Communities in the Hunter, Lake Macquarie and Central Coast deserve to know exactly where the Morrison Government would build nuclear power plants under the intensifying Coalition campaign for Australia to develop a nuclear power industry.

This week in Parliament Energy Minister Angus Taylor said he had an "open mind" on the use of nuclear energy. Industry Minister Karen Andrews and several other MPs have made similar comments, while Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said nuclear power is “not not’’ on his agenda and Queensland MPs Keith Pitt and James McGrath have called for a parliamentary inquiry into the issue.

Earlier this week maverick National Barnaby Joyce ramped up the pressure for change by proposing authorities could get around public concerns about safety of nuclear energy by giving people free power if they could see a nuclear reactor from their home.

Nuclear energy is banned in Australia, and would not deliver cheaper power to Australian families.

But with so many Coalition MPs now advocating its use, locals deserve to know where the Government is headed on energy policy.

In particular, it should explain where nuclear power plants might be built, particularly since these facilities need to be sited near large bodies of water.

If Mr Morrison is open to using nuclear energy, would he be prepared to have a nuclear power plant built in the Sutherland Shire, in his own electorate?

Past studies into nuclear energy as well as a recent study by the Australian Nuclear Association have identified “suitable” sites for locating nuclear energy plants. These sites include Glenbawn Dam, Liddell Power Station and Bayswater Power Station in the Hunter Valley, and Eraring, Munmorah and Vales Point power stations in the Lake Macquarie/Central Coast area for nuclear power stations.

I will never accept a Nuclear Power Plant being built in our community. Our community will never accept a Nuclear Power Plant being built here.

I am sending a clear message to Scott Morrison and the Liberals and Nationals – if you pursue any plans for nuclear energy in our region our community will fight this every day.

Our message to the Prime Minister is – no nuclear power!

The Liberal National government needs to come clean on their nuclear plans and reassure our local community that it won’t become home to a nuclear power plant.

The Coalition must rule out the Hunter, Lake Macquarie and Central Coast as sites for a nuclear power plant.