Government scraps plans for nuclear waste dump at Kimba following Federal Court ruling

The federal government has scrapped plans to build a nuclear waste dump at Kimba following a Federal Court ruling to block the facility, a statement says.

The federal government has scrapped plans to build a nuclear waste dump at Kimba following a Federal Court ruling to block the facility.

A statement from Resources Minister Madeleine King said the government will abandon the selected Napandee site for the National Radioactive Waste Management Facility.

Last month, the Federal Court sided with Traditional Owners the Barngarla people and found “apprehended bias” on the part of former resources minister Keith Pitt.

Barngarla members Jason Bilney (right), Maureen Dare and Jonas Dare front the media after the Federal Court decision. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Dean Martin

Ms King had the option to appeal the decision but, in the statement, she said the facility required broad community support, including from the Traditional Owners of the land.

“This is not the case at Kimba,” she said.

“I can confirm that site characterisation activities taking place at and around the site near Kimba have ceased.”

Ms King said any activities that had already been conducted were non-permanent and would be reversed or remediated.

The site is currently being supervised to ensure it remains safe and cultural heritage is protected during “disposition of the land”.

Ms King said she was “deeply sorry” for the uncertainty the process had created for the Kimba community, the government, the Australian Radioactive Waste Agency and for the workers involved in the project at Napandee.

“This is long-lasting, multigenerational government policy for the disposal of waste that can take thousands of years to decay,” she said.

“This government remains committed to the Australian Radioactive Waste Agency and its goal of safely storing and disposing radioactive waste.

“This is not where we wanted to be, but we have to start from where we are. This government is determined to get this right.”

South Australian Liberal Senator Simon Birmingham lashed the decision as “gutless” and said it ”reeks of putting short-term politics ahead of Australia’s long-term interests”.

“Given the politics of the issue, there will never be a site universally loved by everyone but at least the Kimba community had expressed a strong majority willingness to host it,” he said.

“After decades of politically-driven delays it is madness for the Albanese government to go all the way back to square one in site selection.”

But the Australian Conservation Foundation welcomed the decision, which it said was consistent with the Federal Court ruling.

“This divisive and deficient plan has caused a lot of pain and division,” nuclear-free campaigner Dave Sweeney said.