Ahead of Queensland Treasurer and Energy Minister David Janetzki's address to the National Press Club in Brisbane, Nuclear for Australia has called on the Queensland Government to lift its ideological bans on nuclear energy.
Nuclear for Australia Founder Will Shackel said the Government's defence of its nuclear bans was at odds with its claim that its energy policy was "not about ideology".
"Last week the Queensland Premier said the QLD LNP energy policy 'not about ideology',1 and in the same breath defending the retention of bans on nuclear energy, which were put in place for ideological reasons," Mr Shackel said.
Queensland also has a policy ban restricting uranium mining,2 despite 61% of Queenslanders saying they support nuclear.3
"These prohibitions restrict a proven, clean energy source used in over 30 countries worldwide including some of Australia's closest partners including the United States, France, Canada and China," Mr Shackel said.
With Mr Janetzki about to head overseas to talk about private capital investment in Queensland, Mr Shackel said the Treasurer would be missing an opportunity if he did not talk about nuclear energy.
"Electricity demand is set to skyrocket, and rapid developments in advanced nuclear technologies present significant opportunity for the state - one such example is Deployable Energy's Unity Nuclear Battery which was invented by Brisbane-born Bobby Gallagher.
"Queensland wants energy abundance and lower power prices - so our question is whether the Queensland Government will stand in the way if a private investor wants to pay to establish its own nuclear energy source to power its data centre, mine or advanced manufacturing facility? If the answer is no, then Queensland should lift the ideological bans on nuclear."
References
- Premier Crisafulli at The Australian's Energy Nation Event, Wednesday 23 September 2026.
- Queensland legislation, Act 2007-004
- Lowy Institute Poll, 2024