Kimba and Hawker residents suffer social disruption over delay in choosing a site for a nuclear waste facility
REGIONAL community leaders are concerned about the “emotional wellbeing of residents” as delay lingers over the preferred site of a nuclear waste facility.
REGIONAL community leaders are concerned about the “emotional wellbeing of residents” as delay lingers over the preferred site of a nuclear waste facility.
The selection between Kimba or Hawker was again delayed this week due to an ongoing Federal Court challenge by the Barngarla Determination Aboriginal Corporation.
The site for the low and intermediate-level waste facility was now likely to be made next year following community ballots.
“The Federal Government should be held responsible for the emotional and wellbeing of these communities,” Adnyamathanha woman Regina McKenzie told The Advertiser.
“The socialisation in our (Hawker) community has been disrupted completely by this.”
Flinders Local Action Group chairman Greg Bannon said the communities were “in limbo”.
“It’s been nearly three years since the process was forced on us and a lot of people hoped the ballot would bring finality, one way or another,” he said.
Wallerberdina Station owner Philip Speakman, who nominated his land for the repository, said he was “dumbfounded” to hear of the delay.
“We’ve been encouraged to believe it is continuing so we’re a little dismayed with the news – we had no prior warning,” Mr Speakman said.
Kimba farmer Jeff Baldock, who also nominated his land, was hopeful of a decision but “it might just take a little longer”.
No Radioactive Waste on Agricultural Land in Kimba or SA president Peter Woolford said despite the delay “it hasn’t changed peoples minds”.
“There are some for and some against in Kimba – it’s still a town divided,” he said yesterday.
Federal Labor has said it supports the need for a national facility.