THE Opposition Leader, Brendan Nelson, has shifted gear over nuclear energy by urging the Government to work with the Coalition to make the power source part of Australia's clean energy future.

Only six months after the Coalition apparently dropped its support for nuclear power following its election defeat, Dr Nelson said there was a need for nuclear power but it would require bipartisan political support.

"There needs to be consideration in Australia given to the development of a nuclear power industry to complement the clean energy future," he said.

"But it is not likely to be developed until we have the major political parties … supportive of it.

"We remain open to having discussions with the Government if it chooses to change its position on nuclear power. But until such time as it does, I don't see that it's likely to happen."

Dr Nelson was an early advocate of nuclear power in the Howard government. After the last election, support for the energy source was quietly dropped as Coalition policy and, in February, Dr Nelson said "we cannot envisage any circumstances under which Australia will have a nuclear power industry".

Three weeks ago, his deputy leader, Julie Bishop, raised it in the context of tackling climate change and yesterday, the Liberal frontbencher and the former resources minister Ian Macfarlane said Australia could not cut carbon emissions and still provide baseload power without nuclear energy.

The Climate Change Minister, Penny Wong, said Dr Nelson should come clean about whether he still harboured secret plans to build nuclear reactors.

"Australia has an abundance of renewable energy sources. We have a lot of solar, we have a lot of wind, we have geothermal resources," she said.

"We don't believe it's appropriate for Australia to go down the nuclear path."