Advertisement

Safe transport a key issue for nuclear dump: citizens’ jury

The question of safe transport of waste is one of four key issues to emerge from the first public examination of the proposal to build a nuclear waste dump in South Australia.

Jul 11, 2016, updated Jul 11, 2016
Photo: Ritchie B Tongo, EPA.

Photo: Ritchie B Tongo, EPA.

The first citizens’ jury says wider public consultation should also concentrate on the business case for the dump, the question of community consent before the proposal is approved and the need for transparent regulatory arrangements.

The jury, of 50 randomly selected people, has handed its report to the State Government after meeting over two weekends in Adelaide.

The report urges all South Australians to engage with the wider community consultation process, which will include meetings in about 60 towns across the state.

Following those meetings, a second jury of 350 people will be convened to examine the feedback and present a final report to the government.

Premier Jay Weatherill has pledged to make a decision on the question of storing high-level waste from other countries by the end of the year.

“Ultimately the decision will be made by the State Government, but this decision will be informed by this important discussion involving all South Australians,” Weatherill said.

The proposal to consider building a dump was included in the final report from a royal commission into the nuclear fuel cycle, largely because of the revenue it could generate.

But the commission said South Australia should not consider further enriching uranium or building nuclear power plants.

-AAP

Local News Matters
Advertisement
Copyright © 2024 InDaily.
All rights reserved.