ATTENTION CHIEFS OF STAFF & ENVIRONMENT REPORTERS
30TH MARCH 1999
MEDIA RELEASE
NUCLEAR REACTOR DECISION DEFIES SCIENCE AND COMMON SENSE
Environment Minister Senator Hill’s decision to approve the new nuclear reactor
in Sydney defies science and common sense.
Environment organisation Friends of the Earth called for a public enquiry under
the provisions of the Environment Protection (Impact of Proposals) Act. The
operational record of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology
Organisation is extremely poor. There is a long history of radioactive
contamination of the surrounding suburbs, calling into question the fitness of
ANSTO to run the new reactor.
Furthermore, the Environmental Impact Assessment process is seriously flawed.
There has been no independent assessment of the Federal government’s proposal.
The proposal does not adequately detail any design parameters. Nor does it
adequately detail any nuclear waste management parameters.
As recently as last February there was a government cover up of three
radioactive contamination accidents, including releases of gases over the
surrounding suburbs.
“The site is smack in the middle of a suburban growth corridor. A new reactor
is simply the wrong idea in the wrong place at the wrong time,” commented
Daniel Voronoff nuclear issues spokesperson.
“That the Minister could approve this project shows his complete contempt for
the health and well being of his fellow citizens,” added Mr. Voronoff.
“The reactor will produce high-level wastes for at least another 40 years.
ANSTO have admitted that the waste will be trucked across the continent to a
proposed radioactive waste dump in South Australia. This will put all those
communities en-route at risk of radioactive contamination,” observed Mr.
Voronoff.
ANSTO should immediately undertake a nuclear phase-out as part of a
comprehensive nuclear waste management strategy aimed at Above-ground safe
storage. This is the only responsible option left to the agency and the
government.
For further comment contact Daniel Voronoff on 03 9419 8700
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