The Liberal Party has reignited the nuclear debate, with a frontbencher saying Australia must have nuclear power if it is to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

But the Government has vehemently rejected the push, saying people do not want nuclear power plants in their suburbs.

Liberal frontbencher Ian Macfarlane opened the latest round of the debate when he talked up ''yellowcake'' in a speech.

''It's a black-and-white answer. Or should I say a black, green and yellow answer,'' he said in the speech last night.

''Clean coal, renewables and yellowcake we must include nuclear in our future baseload clean energy mix.'' Mr Macfarlane, who was resources minister in the Howard government, said.

It was an ''inconvenient truth'' that only nuclear power could provide baseload electricity while cutting emissions.

He dismissed fears of a Chernobyl-type disaster, saying ''burying mere tonnes of radioactive waste in geological stable rock'' was low risk.

In his speech to the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Mr Macfarlane said Australia should make full use of its uranium.

Liberal leader Brendan Nelson backed Mr Macfarlane, saying he had ''a very strong argument''.

''Our view is that there needs to be consideration in Australia given to the development of a nuclear power industry,'' Dr Nelson said.

''We need more rational discussion about nuclear power in Australia and much less of the emotive, political debate we've had in the last few years.''

Dr Nelson said a nuclear industry would get off the ground only if the Coalition and Labor backed it. He offered to talk to the Government about it.

The Opposition's renewed support for nuclear power signals a policy shift.

Last year, then prime minister John Howard said Australia had to consider nuclear power if it was serious about climate change.

In February, Dr Nelson ruled out nuclear power.

''We cannot envisage any circumstance under which Australia will have a nuclear power industry,'' he said then.

Now he appears to have warmed to the idea.

The wider party has also appeared divided over the issue.

Senior Liberals Nick Minchin and Greg Hunt have spoken out against nuclear power. Others have spoken strongly in favour of it.

The mixed messages on nuclear power is reminiscent of the party's struggle to unify around a climate change policy.

Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett attacked the push for nuclear power, saying Australians did not want it.

''The last election showed that Australians are absolutely of one mind about not having 25 nuclear power plants dotted around their suburbs and in and around their cities,'' Mr Garrett said.

He accused the Liberals of having a ''dog's breakfast position'' on nuclear energy.

Mr Garrett told the Liberals to stop ''trotting out their old pro-nuclear plans''.

Federal Climate Change Minister Penny Wong joined the fray.

''Are they really saying that they have a plan for 25 nuclear reactors in Australia?

''Where are they going to put them?'' Senator Wong said.

She said the Rudd Government remained firmly opposed to nuclear power.