Radioactive Waste

The majority voted against a motion introduced by West Australian Senator Scott Ludlam (Greens), which means it failed.

Motion text

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the Australian Government has initiated a voluntary site selection process for a national radioactive waste facility,

(ii) consecutive ministers have confirmed that such a facility would not proceed against the wishes of host communities,

(iii) six sites have been selected for further assessment for shortlisting, including Hill End in New South Wales, Omanama in Queensland, Hale in the Northern Territory, Cortlinye, Pinkawillinie and Barndioota in South Australia, and

(iv) strong local opposition clearly exists at all six sites currently under consideration; and

(b) calls on the Government to:

(i) acknowledge the opposition and lack of community support at all six sites,

(ii) respect previous commitments on non-imposition and the importance of community consent, and remove all six sites from further consideration,

(iii) initiate a genuinely independent inquiry to investigate long-term stewardship options for spent fuel, reprocessing waste, and other categories of radioactive waste, including drawing on international examples and experience,

(iv) investigate options for active waste minimisation, including increased use of non-reactor based methods for radioisotope production, and

(v) clearly reaffirm policy and legislative prohibitions on the importation and disposal of international radioactive waste.