The industry workshop on the findings of the Scarce Royal Commission, held at the Adelaide Convention Centre, brought together around 200 leaders from business, science and academia as part of a broader community debate coordinated by the Government’s Consultation and Response Agency.

“I do have a personal perspective and I wouldn’t have come to this idea [of pursuing the Royal Commission] if I wasn’t open to SA expanding its role in the nuclear fuel cycle,” Weatherill told the gathering.

He framed the push as part of SA’s “transition from old to new economies”, citing the rapid growth of sectors such as renewable energy, which has been a bone of contention recently amid national debate about energy security.

“We’re seeking to move from old manufacturing to advanced manufacturing [and create] the jobs of the future,” Weatherill said.

“From my perspective, SA doesn’t need to have an either/or approach to its future – we’re seeking to build on as many of these opportunities as we can.”

He said such opportunities would require “partnerships across industries, universities and research bodies [and] this is just the sort of collaborative activity we would see with expansion of the nuclear industry”.

He reiterated his mantra that “South Australians should view the Royal Commission recommendations as an opportunity rather than a problem to solve”, highlighting the citizens’ jury model as a template for amicably grappling with difficult questions.

“The ambition is to engage as many South Australians as possible in what’s a profound question for our state,” he said of the broader consultation.

“One thing I’ve been impressed by is the way South Australians have engaged in this process [and] the way they’ve asked insightful questions.”

He said while there was “heat and emotion” and “passionate views” in the debate, “one advantage of a citizens’ jury is that it has a civilising effect on that discourse”.

“At a more fundamental level, complex issues should be grappled with in this more thoroughgoing way,” he said.

“If we did this more often about more issues, we might be able to come to grips with some of the more complex issues that tend to frustrate political debates.”

Weatherill has previously spoken about “proceeding with caution” towards a greater role in the nuclear fuel cycle, but he also cast doubt over his commitment in his appearance on the ABC’s Q&A program last month, when he insisted community consent “would require, essentially, the explicit consent of traditional [indigenous] owners”.

“Now, if that didn’t exist, it won’t happen,” he said at the time.