Peter Dutton’s pledge to build seven nuclear power stations by 2050 faces resistance from the states and has raised concerns among business about delaying the energy transition, but has been positively received in the Coalition electorates slated to house the facilities.

In one of the riskiest plays by an opposition since John Hewson released Fightback more than a year before the 1993 election, Mr Dutton will become the first leader of a major party to take nuclear power to a federal poll, arguing it was integral to the energy mix if Australia was to have cheap, clean and reliable power over the long term.