Nuclear power debate sparks election battle

Rich in solar and wind power and bulging in critical minerals for renewable energy technology, Australia touts itself as a leader in the race to net zero carbon emissions.

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Sydney -

But a political battle is being waged ahead of tomorrow's elections over whether to change Australia's trajectory and add nuclear reactors to the mix for the first time.

The row is reminiscent of the "climate wars" - a years-long political face-off over the need to slash carbon emissions - that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese vowed to end when he took power three years ago.

Australia sits on some of the world's largest uranium reserves but it has legally banned nuclear power generation for a quarter of a century.

In the run-up to tomorrow's vote, conservative opposition leader Peter Dutton announced a $200 billion (about R3.7 trillion) plan to build seven large-scale nuclear reactors by 2050.