Radioactive waste
One of the questions asked of the parties was whether they would
Protect SA from the threat of radioactive waste importation, storage and disposal.
Actively oppose the federal government plan for a radioactive waste facility in SA and support the state Nuclear Waste Storage Facility (Prohibition) Act 2000 which makes any such facility illegal. Commit to further strengthen this legislation by removing the modified section 13(2).
The detailed responses given to the SA Our Future Questionnaire are as follows:
The Greens
11a. Categorically rule out the creation of an international high and/or intermediate level radioactive waste storage and disposal facility Yes
11b. Actively oppose the federal government plan for a radioactive waste facility in SA Yes
11c. Actively support the state Nuclear Waste Storage Facility (Prohibition) Act 2000. Commit to further strengthen this legislation by removing the modified section 13(2). Done! Thanks to Greens Bill
The Liberals
11a. Categorically rule out the creation of an international high and/or intermediate level radioactive waste storage and disposal facility Yes
11b. Actively oppose the federal government plan for a radioactive waste facility in SA No response
11c. Actively support the state Nuclear Waste Storage Facility (Prohibition) Act 2000. Commit to further strengthen this legislation by removing the modified section 13(2). The Liberal Party supports the current act.
SA Best
11a Categorically rule out the creation of an international high and/or intermediate level radioactive waste storage and disposal facility Yes
11b. Actively oppose the federal government plan for a radioactive waste facility in SA
SA Best recognises the benefits of nuclear medicine and research and supports a responsible approach to radioactive waste management in Australia. However, this must be based on transparent and inclusive processes. SA Best notes community concern and is not supportive of any planned national radioactive waste facility in SA in the absence of full federal government transparency regarding its consultation, selection and assessment processes. Should the federal government fail to demonstrate this SA Best would support using existing state legislation to block the plan.
11c No Response
Labor
No radioactive waste
Actively oppose the federal government plan for a radioactive waste facility in SA and support the state Nuclear Waste Storage Facility (Prohibition) Act 2000 which makes any such facility illegal. Commit to further strengthen this legislation by removing the modified
section 13(2).
Response
SA Labor has supported changes to the Nuclear Waste Storage Facility (Prohibition) Act 2000.
We have written to the Turnbull government outlining our strong expectations around community support for any proposed facility, including a veto for the local Aboriginal Community.
The State Labor Government supported an amendment in parliament that affirmed the State’s ban on spending public money on nuclear waste. The Government has also been clear that any Commonwealth nuclear waste facility MUST have the support of the community, including the local Aboriginal community.
Premier Jay Wetherill has recently written to the Turnbull government and made our expectations in this regard very clear, and to request their process include a veto policy for any local Aboriginal community.
513 of the Nuclear Waste Storage Facility (Prohibition) Act 2000 prohibits the expenditure of money on any nuclear waste facility. 513(2) allowed us to spend money on consultation on the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission. We recently supported an amendment Bill to remove this clause — but with a modified replacement clause as follows:
Subsection (1 ) does not prohibit the appropriation, expenditure or advancement to a person of public money for the purpose of financing the maintenance or sharing of information or to enable the State to engage with other jurisdictions
This clause means that money cannot be spent on pursuing a nuclear waste facility, but allows us respond to enquiries from the public and to engage with the Commonwealth on their process. Without this amendment, our Act would prohibit us from even talking to the Commonwealth in relation to their process.