Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Our waste minimisation strategy is to sit around and see if the Canadians come up with anything? I take it our strategy is not to do anything ourselves. I could come up with plenty of other examples of how we do not have a waste minimisation culture when it comes to radioactive waste in any sense of the word. But I think I made my point simply in looking at the case of radioisotopes. In my closing remarks I will read some statements from medical professionals who have demanded that the government and coalition stop using medical isotopes as a fig leaf of justification for producing this waste in the first place. We do not need it. It is not really good enough for the minister to stand up and say, 'The Canadians are up to something and we will give it some thought.' Recognising that you are here in a representational capacity and you are not expected to be an instant expert in everything, I would have thought the advisers could provide you with something a little more substantial than you will wait and see what the Canadians get up to. I think I have made my point and I commend this amendment very, very strongly to the chamber.