Nationals MPs '100 per cent' back nuclear being kept as Coalition dissects lossBy political reporter Jake EvansTopic:Federal Government2h ago2 hours agoMon 5 May 2025 at 4:12amLiberal National MP Colin Boyce says it is a tragedy Labor's win will push nuclear power into the weeds. (AAP: Dominic Giannini)In short:The Coalition will dissect its election loss, with one frontbencher saying the party's nuclear policy must be part of that assessment.Two Nationals MPs have urged that it be kept, suggesting it was not to blame for the loss.What's next?The Liberal and National parties will review their election loss once seats are finalised.abc.net.au/news/nationals-keep-nuclear-coalition-review-election-2025-loss/105253116Link copiedShareShare articleTwo Nationals MPs have publicly backed the Coalition sticking with its nuclear plan, with leader David Littleproud claiming the party had a "flawless campaign" even though its senior partner was routed.Queenslanders Colin Boyce and Michelle Landry have called for the Coalition's signature energy policy to be re-endorsed when the parties review an election that saw the Liberal Party lose 14 seats at current count and be all but exiled from Australia's cities.Election essentials:Federal election live updates: Follow the latest news in our blogLive results: Find out what's happening in your seat as counting continuesVoters explain what went wrong for the coalitionHowever, Nationals leader David Littleproud, who celebrated on election night that his party had run a "flawless campaign", gave an early signal yesterday that the Nationals would not pin the blame on a promise to build seven nuclear power stations."We're going to work through all of those, I don't think nuclear was the reason we lost this," he told Sky News.Mr Littleproud suffered a personal swing against him in Maranoa, one of the seven proposed nuclear sites.There was also a swing against the National and Liberal candidates in Hunter, another proposed site, but elsewhere the results were mixed, such as in O'Connor, where the Nationals had a large swing towards them away from Liberal incumbent Rick Wilson.Flynn MP Colin Boyce, one of the fiercest advocates for nuclear power in the Coalition, said nuclear was a good policy that was not successfully argued."One hundred per cent, I would like to see it hung onto," Mr Boyce said."I think during the cycle, there was not enough detail, certainly not enough detail around the reality of costings, timeframes, you take water, for example — the Labor party put out some rhetoric that there was not enough water, well I would argue there are other options to cool a nuclear facility."It's nonsense, some of these arguments, but none of them were articulated well enough."Mr Boyce said the policy was not discussed a great deal during the campaign, but said it was "arguable" whether an anti-nuclear campaign run by Labor was what undid Liberal leader Peter Dutton."I think it is an absolute tragedy that an incoming Albanese government is going to kick the possibility of domestic nuclear power into the long grass … there are many nations around the world that heavily rely on nuclear energy," he said."There are some 440-odd nuclear plants around the world, it is among the safest and most reliable energy source there is, it is zero emissions."At the bare minimum, we need to remove the moratorium, at least."Capricornia MP Michelle Landry also urged that the nuclear policy be kept."I had fairly positive feedback on it, I don't think we sold it well enough … and we also should have knocked on the head the lies of the unions and the Labor Party," Ms Landry told ABC Capricornia."I really don't think we fought hard enough against the Labor Party, it just felt a bit lethargic."Ms Landry said policies were announced too late, which made it hard for them to gain traction, and some were "unhelpful", including the Coalition's work-from-home policy that was ultimately dumped.Queensland MP Michelle Landry says the Coalition did not fight the election campaign hard enough. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)Climate policy contentions within CoalitionThe Nationals have led the charge for years on nuclear, eventually convincing its senior Liberal partner to adopt a nuclear strategy in the last term.Debate over energy and cutting carbon emissions in the electricity sector has caused ructions within the Coalition for generations, and been instrumental in the toppling of former leaders.Election analysis:First Canada, then Australia: Trump is toxic for conservatives everywhereWhy the Liberal Party's outer-suburban seat strategy failedVictorian premier no longer Labor's "problem child" as Liberal woes deepenThe parties were finally united under former prime minister Scott Morrison, who won an agreement with then-Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce to formally sign up to the Paris climate agreement to reach net zero emissions by 2050.But determining the pathway to achieve that has continued to pose a challenge within the Coalition — Nationals senator Matt Canavan suggested late last year that the nuclear policy was introduced as a political fix to those arguments, and that the Coalition was "not serious" about it as a solution.The Liberal Party is still picking through the wreckage of Saturday night and will not begin to review the loss until after seats are finalised.But Tasmanian frontbencher Jonno Duniam said when that time comes, nuclear must be part of a complete review."It's probably going to be one of those things that's on the table for discussion," Senator Duniam said."Given it was a big part of the campaign run by the Labor Party against us … it's not something readily understood by people sitting around the table at night debating who they might vote for, I think it is one thing that needs consideration, but along with everything else."Senator Jonathon Duniam says the election review must look at everything. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)A year ago, when defeated Liberal leader Peter Dutton announced the Coalition's plan for seven nuclear power plants, the opposition leader said he would be happy to contest a federal election on the policy."I'm very happy for the election to be a referendum on energy, on nuclear, on power prices, on lights going out," Mr Dutton said in June.LoadingLoading...Having trouble seeing this form? Try this link.Posted 2h ago2 hours agoMon 5 May 2025 at 4:12amShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)Top StoriesLiberals closing gap in Goldstein, Bradfield as postal votes favour CoalitionLIVEPhoto shows Zoe Daniel looks into the distance at a press conference at Parliament HouseAlbanese says he received 'very warm' phone call from Donald TrumpTopic:Foreign AffairsPhoto shows a middle-aged man wearing glasses pointing'Laughable policies': Voters explain what went wrong for CoalitionTopic:ElectionsPhoto shows A young coupleAlbanese to 'slow the pace' as factions jostle over cabinet reshuffleTopic:Federal GovernmentPhoto shows Albanese, at a press conference, raises his hands while speaking.Outgoing Liberals blast Angus Taylor, party's lack of womenTopic:Liberal Party of AustraliaPhoto shows Hollie Hughes dstopRelated storiesThe party of Howard and Menzies is searching for what comes nextTopic:Federal GovernmentPhoto shows Liberal Party launch in SydneyRelated topicsAustraliaElectionsFederal GovernmentGovernment and PoliticsLiberal National Party of QueenslandLiberal Party of AustraliaNational Party of AustraliaNuclear EnergyNuclear IssuesTop StoriesLiberals closing gap in Goldstein, Bradfield as postal votes favour CoalitionTopic:Australian Federal ElectionsPhoto shows Zoe Daniel looks into the distance at a press conference at Parliament HouseAlbanese says he received 'very warm' phone call from Donald TrumpTopic:Foreign Affairs'Laughable policies': Voters explain what went wrong for CoalitionTopic:ElectionsAlbanese to 'slow the pace' as factions jostle over cabinet reshuffleTopic:Federal GovernmentOutgoing Liberals blast Angus Taylor, party's lack of womenTopic:Liberal Party of AustraliaJust InWhat moving to a rural town for love is really likeTopic:Perspective13m ago13 minutes agoMon 5 May 2025 at 6:00amTeal MP Zoe Daniel's high-profile seat is just one of 16 still in doubtTopic:Explainer14m ago14 minutes agoMon 5 May 2025 at 5:59amForeign gold miner beefs up takeover offer for WA partner to $3.7bTopic:Gold20m ago20 minutes agoMon 5 May 2025 at 5:53amPhilippine president's reported half-sister fined over conduct on Jetstar flightTopic:Courts31m ago31 minutes agoMon 5 May 2025 at 5:42amMore Just InBack to top