Nationals leader David Littleproud expects the Queensland LNP to support the federal opposition’s nuclear power plan. 

Queensland opposition leader David Crisafulli says nuclear energy would not be part of his government’s agenda, creating division within the party on the approach to nuclear energy.

Speaking at the LNP's annual conference in Brisbane, Littleproud emphasised that a federal Coalition government would have a mandate to remove the ban on nuclear energy. 

“That's the path that Peter Dutton and I intend to undertake,” he said.

Littleproud asserted that diversifying energy sources is crucial, describing it as “folly” to rely solely on renewable energy. 

Despite this, Crisafulli has maintained a consistent stance against incorporating nuclear power into Queensland's energy strategy. 

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton framed the next federal election as a pivotal decision on whether Australia will adopt nuclear power. 

Dutton described the election as a choice between “Labor's reckless renewables-only policy” and the Coalition’s plan for “cheaper, cleaner and consistent energy”, which includes nuclear power.

Federal Labor frontbencher Pat Conroy criticised Dutton's stance, arguing that the nuclear policy is unpopular both domestically and in the Pacific region. He said Dutton's position demonstrated a lack of economic and security credentials necessary to lead the country.

In Queensland, Health Minister Shannon Fentiman questioned how long the state opposition could resist federal pressure on nuclear energy. 

“It's ridiculous … [it] is by far the most expensive form of energy,” she said. 

Premier Steven Miles has also expressed strong opposition, committing to do “everything” to block nuclear energy in Queensland.

The Coalition’s nuclear strategy faces further challenges as global developments cast doubt on the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of nuclear power. 

The Economist magazine recently highlighted the rapid growth of solar power, predicting it will become the dominant source of electricity by the mid-2030s and the largest energy source by the 2040s. 

The magazine reported that installed solar capacity is doubling every three years, driven by plummeting costs and increasing demand.

Additionally, the French government-owned EdF has reportedly abandoned plans for new small modular reactors (SMRs) due to soaring costs and engineering issues. 

This setback aligns with similar challenges faced by NuScale, a US-based company, which also scrapped its SMR plans after facing massive cost overruns.