Liberal candidates in marginal seats such as Monash are facing an electoral backlash over the Coalition's nuclear energy policy, with new polling suggesting the controversial stance may be costing them crucial votes.

Research commissioned by Liberals Against Nuclear found that abandoning the nuclear energy policy could boost the Liberal Party's primary vote by 2.8 percentage points across key battleground electorates, potentially making the difference between winning and losing the upcoming election. The Liberals won Monash by just 2.9% in 2022. 

Monash Liberal candidate Mary Aldred was contacted for comment on her stance on nuclear energy but did not respond by the time of publication. Aldred told the Bass Coast Post that “We cannot put all of our eggs in 100% renewables overnight. I think gas is an important part of the conversation in terms of a transition fuel to provide that base load reliable energy, but for me nuclear is zero emissions, it's reliable, and it's affordable.”

Her comments come in the wake of CSIRO’s GenCost report  last December that  says a nuclear power plant for Australia would likely cost twice as much as renewable energy. 

Meanwhile, Victorian Liberal leader Brad Battin has publicly distanced himself from the federal party's nuclear stance, telling The Guardian he will focus on gas policy instead, and that Dutton has his "own campaign."

Anti-nuclear advocacy group Solutions for Climate Australia has also entered the fray, launching a billboard campaign in towns that have been pinpointed as possible sites for reactors, such as Traralgon, warning that "adding nuclear could double your energy bills."

Dr Barry Traill, Director of Solutions for Climate Australia, says that Liberal candidates are attempting to downplay the party's nuclear commitments on the campaign trail.

"It's become clear in the last month that Liberal Party MPs and candidates are trying to hide their own nuclear policies by not talking about them," Dr Traill said. "Wannon [a marginal seat in western Victoria] MP Dan Tehan has ruled out hosting a nuclear reactor in the electorate, but he's said nothing about your neighbours in Gippsland being forced to host a risky reactor." 

Cara Schultz