Nuclear waste storage industry in SA ‘dead for eternity’, Senator Nick Xenophon says

INDEPENDENT Senator Nick Xenophon has declared nuclear waste storage in SA “a stinker of an idea” which should be “buried for eternity” as political support for the project collapses.

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INDEPENDENT Senator Nick Xenophon has declared nuclear waste storage in SA “a stinker of an idea” which should be “buried for eternity” as political support for the project collapses.

Reacting to the citizens’ jury’s rejection of pursuing the industry and removal of SA Liberal support, Senator Xenophon has told The Advertiser his team of independents would campaign strongly against a dump at the next state election unless Labor dropped the idea.

After release of the Royal Commission report in May, Senator Xenophon said a statewide referendum was critical if a dump were to be built.

On Sunday, he said it must now be dropped.

“I always thought it was a stinker of an idea,” Senator Xenophon said.

“I asked for a referendum on the basis that the two major parties were going to support it.

“Now that the Liberal Party have come to their senses, and I hope Labor will as well, this should be buried for as long as they want to put waste under the ground — eternity.”

Senator Xenophon’s position is politically critical because he currently holds a three-vote balance of power voting bloc in Federal Parliament, and is gearing up for a state election campaign where polls show his team could threaten for a swag of Lower House seats.

SA Premier Jay Weatherill meets with Senator Nick Xenophon. Picture: Kelly Barnes/The Australian

Senator Xenophon said he was “always a sceptic (on nuclear storage), but I wanted to bring people with me that who thought that there might be something in it for the state”.

Cabinet meets on Monday for the second time since the jury report was handed down.

It is understood several ministers are now fundamentally opposed to storage, and previous backers believe the results of Premier Jay Weatherill’s consultation process have made any progress impossible.

The Royal Commission found social consent and political bipartisanship were “essential” if the state were to reap a potential $100 billion profit from taking the world’s high-level waste.

“Social consent requires sufficient public support in SA to proceed with legislating, planning and implementing a project,” Royal Commissioner Kevin Scarce found.

“Political bipartisanship and stable government policy are also essential. This is particularly important given the long-term operation of facilities and the need for certainty for potential client nations.”

Dignity for Disability MP Kelly Vincent said she was now also strongly against nuclear storage.

“Given the citizens’ jury has given us a resounding ‘no’, I don’t really think there is anything for us to consider at this point,” she said.

“I’m not convinced the economic case is entirely sound.

“I think the Government has really shot itself in the foot with the way it set up the process.”

The Government has now received the results of further consultation in addition to the citizens’ jury report which includes a statewide survey, online comments and in-person feedback.

All show similarly negative or lukewarm support for pursuing nuclear storage in SA.

Senator Xenophon said he believed “whatever the Premier’s political pride is will now give way to his political survival instincts and they will drop the thing”, possibly as early as Monday.

“Otherwise this would have been the defining issue of the election,” Senator Xenophon said.

He said the Nick Xenophon Team would contest a “handful” of city and country seats at the 2018 state election and had a strong base in the Adelaide Hills after winning a federal seat there.

Friends of the Earth Australia national nuclear campaigner Jim Green said the Government’s consultation had uncovered a clear lack of public support for the storage industry.

“The people of SA have spoken, Aboriginal traditional owners who have always borne the brunt of the nuclear industry have spoken, Opposition Leader Steven Marshall has spoken, the citizens’ jury has spoken. Jay Weatherill must listen. It is time to dump the dump,” Dr Green said.