Merri-bek councillor’s nuclear plan criticised by Institute of Public Affairs

A Socialist Alliance councillor wants to ban anything nuclear — including a nuclear submarine repair facility — coming to Merri-bek.

An inner-city Socialist Alliance councillor’s push to ban any nuclear submarine repair facility being built in Merri-bek has been slammed as “political madness”.

Cr Sue Bolton will on Wednesday urge Merri-bek Council to become a “nuclear-free zone” which would effectively ban any nuclear products from entering the area.

If approved, Merri-bek would also oppose any nuclear facility — such as a nuclear submarine repair facility — being built in the northern suburbs council as well as any material “connected to the nuclear industry” being stored or transported through the area. The exception would be the use of radioisotopes in hospitals.

Cr Bolton said the council needed to safeguard residents from a repeat of Rio Tinto’s missing nuclear capsule from earlier this year. The tiny capsule sparked a three-week search with fears long-term exposure could have caused cancer.

Signs touting Merri-bek as a “nuclear-free zone” would be displayed around the council.

The council would oppose the Port of Melbourne being used to house nuclear submarines, the federal government’s recent decision on nuclear submarines and any nuclear waste dump being built in Australia if the motion passed.

Cr Bolton said the multibillion-dollar submarine deal would have a significant impact on the cost of living crisis facing residents and councils.

“That is going to affect the cost of living crisis for people in Merri-bek and people all over Australia because that money will come out of important services,” she said.

“It’s actually quite irresponsible to spend this amount of money on nuclear submarines and potentially wreck really vital services for local councils ... so local government needs to make a stand because we will see cuts.”

The motion has already drawn criticism from some sectors who question whether it is in the council’s remit.

Council Watch’s vice president Dean Hurlston labelled the motion “political madness”.

“There is zero place for these kinds of grandstanding efforts and Cr Bolton should focus on the thousands of Merri-bek residents who are unhappy with the council’s service delivery,” he said

“They can’t even get the basics like rubbish collection right … councils need to focus on the provision of services.”

Merri-bek councillor Sue Bolton will move a motion to make the area a “nuclear-free zone”. (AAP Image/James Ross)

The long-time councillor refuted the suggestion the council needed to only focus on “rates, roads and rubbish” when these issues could impact residents.

“I reject that councils shouldn’t have a role in this, I think they’re crazy if they don’t think councils should have a say over things which might be dangerous,” she said.

“The local councils have a responsibility to their local community.”

The Institute of Public Affairs’ research fellow, Saxon Davidson, likened the motion to “political point-scoring”.

“With ratepayers experiencing record high energy bills, our leaders need to be open to exploring all options to support businesses and families, rather than shortsighted political pointscoring,” he said

“Unfortunately, this is exactly what you would expect from a council that has repeatedly forgotten what its purpose is, which is roads, rates and rubbish.”