nuclear-news

Australian Senator puts searchlight onto government’s messed up nuclear waste dump plan

21 November 2012. A new earthquake hazards map produced by Geoscience Australia reveals Tennant Creek – near the proposed site for a nuclear waste dump – is an area of high earthquake risk. Report: http://www.ga.gov.au/earthquakes/

Following revelations that an alternative site for the waste dump was under active consideration, Australian Greens spokesperson for nuclear policy Senator Scott Ludlam noted the Federal Government appeared increasingly desperate on the issue.

“The Government is now scrambling to solve a mess of its own creation, repeating the same errors as before.  Parking Australia’s radioactive waste on Muckaty station, far from centres of technical expertise and against the wishes of local people, that’s bad enough.  Doing it in an earthquake zone compounds the offence.

“What we need is an independent commission with the technical expertise to find a world’s best standard solution for Australia’s inventory of radioactive waste.  What we’re getting is a shed with two security guards, stuck on a site chosen by politicians – which happens to be in an earthquake zone.”

Senator Ludlam today put extensive questions through the Senate to Minister Martin Ferguson on what consultation is underway for selecting an alternative site:  http://scott-ludlam.greensmps.org.au/content/questions-notice/questions-relating-site-selection-nuclear-waste

Senator Ludlam’s speech yesterday asking why questions asked one month earlier had not been answered:  http://scott-ludlam.greensmps.org.au/content/speeches-parliament/unanswered-questions-notice-regarding-muckaty-nuclear-waste-dump And answers received today:  http://scott-ludlam.greensmps.org.au/sites/default/files/sqon2389_answer.pdf

November 21, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA, wastes