Nationals hint at retaining nuclear policy amid Anthony Albanese call-out

Nationals leader David Littleproud has hit back at Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s “masterful” election lie around nuclear policy

Nationals leader David Littleproud has claimed the Coalition’s proposed nuclear energy plans fell victim to a “masterful election lie” from the Prime Minister.

Mr Littleproud told Sunrise the Labor Party’s election “lie” around the real cost of the Coalition’s nuclear plans would “catch up with Australians”.

“I think what Anthony Albanese was able to do in a masterful way was to perpetrate a lie around a $600 billion cost (of the nuclear plan),” he said.

“The costings actually were $263 billion cheaper than an all-renewables approach of having a mixed grid, not just renewables but renewables and gas.”

The National and Liberal parties are yet to strike a deal for a Coalition agreement following the election of new Liberal leader Sussan Ley on Tuesday last week.

Leader of The Nationals, David Littleproud, said PM Anthony Albanese ‘perpetrated a lie around a $600 billion cost’ of nuclear plan. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The Coalition had pledged to transition Australia towards nuclear energy during the election, with the construction of seven government owned nuclear plants across the country to be fully operational by 2050.

Nuclear energy was pitched as a reliable and consistent power supply that would lower electricity bills and align with the Coalition’s ‘net-zero’ approach by 2050.

The PM branded the policy a “fantasy”, dreamed up to delay action on climate change and billing it to cost $600 billion.

Mr Littleproud said the Nationals would put their support behind continuing the net zero approach.

“In respect to net zero, that’s a separate discussion that each party room will have at some juncture. They will take a different process to ours, but [the Nationals’ policy] has been to support it,” he said.

“You can’t get to zero without nuclear energy.

“We were promised three years ago, a $275 reduction in our energy bills. They’ve gone up by over $1300.”

Mr Littleproud insists “pragmatism” should be adopted for a net-zero policy, saying “all-renewables approach” cannot keep the economy going.

However, the Coalition have been yet to form a policy agreement, with discussions taking a pause following the death of newly-elected leader Sussan Ley’s mother on Saturday.

“There are other issues we’re working through and I will do that when it’s respectful and rightful time to deal with Sussan,” Mr Littleproud said.

“I’m very mindful of that, having just lost her mother.”

Ms Ley was elected on Tuesday as the first female leader of the party, narrowly beating out Angus Taylor.

Mr Littleproud said discussions would be held about the ‘net zero approach’ but the Nationals will put their support behind it. Picture: Richard Dobson / NewsWire

Originally published as Nationals hint at retaining nuclear policy amid Anthony Albanese call-out