Democratic Opposition to Nuclear Waste Repositiory Should Prevail

There is overwhelming opposition to the Repository and associated waste transport by community, political parties, unions, traditional owners, and State and Local Governments across NSW and SA. This democratic opposition should prevail.

The SA Government has responded to the threat of the Repository by passing legislation prohibiting the import, transport, storage and disposal of radioactive wastes for any national nuclear dump in SA. Premier Rann has committed to use all legal means including a High Court challenge to prevent the National Repository and has engaged a Federal Court Appeal against recent compulsory land acquisition.

The Federal ALP states that "The Labor Party remains committed to our 2001 election commitment to exclude South Australia from consideration as a site for a dump". And that "Labor in the Senate will oppose attempts to impose, by way of regulation under the ARPANS Act or other means, a waste facility in South Australia." (8/7/2003 Shadow Minister for Sustainablilty and the Environment Kelvin Thomson)

The Australian Democrats and Australian Greens oppose the National Repository in SA and will combine in the Senate with the ALP to prevent passage of any further Commonwealth legislative powers or new regulations for national nuclear dumps.

The ACTU Executive passed a Motion on 16th July 2003 calling "on all affiliated unions to support the SA union ban on construction of and provision of services to such a dump". Then in August the ACTU Congress passed a Policy Priority for Action stating that: "The ACTU and affiliated unions stand in solidarity with the Indigenous communities in opposition to the nuclear waste dump proposed for South Australia."

The Kungka Tjuta Senior Aboriginal Women's Council of north SA and the Kokatha Native Title Claimants oppose the Repository as imposition of poison ground on their traditional lands. The ACF and FOEA are committed to defending their human rights.

In December 2002 the Australian Local Government Association passed a Motion opposing any increase in nuclear waste production without a satisfactory resolution of waste issues with the States. There is clearly no such agreement.

The Proclamation by Mayors at the 2003 Annual Conference of the NSW Local Government Association signed by 17 Mayors along the proposed routes states:

"Given the failure of the Commonwealth to satisfy the issues of safety of transportation of nuclear wastes including wastes from the Lucas Heights reactor, the group of mayors oppose the transport of nuclear waste on NSW roads on any route through NSW local government areas." Premier Carr has put a strong position to the Prime Minister on this proposed transport: "I have also informed the Federal Government of our clear opposition to the trucking of nuclear waste through western NSW." (In June citing a Feb letter to PM Howard.)

Extensive opposition to nuclear dumping forced the Federal Government to exclude SA from further consideration as a site for the Store for higher level wastes. They had to recognise the prohibitive liability in imposing a national nuclear dump against strong community will. This should also be the outcome for the Repository project.

Australian Conservation Foundation

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