Ruth Webber (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Scullion is right in one respect: the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation Amendment Bill 2006 appears to be simple at first glance. What Senator Scullion failed to mention was that the explanatory memorandum for the bill informs us that the purpose of this bill:

... is to amend the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation Act 1987 to allow the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) to condition, manage and store radioactive material and radioactive waste other than that which may arise directly from ANSTO’s activities.

That is right: other than that which may arise directly from their activities.

This bill allows us to examine the issues of nuclear power generation, uranium mining and waste management as part of our deliberations. It was interesting to hear Senator Scullion’s contribution on how safe waste storage in particular is. If it were so safe, you would think that Senator Scullion would be happy to have a nuclear waste dump in his backyard, or anyone in any state that does have jurisdiction—