the Coalition didn’t have much of a choice when it came to election promises around energy, Simpson told SBS News.
“The Coalition had to come to the election saying something about energy policy if they were going to oppose Labor’s policy, and there’s not really that many options,” he said.

“They could have announced a perpetual use of gas or coal, but that would require forfeiting their net zero commitment.”

Fewer moderates in the party

Simpson said there are a couple of reasons the Coalition could come back with a version of the policy for the next election.
“In 2022, they lost all those teal seats. They lost a lot of moderate voices from the Liberal Party. And then that’s just been exacerbated in this recent election,” Simpson said.

“There are very few voices going to be coming from metropolitan urban areas in the Coalition party room. So that’s why I wouldn’t be surprised if, after they do the post-election wash-up and assessment of what went wrong, they come out again with another pro-nuclear policy.”

Simpson said “cultural opposition” is likely another factor, with the Coalition ideologically resistant to a transition to renewable energy.
“They don’t particularly believe in climate change, and it’s certainly not a priority for them,” he said.
While nuclear energy could be a policy the Coalition runs again in 2028, Simpson predicted it would cause “further devastation” within its remaining metropolitan seats and push the Coalition into the “electoral wilderness” for a generation.

For the latest from SBS News, and .
Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Melbourne Arson Attack: Police Probe Potential Antisemitism Motive in Recent Arrest

A 47-year-old man has been detained and is currently waiting to be…
'Era of lawlessness': UN blasts Trump over Venezuelan raids

UN Condemns Trump Administration: Accuses of Lawlessness in Controversial Venezuelan Raids

The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting overnight after an…
Normary Chudnovsky fled the Maduro regime a decade ago arriving in Australia.

Australian Venezuelans Rally for Freedom Amid Caracas Raids: Voices Rise for a Free Venezuela

Despite being 15,000 kilometres away from Caracas, Australia‘s Venezuelan community has been…
CES, the biggest technology show in the world, is happening this week in Las Vegas.

Discover the Future of TV: Sleek Ultra-Thin Screens and Massive 130-Inch Displays

CES, the biggest technology show in the world, is happening this week…

Venezuelan Leader Nicolas Maduro Denies US Legal Accusations in Court Appearance

Ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro has pleaded not guilty to charges of…
More than 16,000 livestock lost as flood levels keep rising in northern Queensland

Queensland Braces for Intense Monsoonal Deluge Amid Cyclone Development Concerns

Large parts of northern Queensland are preparing for more heavy rain, with…
Anthony Albanese speaking at a press conference in Cloncurry.

Prime Minister Open to Consideration of Royal Commission on Bondi Terror Attack

Speaking from the flood-affected town of Cloncurry in Queensland‘s north-west, Albanese did…

Global Repercussions: Russia and Iran Respond to Venezuela’s Maduro Capture

The capture of Nicolas Maduro and the announcement that the United States…
Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, Swiss Alps, Switzerland

Deadly Fire at Swiss Bar Reveals Five-Year Inspection Lapse

Investigators are examining if the ceiling’s soundproofing materials met safety standards and…
McDonald's

McDonald’s Challenges Council Decision to Deny New 24-Hour Location on Popular Street

Residents and businesses in Northcote fiercely opposed the plan to transform a…
Danish PM says US takeover of Greenland would be the end of NATO

Danish PM Warns: US Acquisition of Greenland Could Spell Doom for NATO Alliance

The unexpected capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife by…
Captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro arrives at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport en route to a federal courthouse for an initial appearance in New York on Monday.

Trump’s Global Tensions Rise: From Greenland to Iran After Venezuela Action

Since the dramatic capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, US President Donald…