Nationals Pledge to Take Nuclear Energy Policy to Next Election

Nationals leader David Littleproud has vowed to take nuclear energy to the next federal election, framing it as essential to Australia’s future energy mix. He argued that regional communities are bearing the brunt of the current energy transition, with farmland and natural landscapes disrupted by transmission lines, solar farms, and wind projects.
Littleproud said his party would continue pushing for a “technology-agnostic” approach to energy, insisting nuclear must be part of Australia’s long-term solution. He warned that food security and native environments were being compromised under current policies. “There is a sensible way to fix it and that’s what we’re going to take to the next election,” he said.
Alongside nuclear power, the Nationals are backing a $20 billion Regional Australia Future Fund, designed to boost childcare access, attract and retain doctors, and support local councils. They are also demanding a universal service obligation for mobile phone tower maintenance in regional areas, arguing that residents are being abandoned by telecom companies.
The party is further calling for powers to break up supermarket giants if they misuse market dominance, accusing major retailers of price gouging. Littleproud stressed that the Nationals’ stance during their brief split with the Liberals earlier this year was not out of malice, but about securing firm commitments to core policies.
Debate around energy and climate remains central to the Nationals’ agenda, with the party pushing alternatives to current net zero targets while pressing for greater support for regional communities.