The Coalition has furiously attacked Labor for a flurry of memes lampooning Peter Dutton’s grand nuclear vision for Australia.

But the Coalition is no stranger to using online memes in similar attempts at humour in political attacks.

After the nuclear plan was revealed on Thursday, state and federal Labor members flooded the internet with comparisons of it with The Simpsons and even Snow White, eliciting a strong response from the Opposition.

Shadow attorney-general Michaelia Cash claimed on Friday that the “juvenile attacks on the Coalition’s nuclear energy policy could undermine confidence in Australia’s AUKUS nuclear submarine program”.

“Labor has fully supported the AUKUS nuclear submarine program and [Prime Minister Anthony] Albanese should come and confirm to navy personnel that nuclear submarines will be safe for them to operate,” she said.

“As Western Australia will host the submarine program, including storage of waste, Mr Albanese should assure all Western Australians nuclear technology is safe.”

Cash took particular aim at Assistant Treasurer Andrew Leigh for this post on Instagram.

Cash singled out this post as an example of “misinformation”. Photo: Instagram

But when asked on Friday if Labor premiers and federal MPs sharing memes of three-eyed fishes from The Simpsons in response to Dutton’s nuclear announcement was juvenile, Albanese told ABC TV host Michael Rowland to “lighten up”.

“Lighten up, for goodness sake. We aren’t going to take lectures from a mob who said an advisory committee for Indigenous Australians on matters that affected them would lead to everyone losing their house and private property,” Albanese said.

“It is their responsibility, the Coalition, if they have not put out any facts, any costings, they won’t say what form nuclear reactors will take, they won’t say how they will overcome the states’, as well as the Howard government’s, ban on nuclear energy.”

They all have form

Although the Coalition has called the attacks “juvenile”, it has used internet memes to try to sway public opinion.

The Liberal Party uses the same tactics online. Photo: Facebook

The line between fair criticism and political point-scoring is often blurred. But plenty of Labor’s attacks have been directed at the lack of detail about the cost and timeline of the Coalition’s nuclear plan.

Conservative lobbying group Advance spent huge amounts of money during the Indigenous Voice referendum advertising on TikTok, Facebook and other social media platforms. Its ads were often amplified by Coalition politicians.

Other criticisms from Labor politicians have reached the point of misinformation by exaggerating the risk that nuclear energy poses to communities, despite experts declaring it a safe form of energy, while at the same time pushing back on the Coalition’s plan.

The Coalition, however, isn’t afraid to use the same tactics, while accusing Labor of immaturity.

The party calling for mature debate has its own meme history. Photo: Instagram/Liberal Party

Rejected by the states

Dutton and the Coalition face huge barriers in implementing their nuclear plan, even before managing to convince state leaders to repeal bans on nuclear energy.

In Victoria, Loy Yang was named as a potential site for a nuclear power station, without consulting the local council. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allen was quick to join in on the meming.

No premier or state opposition leader has pledged support for the Coalition’s energy policy. All of which means the digital dunking isn’t going to end anytime soon.