A new advocacy group – ‘Liberals Against Nuclear‘ – launched today with an advertising campaign aimed at persuading the Liberal Party to abandon its nuclear energy policy position so it can win the coming election.

The group spokesman is Andrew Gregson, former State Director of and candidate for the Liberal Party in Tasmania.

“Nuclear power is the big road block preventing the Liberals getting to the Lodge,” Gregson said. “This is big government waste that betrays liberal values, splits the party and hands Government back to Labor. It’s time for our party to dump nuclear.

“This policy contradicts core liberal principles by requiring tens of billions in government borrowing, swelling the bureaucracy and imposing massive taxpayer-backed risk.”

The campaign launch includes television advertising, digital content, and billboards questioning the Liberal Party’s support for nuclear. The ads highlight how nuclear energy requires billions in upfront government borrowing, with international experience showing inevitable cost blowouts.

“As John Howard said: ‘For Liberals the role of government should be strategic and limited.’ Yet this nuclear policy gives us bigger government, higher taxes to pay for it, more debt and less freedom as the state takes over energy production,” Gregson said.

The group warns that the nuclear policy is driving free market and middle ground voters directly to the so-called ‘teals’ and other independents in must-win seats.

Recent polling shows just 35% of Australians support nuclear energy, with support collapsing once voters understand the policy details.

“We’re trying to save the party from a policy that will gift seats to their opponents,” Gregson added.

“Nuclear technology itself isn’t the issue – it’s the socialist implementation being proposed that trashes liberal values.”

“If nuclear energy is so good, then the market will back it without massive government intervention.”

Late last year the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis found that nuclear in Australia would increase household power bills by an average of around $665 per household per year.

Gregson, who describes himself as ‘a proud libertarian’, served as Chief of Staff to the Tasmanian Liberals when in opposition. He also led the Tasmanian Salmon Growers Association, is on the board of the Tasmanian Whisky & Spirits Association, has worked for Imperial Tobacco and is now practising as a specialist legal advisor in beverage and distillery law.