Major SA regional centres wary about nuclear waste storage

COMMUNITIES across northern South Australia, where a nuclear waste facility would most likely to be located, have serious doubts about the prospect for a high-level nuclear waste dump in the state.

Nuclear debate meeting at Port Augusta. Kendall Jones of Pt Augusta speaks at the meeting. picture Campbell Brodie.

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COMMUNITIES across northern South Australia, where a nuclear waste facility would most likely to be located, have serious doubts about the prospect for a high level nuclear waste dump in the state.

Mayors from Ceduna to Port Pirie were unanimous on Wednesday that their communities would need considerable persuasion about the merits of a high-level nuclear waste facility.

Port Pirie mayor John Rodhe said his council was aware of “strong dissatisfaction” around the issue.

“The general feeling is one of negativity to the proposal and I absolutely understand that sentiment,” Mr Rodhe said.

“We still have (nuclear) waste around our town from the 1950s and the community is fully aware of that.”

The strongest message from a public meeting at Port Pirie was that South Australia should clean up the nuclear mess from over 70 years before proceeding to build a high level nuclear waste dump.

Chair of the Nuclear Royal Commission, Kevin Scarce, told a crowd of around 30 that he had confidence South Australia could meet the challenges of building a waste dump and do it safely.

“Right from seeing the massive storage facility in Finland, I knew we could do it because we did it at Olympic Dam (Roxby Downs),” the former state governor told The Advertiser.

“And we’ve got smart people who can find copper at 800m (down) so they will find us the right geological site.”

Malcolm McKenzie speaks at the nuclear meeting at Port Augusta. Picture: Campbell Brodie

Edward Mertens speaks at the Port Pirie meeting. Picture: Campbell Brodie

Rear Admiral Scarce said the Adelaide Hills and ranges and the South-East down to Mt Gambier were not under consideration as sites but that still left a “bloody big block” of the state that is.

Mr Scarce said he was prepared to be persuaded by public opinion and agreed with Jackie Fairlie, from Moonta that SA had a poor historical record cleaning up nuclear waste.

“We say we’ve learned from our mistakes but we don’t ever go and fix those mistakes,” said the 59-year-old retiree, who attended the meeting in the interest of her five grandchildren.

Aboriginal elder Enice Marsh, from Gladstone, said her Adnyamathanha community had a cultural opposition to the waste dump

“We were brought up to care for the land, the 73-year-old said.

“Our parents weren’t scientists but they would warn us as kids that the land was already poisoned and we don’t need another new area poisoned.”

Edward Mertens said the Port Pirie community was still dealing with the fallout from nuclear waste less than 1km from the meeting venue at the Port Pirie Yacht Club

“As a child I used to play in that dump and I’m the only one of my family still alive. I don’t think it’s a coincidence,” he said.

Port Augusta Mayor Dean Johnson said the “not in my backyard” response remained strong.

“There’s a relief around that there was no recommendation for a nuclear reactor,” he said.