Family First senator Bob Day insists he has broad support for lifting a ban on nuclear power stations even though he has failed to get the move through Federal Parliament.

The South Australian senator put forward a proposal to amend legislation that bans nuclear power stations and uranium enrichment in Australia on Tuesday, but it was defeated.

Despite it failing, Senator Day said he was encouraged by the amount of support he received for the proposal elsewhere.

"Any change is always met with resistance, but also by the same token it's met with a lot of support," Senator Day said.

"In fact I've been very encouraged by the level of support by people both in South Australia and other states, particularly people who are forward looking, future thinking, encouraging the development of a nuclear industry.

"My amendment was not supported yesterday in the Parliament but suffice to say I was encouraged to revisit it, so watch this space."

Senator Day said the restrictions on the nuclear industry in Australia was stifling worthwhile investigations into the industry.

He said his first objection to the act was the prohibition on considering nuclear power at all.

"I have a bit of a science background and to sort of make it unlawful to consider one particular aspect of science it goes against the grain," Senator Day said.

"So I just think we should not rule out any consideration or exploration or investigating of any particular aspect of science.

"Given the pace of change at the moment and leaps and bounds we're seeing in science who knows what might develop."

Australia could 'benefit' from nuclear-powered submarines

Senator Day said when considering nuclear power, most people are put off by the thought of gigantic power stations.

"They tend to think of gigantic nuclear power stations the size of the new Adelaide Oval football stadium and they think of Three Mile Island and Fukushima and these sorts of things but that's not the case at all," he said.

Nuclear-powered submarines would also be a great benefit to Australia's defence capacity, Senator Day said.

"Basically a nuclear submarine carries a small nuclear reactor it's a small device that powers a submarine for 30 years it never has to be refuelled it outlasts the actual submarine itself and I think there's a great future there," Senator Day said.

"The best military and defence informed opinion tells us that Australia actually needs 12 submarines, six conventional and six nuclear-powered submarines.

"Nuclear-powered submarines are twice the speed, have much more range, they virtually never need to resurface, they never need to be refuelled unlike diesel-powered submarines."

Senator Day said he was also encouraged by the South Australian Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission, established by the State Government in March.

"I think this is a great step forward and it could really transform South Australia to become a scientific and nuclear cycle centre for Australia."