Antinuclear

The Commonwealth’s consultation team has visited Kimba three times since the shortlist was announced in November.  They’ll be back again this month.

PETER WOOLFORD: They meet with groups, they meet with individuals, so to me it’s a pretty divisive thing doing it separately, and in small groups, but you know, that’s what they have to do.  They say they’re trying to get word to everybody, and I guess that’s the consultation process.

NATALIE WHITING: The Federal Government has said the shortlist will be whittled down further in March. But across the border in New South Wales, a shortlisted community has already been told they won’t be getting the dump.

PETER WOOLFORD: The consultation team cannot tell us what percentage is against, you know, we’ve asked that question to them, you know, what percentage against will stop this? But at the end of the day they keep saying to us that it’s up to the Minister’s discretion. And they said to us they will find a site.

NATALIE WHITING: The Commonwealth process has been running alongside South Australia’s Royal Commission into the Nuclear Cycle.

The Royal Commission will hand down its tentative findings in a fortnight. It has been investigating all possible involvement in the industry – from waste storage to power generation.

The country’s chief scientist Alan Finkel told Radio National he looks forward to advising the Commonwealth when it responds to the findings.

ALAN FINKEL: The primary focus I anticipate from the report will be on storage: is there an opportunity for Australia, in particular South Australia, to have a role in a global nuclear fuel cycle by taking the role of long term storage.

NATALIE WHITING: That goes well beyond the waste plans currently being discussed by the Government……..http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2015/s4398054.htm