COURIER MAIL - One of Malcolm Turnbull's senior Liberal colleagues has placed the nuclear issue back on the political agenda, arguing that it must be developed as a long-term energy source.
Shadow spokesman for energy and resources, Ian Macfarlane, predicts Australia will embrace nuclear power ``in the not too distant future''.
He also argues that coal - which supplies about 80 per cent of electricity energy - will become too costly to be competitive.
The nuclear bombshell comes as gaping divisions open up within the Coalition over whether to back the Government's emissions trading scheme or defeat it in the Senate.
Queensland Liberal Senator Russell Trood told The Courier-Mail the scheme needed ``radical reform'' and the Opposition would propose amendments next month.
``I believe there is a great opportunity for the Opposition to help improve this Bill . . . and we intend to do so when the Parliament returns in August,'' he said in a statement.
However Liberal Senator Ian MacDonald was adamant the legislation would not be passed in August, even with any proposed Government amendments.
``I don't think there's any prospect of that,'' he said.
His Senate colleague George Brandis agreed the current scheme would be ``lethally destructive'' to jobs, but said the timing of amendments was a ``matter still to be determined''.
Mr Turnbull has been attacked by some Coalition MPs after signalling on Monday that he was willing to negotiate a compromise emissions scheme with the Government.
West Australian Liberal Senator Chris Back yesterday pleaded with his colleagues to stop attacking each other ``and remove ourselves from the headlines''.
``Is it just possible we can turn attention back where it belongs and that is the Labor Government?'', he said in an email leaked to The Courier-Mail.
His comments came a day after WA maverick Wilson Tuckey accused his leader of being arrogant and inexperienced.
But Mr Macfarlane last night backed his leader and said the Coalition was ``ready to work'' with the Government to amend its emissions scheme.
In his speech to the Australian Uranium Conference today, Mr Macfarlane is set to predict Australia will eventually embrace nuclear power. By Steve Lewis and Emma Chalmers