The Coalition didn’t do much on nuclear energy while in office. Why are they talking about it now?

There is a long history of nuclear energy being used as a delaying tactic for acting on climate change in Australia

• Peter Dutton says he's not afraid' of nuclear debate after advocate named shadow energy minister
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Last week, the Nationals' new leader, David Littleproud, said it was time for Australia to have a mature" conversation about nuclear energy while his predecessor, Barnaby Joyce, called for a national moratorium to be lifted and argued nuclear power would be really important" if the country was serious about reaching net zero emissions.

On Sunday, the nuclear power advocate Ted O'Brien was appointed as the Coalition's climate change and energy spokesperson. In an interview with ABC Radio National, the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, said he was not afraid to have a discussion on nuclear" as the country should not be afraid to talk about any technology that's going to have the ability to reduce emissions and electricity prices".

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