NSW Nationals form secretive pro-nuclear power advocacy

The NSW Nationals have been running a secret, pro-nuclear party aiming to legalise and promote nuclear power in Australia, and to attack its political rivals.

NSW Nationals leader John Barilaro. Picture: Gaye Gerard

The NSW Nationals have been running a secret, pro-nuclear party aiming to legalise and promote nuclear power in Australia, and to attack its political rivals.

Days after Nationals’ Upper Hunter state by-election candidate David Layzell was forced to disassociate himself from a “dirty tricks” campaign in which the party created fake websites under the names of his opponents, The Australian can reveal the Nationals are the force behind surreptitious political entity Atomic Australia.

The group, with accounts on Facebook and Twitter, describes itself as “A political party aiming to legalise and promote nuclear power in Australia”, and has used its platform to promote NSW Nationals leader John Barilaro, while attacking other parties. Just over 100 people have “liked” or are following the group’s Facebook page.

One Facebook post linked to an article comments “When the Greens hate your idea you know that it’s a good one”, while another promotes an opinion piece written by Mr Barilaro titled “It’s time we started talking about ­nuclear power as an option”.

The Deputy Premier has long been a supporter of nuclear energy in Australia, which has caused fractures within the Berejiklian government, particularly his support for a Mark Latham-backed bill last year that would have lifted a ban on uranium mining and nuclear power.

A domain name search reveals the registrant of jeffdrayton.com.au — a website registered by the Nationals to ­attack Labor Upper Hunter candidate Jeff Drayton — is Atomic Australia, with the contact listed as Jeff McCormack, deputy chief of staff to Mr Barilaro.

Mr McCormack is also listed as the contact tech name and includes his personal email address. Atomic Australia’s ABN and social media pages have been active since October 2017.

Mr McCormack denied being the owner of the group, or of having any involvement, instead saying a close confidant with an ABN had set up the domain in his name. He declined to say who was behind Atomic Australia.

Mr Barilaro declined to respond to questions.

The revelation comes on the heels of a “dirty tricks” campaign in which the Nationals registered domain names of Mr Layzell’s political opponents in the Upper Hunter, including Shooters, Fishers and Farmers candidate Sue Gilroy and Mr Drayton.

The landing page of the Gilroy website attempted to associate the Shooters Party with NSW Labor, saying: “Vote Shooter, Risk Labor.” It included a picture of Shooters leader Robert Borsak with a headline saying: “We’re in discussions about preferencing Labor.”

The Drayton website suggested the Labor candidate, a former coalminer, opposed the coal industry. Mr Drayton pledged he would run a clean campaign.

In an interview with local news site scone.com.au, Mr Layzell said he didn’t back the use of the tactic: “I don’t endorse it. I understand it is part of a campaign … but me as a person, no.”

But Mr Barilaro defended the party’s tactics, saying: “If you’re not ready to campaign, you’re not ready to govern.”