Prominent South Australians demand that the state push ahead with study on nuclear waste repository
A HIGH-powered group of prominent South Australians is demanding that political leaders do not block study of a nuclear waste repository estimated to be worth $257 billion to the state.
A HIGH-powered group of prominent South Australians is demanding that political leaders do not block study of a nuclear waste repository estimated to be worth $257 billion to the state.
In a rebuff to Opposition Leader Steven Marshall, several of the influential group are Liberal backers frustrated by his abandonment last month of bipartisan support for the nuclear royal commission proposal.
Adelaide Crows chairman Rob Chapman, Coopers brewery chief Tim Cooper, former Cricket Australia chairman Creagh O’Connor and industry chief Robert Gerard are among the 21 signatories to an open letter urging politicians to continue to explore the proposed high-level nuclear waste dump.
They highlight the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission’s “detailed and far-reaching” investigations into the economic opportunities, which in its May final report estimated a repository could generate $257 billion in long-term revenue.
The signatories, who also include University of South Australia chancellor Jim McDowell and property tycoon Theo Maras, say even a proportion of these benefits could generate thousands of skilled, highly paid jobs for South Australians.
They also say it has the capacity to fully fund the state’s services in health, environment, transportation, education and social development, while generating the capacity to invest in tourism, next-generation renewable energy, advanced manufacturing and agriculture.
“Statewide consultation found more South Australians in favour of continuing these investigations than opposed, with many South Australians still undecided,” the open letter says.
“But today, our state legislators are preventing South Australians from even looking at the opportunity properly. We are standing in our own way.”
The open-letter signatories, also including SA’s chief scientist Leanna Reid and Australian Institute of Company Directors director Kathy Gramp, declare that further study of the proposal is a responsibility to future generations.
The authors urge a partnership between the State Government and relevant federal agencies to formally meet with prospective client nations to gain greater certainty about the proposal’s viability and to ensure the nature of the opportunity is fully informed.
“This is the least we can do for South Australians, present and future, who desire a strong, healthy and independent state economy and the diverse benefits this brings. We, as a state, cannot afford not to know,” the letter says.
AN OPEN LETTER TO SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S ELECTED MEMBERS AND POLITICAL PARTIES
For the sake of the future we must progress the nuclear discussion.
The South Australian Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission undertook detailed and far reaching investigations into the economic opportunities afforded to South Australia by the nuclear fuel cycle.
It identified the opportunity for South Australia to build a durable new industry in managing the end-of-life stage of used-nuclear fuel.
The potential opportunity is enormous. The Royal Commission estimated $257 billion in long term revenue, a present value of over $50 billion and the potential to build a state wealth fund that would well-serve future generations of South Australians.
Even a proportion of these benefits could contribute:
■ Skilled, highly paid jobs for thousands of South Australians in project delivery;
■ An opportunity to engage meaningfully and partner with Aboriginal communities in project planning and delivery;
■ The capacity to invest in other opportunities including tourism, next-generation renewable energy and storage technologies, advanced manufacturing and agriculture;
■ The capacity to fully-fund the State’s services in health, environment, transportation, education and social development;
■ The potential to attract scientific and technological investment with stronger university engagement; and
■ A secure role for South Australia in the global economy, supporting nations in the delivery of clean energy systems.
Statewide consultation found more South Australians in favour of continuing these investigations than opposed, with many South Australians still undecided.
But today our state legislators are preventing South Australians from even looking at the opportunity properly. We are standing in our own way.
Much is made of our responsibility to future generations and we agree. We have a responsibility to explore this opportunity fully for current and future South Australians, and potentially to assist the world in meeting some of its greatest challenges.
We, the undersigned, call on South Australia’s elected representatives of all parties to continue to explore this opportunity.
We request further investigations into issues that a) are essential for better understanding project feasibility and b) could be investigated at relatively low cost.
We call for partnership between the State Government and relevant Federal Government agencies to formally meet with prospective client nations in order to gain greater certainty and ensure we are fully informed as to the nature of this opportunity.
This is the least we can do for South Australians, present and future, who desire a strong, healthy and independent state economy and the diverse benefits this brings.
We, as a state, cannot afford not to know.
Signed by Mr Fraser Ainsworth AM, Mr Rob Chapman, Dr Tim Cooper AM, Ms Di Davidson AM, Mr Colin Dunsford AM, Mr Geoff Day, OAM, Mr Robert Gerard AO, Dr Ian Gould AM, Ms Kathy Gramp, Mr Jim Hazel, Mr Mike Heard, Mr David Klingberg AO, Mr Theo Maras AM, Ms Karlene Maywald, Mr Jim McDowell, Prof Mike Miller AO, Prof. Tanya Monro, Mr Creagh O’Connor AM, Dr Leanna Read, Prof Karen Reynolds, Mr Richard Ryan AO, Mr Antony Simpson, Mr Michael Terlet AO, Dr Meera Verma, Mr Stephen Young, Mr Graham Walters, AM.