Nuclear issues to be examined by SA royal commission, Premier Jay Weatherill announces

Updated

A royal commission will look at the future role South Australia should play in the nuclear industry, Premier Jay Weatherill says.

The SA Premier called a news conference to make the surprise announcement, telling reporters the inquiry would be a first for Australia.

He said the inquiry would look at SA's involvement in the mining, enrichment, energy and storage phases in the life cycle of nuclear fuel.

"We believe South Australians should be given the opportunity to explore the practical, financial and ethical issues raised by a deeper involvement in the nuclear industries," he said.

"We need a clearer understanding about the nature of energy demands around the world and indeed in this country.

"We need to understand the technological advances which are allowing there to be very different offerings in both the nuclear energy space but also solar energy and in wind power, all of these matters will bear on the considerations that South Australians need to make."

Mr Weatherill said SA had one of the world's biggest uranium deposits and had been involved in uranium production for more than 25 years.

"It is now the time to engage in a mature and robust conversation about SA's future role in the nuclear industry," he said.

Terms of reference yet to be set

The Premier said consultation would start in the coming days on the terms of reference.

"The truth is we are already in the nuclear fuel cycle. I mean we are selling uranium to the world," he said.

"The question is whether we should deepen our involvement for our benefit and we need to understand what those benefits look like, let's perhaps look at what the opportunities are and let's understand the risks so we can make a considered judgment."

A number of independent experts would be engaged to support the royal commission's work, Mr Weatherill said.

Greens leader Mark Parnell questioned if the State Government was paving the way for power generation at Port Augusta to be upgraded from coal to nuclear, rather than the current upgrade plan for solar thermal generation.

ABC political reporter Nick Harmsen said it put the proposition of a nuclear waste dump in South Australia back on the political agenda, after a previous Labor administration fought federal moves.

Opposition Leader Steven Marshall said he supported holding an inquiry but the Premier was trying to distract South Australians from more pressing issues, such as the problems of the public health sector.

Nuclear Australia in recent years: 1976 A new Liberal federal government gave conditional approval for the Ranger, Olympic Dam and Narbarlek uranium mines to proceed.

A new Liberal federal government gave conditional approval for the Ranger, Olympic Dam and Narbarlek uranium mines to proceed. 1977 The anti-nuclear movement attracted up to 50,000 marchers in Australian cities. Sections of the anti-uranium movement campaigned for the ALP in marginal seats at the federal election.

The anti-nuclear movement attracted up to 50,000 marchers in Australian cities. Sections of the anti-uranium movement campaigned for the ALP in marginal seats at the federal election. 1983 The Bob Hawke-led Labor Party swept to power federally and enacted the "three uranium mines" policy the following year, restricting uranium mining to existing mines. The policy was notionally intended to phase out uranium mining in the longer term after the closure of the current mines.

The Bob Hawke-led Labor Party swept to power federally and enacted the "three uranium mines" policy the following year, restricting uranium mining to existing mines. The policy was notionally intended to phase out uranium mining in the longer term after the closure of the current mines. 1984 The Nuclear Disarmament Party won a Senate seat. The ALP national conference gave support to visits of nuclear warships to Australian ports. Then the government decided to resume uranium sales to France.

The Nuclear Disarmament Party won a Senate seat. The ALP national conference gave support to visits of nuclear warships to Australian ports. Then the government decided to resume uranium sales to France. 1984 A royal commission was established in response to health concerns in the Aboriginal community over British nuclear testing in South Australia. The commission found the test site had been left heavily contaminated and recommended the land be rehabilitated and returned to its traditional owners.

A royal commission was established in response to health concerns in the Aboriginal community over British nuclear testing in South Australia. The commission found the test site had been left heavily contaminated and recommended the land be rehabilitated and returned to its traditional owners. 1987 The nation's atomic agency became the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation and was given a task of environmental research and producing radioisotopes for hospitals.

The nation's atomic agency became the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation and was given a task of environmental research and producing radioisotopes for hospitals. 1996 The new Howard government dumped the Labor "three mines" policy.

The new Howard government dumped the Labor "three mines" policy. 1998 A proposal by an international consortium Pangea Resources to establish a nuclear waste dump in Australia was leaked to the media. The plan, to store 20 per cent of the world's spent nuclear fuel and weapons material at a Western Australian site, was publicly condemned and abandoned.

A proposal by an international consortium Pangea Resources to establish a nuclear waste dump in Australia was leaked to the media. The plan, to store 20 per cent of the world's spent nuclear fuel and weapons material at a Western Australian site, was publicly condemned and abandoned. 2000 The Ranger mine in the Northern Territory and the Olympic Dam mine in South Australia continued to operate, but Narbarlek closed. A third uranium mine, Beverley in SA, was operating. Several advanced projects, such as Honeymoon in SA, Jabiluka in the Northern Territory and Yeelirrie in WA were on hold because of political and Indigenous opposition.

The Ranger mine in the Northern Territory and the Olympic Dam mine in South Australia continued to operate, but Narbarlek closed. A third uranium mine, Beverley in SA, was operating. Several advanced projects, such as Honeymoon in SA, Jabiluka in the Northern Territory and Yeelirrie in WA were on hold because of political and Indigenous opposition. A large scale clean-up was completed in outback South Australia after nuclear testing during the 1950s contaminated the remote region. The clean-up work took three years and cost more than $100 million. Questions were asked about the methods and success of the clean-up.

2004 The Federal Court ruled the Commonwealth had breached the law when it compulsorily acquired land in South Australia intended as a dump for nuclear waste. It led the federal government to abandon its plan for a national waste dump.

The Federal Court ruled the Commonwealth had breached the law when it compulsorily acquired land in South Australia intended as a dump for nuclear waste. It led the federal government to abandon its plan for a national waste dump. 2005 The Senate passed a motion opposing nuclear power in Australia. The Federal Government overrode the Northern Territory and took control of the approval process for new uranium mines.

The Senate passed a motion opposing nuclear power in Australia. The Federal Government overrode the Northern Territory and took control of the approval process for new uranium mines. After the 2007 election, federal Labor legislated on radioactive waste management. A fight has persisted over plans for a dump in the Northern Territory and the Federal Government is running out of time to find a safe nuclear waste site.

Topics: nuclear-issues, states-and-territories, environment, government-and-politics, sa, adelaide-5000, roxby-downs-5725, australia

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