Federal Government flies 225 country residents to Sydney to learn about nuclear waste ahead of August 20 ballot
TAXPAYERS have coughed up nearly $350,000 to fly 225 Kimba and Hawker residents to Sydney to learn about nuclear waste, new figures reveal.
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TAXPAYERS have coughed up nearly $350,000 to fly 225 Kimba and Hawker residents to Sydney to learn about nuclear waste.
The Federal Government figures come as an August 20 ballot looms to determine whether one of the two country towns should host a national nuclear waste facility.
The Government will ascertain community support for the low-level facility to be built at either of two sites at Kimba, or Wallerberdina Station, near Hawker.
More than $500,000 of taxpayer money has been used on community engagement and surveys about nuclear waste over the past two years, according to the federal figures.
SA Senator Rex Patrick was staggered at the expense, after Resources Minister Matt Canavan released the figures yesterday in response to questions asked in the Senate.
“I’m so fearful of spending all this money, when there’s no question the communities are divided,” Mr Patrick, who travelled to the regions last week, said. “I think the division will persist well after the decision is made.”
The figures showed 118 Kimba residents and 107 Hawker residents have visited the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, in the past two years.
The trips were to provide an educational experience and factual information, and to ask questions of experts, the minister’s response said.
Eyre Peninsula farmer and farm safety consultant Karen Baines was one of the residents to visit ANSTO and said it was an “eye-opener”, given concerns over potential impact on arable farming land.
“As far as the guidelines around how the waste is stored, I found it really strict,” Ms Baines said.
“We have a lot easier access to really dangerous chemicals on farms, so I was happy with the way the waste would be managed.”
Ms Baines said the taxpayer-funded trips were important to local people given the animosity towards the proposed facility.
“It’s a really emotional issue and people have massive anxiety about it,” she said. “If this facility is going to be near their town they have a right be educated on it.”
The taxpayer-funded trips to ANSTO also included landowners, traditional owners, community members, neighbours and stakeholders. The Advertiser reported in June that nearly $20,000 was spent to send 16 Kimba school students on a five-night trip to ANSTO to understand both nuclear research and types of jobs in the industry.
It followed a fully-funded trip by 17 Quorn students in April.
The district where the facility is located will also be rewarded with a $10 million community fund to spend on local projects.
