Kimba urges nuclear action ahead of Senate talks about radioactive waste legislation
The Kimba radioactive waste site will provide locals an “economic reason” to stay in the town, the Resources Minister says, ahead of a Senate debate on the contentious issue.
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Resources Minister Keith Pitt is calling on Labor to support legislation paving the way for a radioactive waste storage site at Kimba, saying locals need “an economic reason” to stay in the town.
His calls come as the ALP voted against the Bill in the Lower House last week and the Senate prepares to consider the issue in August.
The Federal Government plans to build a storage site at farming property Napandee, near Kimba, to permanently store low-level nuclear waste and also keep intermediate-level waste for several decades until it is moved to a yet-to-be-determined site.
But it plans to first enact new legislation to turn the project into reality.
Kimba stands to receive a $31 million package from the Government for hosting the waste site, which once up and running, will provide jobs for about 45 people.
Mr Pitt said Kimba had been affected by drought, population decline and economic challenges.
“The overall size of the workforce within Kimba has reduced by 30 people during the past five years – which does not sound significant until you compare that with the entire working age population of 243,” Mr Pitt said.
“Local people need an economic reason to stay in Kimba – the town they love – and the community decided to stand together, take control of their destiny and give them one.”
During a Kimba Council-run community ballot last year, 62 per cent of respondents supported plans for a radioactive waste site, but in a separate vote, Barngarla traditional landowners rejected it.
In the Lower House, Labor MPs raised concerns, including the double handling of intermediate-level waste and the Barngarla community’s opposition to the project.
Brendan O’Connor, Labor’s employment, industry and science spokesman, also questioned why the new legislation was needed – an issue expected to be a focus of a senate committee inquiry.
Kimba farmer Peter Woolford, who has been campaigning against the waste site, said Labor’s response in the House of Representatives showed there were “positive signs” that the process surrounding the project was being questioned.
“I think Keith Pitt is worried and is trying to rush this through,” he said.
Anti-dump campaigners are worried that there is no long-term plan for the intermediate level waste and say it could compromise the agriculture sector’s future.
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Kimba Mayor Dean Johnson said he hoped the legislation could be enacted swiftly so his community could realise the benefits of a new industry.
“It really is time to get on with the job. It’s time to move forward as a community,” he said.
“We’ve been in this process for over five years now – it has been a long and sometimes difficult consultation process, but the decision has been made,” Mr Johnson said.
“With the economic times we’re in now, post COVID, this will be an incredibly important project of national significance,” Mr Johnson said.