Liberals Against Nuclear is calling on the Coalition leadership to urgently reconsider its nuclear energy policy as new polling reveals overwhelming opposition in communities designated to host nuclear reactors.
"These polling results should sound alarm bells within our party. Nuclear energy is being rejected by the very communities we're proposing to build reactors in," said Andrew Gregson, spokesperson for Liberals Against Nuclear.
Research conducted by 89 Degrees East shows support for nuclear at just 27% in Gladstone and 24% in the rest of Central Queensland – regions central to the Coalition's nuclear plan. Other proposed sites showed similarly poor results with just 24% support in Bunbury/south west WA and 22% in Central West Orana, NSW.
"As Liberals who want to see our party win the next election, we cannot ignore these numbers. Pushing ahead with a $600 billion nuclear program in communities where fewer than one in three residents support it risks not only electoral defeat but long-term damage to our standing in these regions," Gregson said.
"These findings reinforce what our own polling has consistently shown – nuclear is a major electoral liability. As we've warned and worried, Labor has figured this out, and their first attack ad is aimed solely at this ill-conceived nuclear policy. It makes no sense to stubbornly cling to a policy that's actively driving voters away," Gregson added.
"We can still win this election by focusing on Labor's economic mismanagement, but not if we continue pushing a policy that's being rejected across the country, especially in the very places where we want to build reactors."
Liberals Against Nuclear continues to urge the Coalition to return to its core strength of economic management to restore standing with voters.
"We are loyal Liberals who want nothing more than to see Peter Dutton as Prime Minister. That's precisely why we're pleading with the leadership to drop this nuclear policy before it costs us an election we should win."
