Will telling pollies where to "stick it" reset the national conversation about nuclear energy?
Nuclear for Australia
*Nuclear for Australia’s advertising campaign can be viewed at: https://www.nuclearforaustralia.com/ *
Usually telling a pollie to ‘stick it’ would be ill-advised, but a light-hearted take on the larrikin phrase is the centrepiece of a new campaign seeking to educate Australians about the benefits of nuclear energy and encourage politicians to take a fresh look.
From Tuesday, grassroots organisation Nuclear for Australia’s new advertising campaign will be appearing across digital channels and Sky News, as well as at Canberra Airport and on a billboard truck around Parliament House.
Nuclear for Australia Founder Will Shackel says support for nuclear is growing, despite extensive misinformation and disinformation leading up to the 2025 Australian federal election.
“‘Stick nuclear where the sun don’t shine’ isn’t a dig. We’re just pointing out the obvious – renewables do a great job, but they can’t carry the full load of a growing, productive Australia,” Mr Shackel said.
“Our advertising campaign is meant to be light-hearted, but nuclear energy is banned in Australia and that is no joke.
“We believe that nuclear energy should not be politicised and our goal is to drive mature, fact-based discussions about the benefits that nuclear power would deliver to Australia.
“Our challenge when developing the campaign was translating complex and highly politicised energy content into a simple and compelling message.
“What drives us is ensuring Australians understand that nuclear energy is affordable, reliable, emissions free and safe.
“The campaign captures how nuclear energy would work together with renewable energy – not against it.
“It’s about acknowledging that renewables are great, but we need another source of power for energy security, and there are better options than coal and gas.
“It features a down-to-earth Aussie mother, and we made that casting decision because the majority of our supporters are everyday Australians who believe that we need to reset our approach when it comes to nuclear energy,” said Mr Shackel.
Nuclear for Australia is a people's movement – Australia's largest grassroots movement advocating for nuclear sciences and technologies.
Last financial year, its donors gave an average amount of $350 per person showing that it’s everyday Aussies calling for this change. The advertising campaign was funded by supporters.
“Our supporters are individuals who give what they can – be that financially, volunteering time and expertise, or simply resharing our messages on social media," Mr Shackel said.
“Our donors and supporters are the reason this campaign is possible. We’ll continue to advocate to lift the bans on nuclear energy and so that our country can have all options on the table for a clean energy grid."
The campaign extends beyond media, with members of Nuclear for Australia's Expert Advisory Group, senior leaders in the global nuclear industry, meeting with members of parliament in June to share materials and advocate for lifting the ban on nuclear energy.
For more information and to sign a petition to lift the legislative bans on nuclear energy, visit www.nuclearforaustralia.com
About us:
About Nuclear for Australia
Nuclear for Australia is a grassroots organisation founded by Will Shackel, with over 118, 000 supporters. Our goal is to advance the public debate as to the peaceful use of nuclear science, technology and applications.
Nuclear for Australia is a registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, and a member of the Fundraising Institute of Australia following the FIA code and best-practice guidelines.
Support for nuclear energy
YouGov research into Australia’s attitudes towards nuclear power found that 47% of Australians support building nuclear power plants for electricity, with just one third (34%) currently opposed and 19% unsure.
Contact details:
Media Contact:
Will Shackel [email protected]
+61450128754