MEDIA RELEASE
Nuclear support has melted down in proposed nuclear communities, new polling released by a not-for-profit organisation working with regional communities for more than a decade, RE-Alliance, revealed today.
Energy attitudes polling by respected research firm 89 Degrees East and commissioned by the Renew Australia for All campaign has revealed support for building nuclear reactors at just:
-
27% in Gladstone
-
24% in the rest of Central Queensland
-
24% in Bunbury
-
22% in Central West NSW which includes Lithgow
-
32% in Hunter
-
31% Gippsland.
Further, the same polling showed just 13% of people polled thought nuclear reactors would bring down their bills the fastest (see table below).
The sample size for the polling was 200 local residents in Gladstone, 151 in Central West NSW, 151 in Bunbury, 145 in Central Queensland excluding Gladstone, 301 in Hunter, 300 in Gippsland. Those polled were asked: How do you feel about developing large-scale nuclear energy infrastructure?
RE-Alliance National Director, Andrew Bray, said he was not surprised support for nuclear had bombed, because community engagement is key.
“RE-Alliance stands by the principle that all energy developments in regional Australia need broad community support - whether it’s for solar, wind, batteries, coal, coal seam gas or nuclear reactors,” Mr Bray said.
“Support for nuclear reactors seems to be melting down in the regions who’ve been told they are hosting them.
“These communities weren’t asked if they want nuclear reactors in their backyard, and have been told it’s happening whether they like it or not. Community engagement is by no means easy, but you’ve got to at least try. It’s no surprise support is so low.
“Proposed nuclear communities are asking key questions about nuclear reactors which have not been answered: Where is the water coming from? Where is the waste being stored? Where is the detail?
"Communities also don't believe that nuclear power is capable of bringing down their energy bills anytime soon and see renewable energy solutions as a better bet. 72% of people said renewables would bring down bills faster, compared to just 13% who said nuclear.
“We see multiple polls from Porter Novelli, CSIRO, 89 Degrees East and more showing strong support for renewable energy on local farmland, between 66% and 71%. Now the polling shows us support for nuclear reactors in these regions is between 22% and 32%.
“Regional communities have enough uncertainty already. Let’s stop with the whiplash and stay the course on a shift to renewable energy which is already almost halfway done.”
- ends -
Full results of the two poll questions can be found in the Appendix below.
Note: The difference between a poll and a survey is survey respondents select themselves whereas respondents to a poll are selected by the pollster, weighted so the sample accurately represents the population being sampled, by gender, age group, occupation, and so on.
The Australian Press Council’s Advisory Guideline on Opinion Polls says:
“Editors and reporters should carefully evaluate whether to report online surveys, having regard to their scope and methodology. They should be cautious of open-access online polls where the sample size and the exact questions asked are unknown and the results have been generated by self-selecting respondents.”
Media contact: Kitty Walker 0438900117 [email protected] or [email protected]
Appendix
Full results
1. Overall, how do you feel about developing large-scale nuclear energy infrastructure?
|
Response |
Bunbury WA |
Central QLD |
Central West NSW |
Gladstone QLD |
Gippsland VIC |
Hunter NSW |
|
Total Positive |
24% |
24% |
22% |
27% |
31% |
32% |
|
Very Positive |
8% |
7% |
7% |
13% |
14% |
11% |
|
Quite Positive |
16% |
17% |
15% |
14% |
17% |
21% |
|
Neutral |
33% |
29% |
37% |
28% |
28% |
27% |
|
Quite negative |
19% |
24% |
21% |
20% |
13% |
18% |
|
Very negative |
24% |
23% |
20% |
27% |
28% |
23% |
|
Total negative |
43% |
47% |
41% |
47% |
41% |
41% |
|
n= |
151 |
145 |
151 |
200 |
300 |
301 |
2. Which energy system changes do you think would lower people’s power bills fastest?
|
Response |
Bunbury WA |
Central QLD |
Central West NSW |
Gladstone QLD |
Gippsland VIC |
Hunter NSW |
|
Total Renewables |
81% |
72% |
78% |
70% |
68% |
67% |
|
Building more large-scale renewable energy, like wind and solar, with battery storage |
34% |
16% |
28% |
24% |
26% |
27% |
|
More subsidies for household rooftop solar and batteries |
35% |
44% |
38% |
36% |
29% |
26% |
|
Building nuclear energy reactors |
9% |
10% |
11% |
16% |
14% |
18% |
|
Big battery storage, to reduce demand on the grid at peak times e.g. In the evening |
12% |
12% |
12% |
11% |
13% |
14% |
|
Building new coal power stations |
8% |
17% |
8% |
12% |
14% |
11% |
|
Other |
1% |
1% |
3% |
2% |
4% |
3% |
|
n= |
151 |
145 |
151 |
200 |
300 |
301 |
Methodology
The polling was administered online with recruitment sourced from a consumer opt-in panel provided by Pure Profile, weighted to ensure a representative sample in line with ABS proportions for age, gender and location.
This study was conducted by the research firm 89 Degrees East as part of a larger poll with a total sample size of 5,952 Australians. The sample included a nationally representative poll of 2,014 Australians, with an additional boost sample of 1,900 Australians residing in Renewable Energy Zones (REZs). To ensure robust representation within each REZ, quotas and targeted postcode sampling boosts were applied.
The confidence level of the general population sample is +/- 2.14% at the 95% confidence level. Fieldwork was conducted by 89 Degrees East in March 2025. 89 Degrees East is a member of The Research Society of Australia and the Australian Polling Council.