Albanese government abandons Kimba site for nuclear waste facility
Australia is back to square one in its long-running saga to find somewhere to dump its radioactive waste and cancer patients could be at risk.
Environment
Don't miss out on the headlines from Environment. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Australia’s long search for a secure nuclear waste disposal facility continues after the federal government formally cancelled the proposed Kimba site in remote South Australia on Thursday.
Resources Minister Madeleine King announced the cancellation in parliament, stating “activities taking place at and around the site near Kimba have ceased”.
The previous Coalition government selected Kimba for the estimated $325m facility, which would have stored Australia’s low and intermediate radioactive waste, in November 2021 following years of consultation.
A majority of local ratepayers supported the scheme but Barngarla traditional owners opposed it, arguing they were not properly consulted on the plan.
Last month, the Federal Court ruled in their favour, setting aside the 2021 declaration, and Ms King confirmed she would not appeal the finding.
“The judgment was clear and the government is listening,” she said.
“We have said all along that a national radioactive waste facility requires broad community support.
“Broad community support which includes the whole community, including the traditional owners of the land.
“This is not the case at Kimba.”
Ms King said her department had started work on “alternative proposals” but earlier short-listed sites at Lyndhurst in NSW and Wallerberdina in South Australia would not be considered.
“We have to get this right,” she said.
“This is long-lasting, multigenerational government policy, for the disposal of waste that can take thousands of years to decay.
“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.”
She said the government would also honour a $2m community grant earmarked for the Kimba community.
Barngarla Determination Aboriginal Corporation chairman Jason Bilney has welcomed the minister’s decision.
“On behalf of the Barngarla people, we would like to acknowledge and thank minister King for her statement,” he said.
“We understand that this decision has been made after careful consideration by the minister of all the issues.
“We acknowledge that this resets the site selection process completely.
“We are grateful as First Nations people that our voice has been heard, that our commitment to country, our heritage and culture has led us to today‘s historical result.”
Most of Australia’s radioactive waste is associated with nuclear medicine and the waste is spread over more than 100 sites including hospitals, scientific facilities and universities.
A national inventory conducted in 2021 shows Australia has 13,287 cubic metres of low-level radioactive waste and 4377 cubic metres of intermediate-level radioactive waste.
Opposition resources spokeswoman Susan McDonald has warned that Australia’s ability to make lifesaving cancer medicines could now be in jeopardy.
“It is disappointing that this government has walked away from bipartisanship on this issue and thrown into doubt the future of Australia’s nuclear medicine industry,” she said.
“The former Coalition government engaged with the Kimba community and Barngarla people and underwent a significant consultation process over a number of years, including ballots which demonstrated strong community support.”
Senator McDonald said operations at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation could be impacted as early as 2027 without a waste management site.
“After 50 years of planning for a centralised storage site, and the more recent work of successive governments and resources ministers to develop this particular facility, this Labor government has erased this progress and now has no plan,” she said.
“The Albanese government has delivered nothing for the people of Kimba, nothing for the future of ANSTO, nothing for the future of radioactive waste and nothing for Australians who rely on nuclear medicine.”
Originally published as Albanese government abandons Kimba site for nuclear waste facility
Premier under fire for act before $5bn sale
The New South Wales Premier met with his friend of 20 years - a racing executive - for a ‘meet and greet’ shortly before a massive $5bn racetrack sell-off was announced.
Shock death as storms smash southeast
Wild weather across Australia’s southeast this weekend has turned deadly – with police confirming a camper has died after being crushed by a falling tree.