Nuclear power is important for other countries, but not for energy rich Australia, Resources Minister Martin Ferguson says.

Encouraging the development of geothermal energy, however, was exceptionally important, he said.

The federal opposition has reignited the nuclear energy debate, with frontbencher Ian McFarlane saying Australia must have nuclear power if it is to slash greenhouse gas emissions.

"The position of the government is very clear, we will not support nuclear power in Australia because we don't need to," Mr Ferguson told ABC Radio.

"As a person who actually encouraged the development of our uranium mining industry, I understand the importance of nuclear power beyond Australia.

"But unlike Australia, a lot of those countries are not energy rich."

Geothermal energy - pumping water below the earth's surface so it passes through molten hot rocks to produce steam for electricity - had huge potential for Australia, Mr Ferguson said.

"For example just one per cent of Australia's geothermal energy could equate to 26,000 times Australia's total energy consumption at any one time.

"So from the Australian government's point of view, encouragement of geothermal activity is exceptionally important.

"I would have thought that given our renewable energy target of 20 per cent by 2020 ... we could see a significant contribution of that 20 per cent from the geothermal industry."

This guy has had hot rocks melting any brain he had!

If it's good enough for other countries to use Nuclear for any reason and it's to have far less effect on the environment when managed properly and global warming too (if you believe that), then regardless of our energy wealth, why should we not use Nuclear power too.