Barbara Pocock (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

My question is directed to Senator Farrell in his capacity representing the Minister for Resources. Nuclear submarines mean weapons grade nuclear waste. Five Australian governments over 70 years have tried and failed to find a suitable place for the permanent storage of our existing low- and intermediate-level waste from medical and research activities. Even finding a site for low-level waste in our state of South Australia has met with very strong opposition from local communities and First Nations people. The AUKUS deal locks Australia into managing large quantities of weapons-grade waste, requiring military protection for more than 100,000 years. Neither the US nor the UK have moved beyond temporary storage of this material. Given that no-one on the planet has found a permanent solution, isn't it true that your government will also be unable to dispose of this dangerous waste and will simply kick the problem down the road to our kids decades ahead.