Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Hansard source

Nuclear waste is of course stored at Mount Walton East in Western Australia and at Esk in Queensland. It is stored at Woomera in South Australia and at Lucas Heights in New South Wales. It is stored at Defence and at CSIRO facilities around the country. It is stored right here in the heart of Canberra at the Australian National University. It includes everything from contaminated rubber gloves and discarded smoke detectors to by-products of nuclear medicine. This is Australia’s waste and it is up to us to actually do something about it. Just about everyone in this chamber seems to agree on that principle. I remind the Senate that it was the shadow minister for resources and energy, Senator Johnston, who recently pointed out: ‘I’m not going to make a political issue out of it.’ He said, ‘I think it’s in the national interest to have a repository for this, these low-level radioactive isotopes,’ and he said, ‘Let’s get on with it.’ He made that point as recently as 9 June.

Senator Ludlam himself has written on his GreensBlog:

What is urgently needed is a properly deliberative process about what to do with this material …

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Perhaps in the light of reasoned debate we will find that the best option is long-distance shipping to a remote site. But Australia needs to have that conversation.

The government do agree that deliberation is essential and that consultation is essential, and we believe that a detailed scientific analysis is essential. We do not believe in imposing solutions by ministerial dictate. The government have to finalise our own legislation before we can repeal the existing act. The legislation will acknowledge Australia’s responsibility for its own radioactive waste. It will provide for the storage of waste under proper supervision and with appropriate safeguards. It will deliver a practical, long-term solution to a problem that has been with us for decades. I hope—I trust—that all senators will support that legislation when it comes before the chamber.