NATIONALS leader Brendon Grylls says WA should accept nuclear waste from around the world, setting his party on a collision course with its Liberal partner.

In the first real test of the relationship between Mr Grylls and Liberal leader Colin Barnett, the two clashed over the controversial issue, with the Premier slamming the Nationals' position on nuclear waste.

Mr Grylls, an unashamed supporter of the nuclear industry, told The Sunday Times WA should get into the storage of nuclear waste, revealing that he'd already held informal discussions about the idea with several councils.

He also promoted the idea of a referendum on the contentious issue.

Mr Grylls said WA would miss out on big dollars by not accepting nuclear waste, which included spent fuel rods from nuclear reactors.

He argued that it was safer to store the nuclear waste in WA than allow less-developed countries to manage the material.

But Mr Grylls' comments have infuriated Mr Barnett, who has consistently denied claims by Labor that his decision to lift a ban on uranium mining in WA would make it impossible for the state not to accept nuclear waste from other parts of the world.

Labor said yesterday most West Australians would be disgusted at the idea of the state becoming a nuclear waste repository.

Responding to Mr Grylls' comments, Mr Barnett sent a statement to The Sunday Times on Friday distancing himself from the man who handed him Government just a few weeks ago.

"While people have their personal opinions, nuclear waste dumps are illegal in WA,'' Mr Barnett said.

"In 1999 the Court Liberal government passed the Nuclear Waste Storage (prohibition) Act.

"The Bill prohibits the construction of a nuclear waste storage facility.

"The legislation will not be repealed and as a result the acceptance of nuclear waste is not something that can or will occur in WA.

"Australia only exports uranium to countries signed to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.''

But the man who helped Mr Barnett become Premier disagrees.

Asked by The Sunday Times whether he supported the idea of nuclear waste being stored in WA, Mr Grylls said: "Yes. If you believe you want to reduce carbon emissions, which I do, and we want the world to become a lower carbon world, then nuclear power is going to be part of that.

"If people are going to be worried about spent nuclear fuel rods being used to make nuclear weapons, then you have a way of having greater control over the management of that if you are involved.

"I have spoken to individual councils in WA which see this as an opportunity for them.

"I won't name them because they were just preliminary discussions.''

Opposition environment spokeswoman Sally Talbot said Mr Grylls' comments raised serious concerns about what the Government's real agenda was on nuclear power.

"There is no solution to dealing with nuclear waste in other countries. Why bring it here?'' she said.