“I, in my core sense of belief, believe in the role of nuclear power,” he said.

‘Many’ in the Coalition are pro-nuclear

“Everything will be on the table, there will be reviews by both parties,” he said.

“The Liberal Party must immediately scrap the nuclear energy plan and back the private market’s investment in renewable energy,” she said on Tuesday.

What was the Coalition’s nuclear policy?

The Coalition estimated the project would cost $331 billion and had planned to build the plants in the following electorates:

• Liddell in NSW, electorate of Hunter
• Mount Piper in NSW, electorate of Calare
• Tarong in Queensland, electorate of Maranoa
• Callide in Queensland, electorate of Flynn
• Port Augusta in SA, electorate of Grey
• Loy Yang in Victoria, electorate of Gippsland
• Muja in WA, electorate of O’Connor

Dutton didn’t visit any of the proposed sites during the five-week election campaign.

‘Electoral suicide’

Adam Simpson, a senior lecturer in international studies at the University of South Australia, described pro-nuclear policies as unpopular “electoral suicide”.

“They could have come out and said, ‘We’re going to use gas and or coal for eternity’, but then they would have to abandon their commitment to net zero.”

Fewer moderates in the party

“There are very few voices going to be coming from metropolitan urban areas in the Coalition party room. So that’s why I wouldn’t be surprised if, after they do the post-election wash-up and assessment of what went wrong, they come out again with another pro-nuclear policy.”