Antinuclear

Port Augusta protest against federal government’s plan for dumping Lucas Heights nuclear wastes at Barndioota

Doctor Margaret Beavis, a Melbourne-based GP, joined the protest today and says the community needs help addressing this issue.

“I think it’s important to realise that most of this waste doesn’t come from the use of medicine,” Dr Beavis said.

Nuclear waste protest gives people voice  http://www.transcontinental.com.au/story/3990175/nuclear-waste-protest-gives-people-voice/ Matt Carcich@MattCarcich June 24, 2016,Around 150 people made their voices heard in a protest against the federal government’s plan for a national nuclear storage facility in the Flinders Ranges at the Barndioota site near Hawker.

The march started at the Port Augusta foreshore, before stopping out the front of State MP Dan van Holst Pellekaan’s office.

The rally continued down the main street, stopping at every major intersection and Woolworths, before heading to the Port Augusta Regional Council building and finishing at Gladstone Square.

People travelled from Port Pirie, Whyalla, Hawker, Quorn and Adelaide for the event.

Upon arrival at Mr van Holst Pellekaan’s office, the state MP for Stuart and protesters discussed about multiple facets of the proposal.

Australian Greens candidate for Grey Dr Jillian Marsh, who is a Adnyamathanha Traditional Owner, accompanied the march and made an impassioned speech.

Dr Marsh said it’s important for people to have their voices heard and reinforced the Australian Greens’ stance against the proposal.

One Protest Organiser Gayle Mather says the event was a success.

“There were several aspects that we got out of today – we gave local people a voice, they were able to, speak on mass to Dan van Holst Pellekaan and tell him how they felt about everything.” Ms Mather said.

Ms Mather says there were signs this proposal is an important issue for residents.

“Local people like Barb Walker from Quorn who’s a local artist, who’s never protested in her life, came out and spoke this morning to the rally,”  Ms Mather said.

“And she said she was very nervous but she wanted to do it because it was important. And she’s never felt like this about anything.”

Ms Mather says the message is clear – many ordinary people don’t want the proposal to go ahead,

Another person against the proposed nuclear waste storage facility is the CEO of Adnyamathanha Traditional Landowners Association, Vince Coulthard, who says he has many concerns.

“One being the fact that they haven’t really consulted and only did one consultation with us in relation to the proposed nuclear waste dump,” Mr Coulthard said.

“But more importantly the proposed site is in a very fragile area. It’s next to a very important water hole in that area.”

Doctor Margaret Beavis, a Melbourne-based GP, joined the protest today and says the community needs help addressing this issue.

“I think it’s important to realise that most of this waste doesn’t come from the use of medicine,” Dr Beavis said.

“People need to realise the federal government wants to increase the use of the reactor to make medicines and that’s going to dramatically increase the amount of intermediate level waste.”

Dr Beavis is also calling for major changes to the planning process.

“The process needs to go back to the drawing board and start again because they need to do world’s best practice and they haven’t,” Dr Beavis said.

“The main problem is really poor quality information and poor quality community consultation.. they’ve said all these things about nuclear medicine and it’s not true.”

Further rallies have been muted for Port Augusta, before national events get underway in October.

If you seek information regarding these protests, contact Gayle Mather on 8642 2422.

June 26, 2016 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | opposition to nuclear, South Australia