Antinuclear

Christopher Pyne signals turnaround on nuclear Fin Rev, by Primrose Riordan, Industry Minister Christopher Pyne said on Wednesday arguments against storing nuclear waste were “old fashioned” – nine months after refusing to support a nuclear industry in his home state of South Australia. (Pyne is last on the line-up below)

In February Mr Pyne said he did not support either a nuclear enrichment industry or nuclear waste storage in South Australia. “I don’t support a nuclear waste dump in South Australia,” he told the ABC.

Now, he has softened his stance, saying he will have a look at proposals to start an industry.

“I’m looking forward to the royal commission’s findings and if Kevin Scarce can convince the Australian public through his Royal Commission that we should go down the track of investing in a nuclear industry, well I’m interested in having a look at it. I’m not convinced but I’m happy to look at it,” he said,……

Mr Pyne signalled he may be open to nuclear waste storage, a politically explosive issue in the state.

“There are countries around the world which have managed to solve the issue of the storage of nuclear waste, so I think that is a bit of an old-fashioned argument,” he said.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull last month said Australia should consider getting involved in the nuclear fuel cycle of production, export and storage and Assistant Science Minister Karen Andrews said that developing a nuclear waste disposal industry was an option…….

Earlier this year Mr Pyne had cautioned of the political dangers of dredging up the issue.  http://www.afr.com/news/christopher-pyne-signals-turnaround-on-nuclear-20151104-gkqgkc#ixzz3qeTZQrA1