New laws allow Australia to become world's nuclear waste dump

The Wilderness Society Inc
Media Release                                                      
29 November 2006

For the first time, Australia has opened the door to allow nuclear waste from all over the world to be sent to Australia and stored here under changes to laws passed by Federal Parliament last night, The Wilderness Society said.

Changes to the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation Act (1987) were passed by the Senate and legal advice given to TWS shows that the changes now open the way for Australia to become the world's nuclear waste dump.

"After 50 years of the nuclear industry, there is no proven method to safely store highly radioactive waste anywhere in the world, but Australia has just put up its hand to take it anyway," TWS Campaigns Director Alec Marr said.

The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation Amendment Bill 2006 allows the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) for the first time to manage and store radioactive waste from overseas.

"This Bill allows ANSTO to manage the commonwealth nuclear waste dump proposed for the Northern Territory. Only last year the Federal Government passed legislation that removes the rights of all Australians to object to this proposed nuclear waste dump," Mr Marr said.