Q. Do you support or oppose Australia developing nuclear power plants for the generation of electricity?
| 27 Jan 2009 | 20 Dec 2010 | 21 Mar 2011 | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total support | 43% | 43% | 35% | 39% | 31% | 50% | 27% |
| Total oppose | 35% | 37% | 53% | 45% | 53% | 37% | 68% |
| Strongly support | 14% | 16% | 12% | 13% | 7% | 20% | 9% |
| Support | 29% | 27% | 23% | 26% | 24% | 30% | 18% |
| Oppose | 21% | 21% | 21% | 22% | 27% | 18% | 25% |
| Strongly oppose | 14% | 16% | 32% | 23% | 26% | 19% | 43% |
| Don’t know | 22% | 19% | 13% | 16% | 16% | 13% | 6% |
45% oppose Australia developing nuclear power plants for the generation of electricity and 39% support. This is a considerable shift in opinion since this question was last asked in March following the problems with the nuclear power plants in Japan after the tsunami. However, there remains net opposition to nuclear power plants – compared to net support in surveys conducted in 2009 and 2010.
Those that intend to vote Lib/Nat were more likely to support (50%) than oppose (37%) Australia developing nuclear power plants for the generation of electricity.
There was majority opposition from Labor (53% oppose or strongly oppose) and the Greens (68% oppose or strongly oppose).
There is a considerable difference between the attitudes of males and females towards nuclear power plants – 56% of males, compared to just 24% of females support or strongly support Australia developing nuclear power plants for the generation of electricity.