Antinuclear

“Australian veterans are dying. The longer the government waits, the less of us they will end up having to compensate.”

Britain exploded seven atomic bombs in the South Australian outback in 1956-57 but continued the nuclear test program through to May 1963 with a large number of minor trials of items such as nuclear initiators.

Mr Gates’ year in Maralinga in 1961-62 coincided with some of the dirtiest of these trials which contributed by far the largest amount of uranium and plutonium contamination to the site……………

Independent Senator Nick Xenophon said Labor in opposition urged the coalition to adopt the findings of the Clarke Review which recommended the service of the nuclear veterans be regarded as “non-warlike hazardous”.

That would grant veterans access to significant benefits including the Gold Card. The government is now reconsidering those recommendations.

Senator Xenophon said a statutory compensation scheme was the best way to go.

He said the US, Russia, France and even China had compensation schemes for nuclear veterans, but not Australia.

“These people have been through enough. There are only 2,000 veterans, of the 8,000, who are still alive. The longer the government drags this out, the fewer people there will be to compensate.”………..

Lawyer Tom Goudkamp said there was no doubt that Australian veterans who had suffered from exposure to radiation had a very solid claim for compensation through the case against the UK Ministry of Defence.

He said the Australian government would have to indemnify the British government for any payout to Australian veterans….http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/nuclear-veterans-want-better-compo-deal-20100211-nu1g.html