A group of Liberal Party supporters has initiated an advertising campaign opposing the party’s proposal to construct nuclear power plants funded by taxpayers. They contend that this plan deviates from Liberal values, divides the party, and could hand the government over to the Labor party.

The new advocacy coalition, named Liberals Against Nuclear, rejects the Liberal-National coalition’s policy, which would necessitate the government to borrow tens of billions of dollars, increase the bureaucracy, and introduce a substantial public financial risk.

Under Peter Dutton’s proposal, nuclear reactors would eventually be built at seven locations across the nation, mostly after 2040. In the short term, the coalition suggests slowing the expansion of renewable energy, extending the life of aging coal-powered plants, and increasing reliance on gas-fired energy.

According to Andrew Gregson, a spokesperson for Liberals Against Nuclear and a former Tasmanian Liberal Party director, the group is not a party member but remains a supporter. He declined to disclose the number of supporters or other group members, stating that those involved are concerned that the nuclear policy is driving “free market and middle-ground voters” to back “teal” and other independent MPs in seats the Coalition must win for a government majority.

Gregson argued that the main issue is not with nuclear energy itself but rather the “socialist implementation” that contradicts Liberal values and stated that if nuclear power “is so good, the market will support it without massive government intervention.”

The group is running television, digital, and billboard advertisements that argue “many Liberals are against nuclear power.” One ad shows a woman reading a newspaper article that quotes the National Party senator Matt Canavan saying nuclear addresses a political issue but is not the most cost-effective form of power. The ad also cites a report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, which found that the Coalition plan would cause a $665 increase in average power bills per year. The ad urges Opposition Leader Peter Dutton to “please dump nuclear.”

Gregson stated that the advertisements will appear nationwide, with a focus on marginal seats, including those held by “teal” MPs. He specified that the ads are intended for the party, not the general public.

Furthermore, the group claims that polling indicates only 35% of Australians support nuclear energy, with that support eroding once individuals understand the finer points of the policy. Their website raises concerns about the policy’s potential to increase national debt and present safety and security risks.

Gregson stated that dropping the policy would result in a brief period of negative publicity for the Coalition but would not affect the election outcome. He was also quoted in the Seven Network saying that “nuclear power is the large obstacle preventing the Liberals from reaching The Lodge,” which refers to the residence of Australia’s Prime Minister.

Dutton defended his policy, stating that it is analogous to international precedent and would reduce electricity costs by 44% while providing “market stability.”

In contrast, the Climate Change Authority, a government entity, concluded that the Coalition’s proposal would release an additional 2 billion tons of CO2 into the atmosphere and make achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 “virtually impossible” — a position the opposition purports to support.

Labor has set a goal of 82% of energy generation to come from renewable sources by 2030, up from the current level of nearly 45%. The authority predicted that under the Coalition’s plan, there would not be 82% of electricity from emissions-free technologies (renewable and nuclear) until 2042.

Independent experts have suggested that the Coalition’s policy would likely lead to higher household power bills than under Labor’s proposal, as there would be less generating capacity to compete in the grid. They have also contended that the policy raises the risk of the electricity supply becoming unreliable at peak times, as it relies more heavily on older coal power plants nearing the end of their expected lifespan.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/18/liberal-supporters-launch-election-ad-campaign-against-peter-duttons-plan-to-build-nuclear-power-plants