Nuclear dump protesters rally support
Anti-nuclear campaigners in Leonora have worked to rally opposition to the Shire of Leonora’s support for a national radioactive waste facility.
Representatives from the WA Nuclear-free Alliance spent the weekend gathering signatures for a petition to be presented to Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane stating community opposition to the project.
WA Nuclear Free Alliance chairman Kado Muir said the group had gathered about 70 signatures so far.
He said the protest action was to show there was a “large slice” of the community opposed to the facility.
“It’s essentially to show there are members of the community out here concerned by the invitation from council to have a nuclear waste dump here, ” he said.
“I think the nuclear-free movement is pretty well entrenched in town here.”
The Federal Government is considering whether to conduct a nationwide search for a site to house the nuclear waste facility.
Mr Macfarlane has said the area ultimately identified for the facility would need to be one free from dispute.
Although it has faced fierce opposition, the Shire of Leonora has not identified a site nor expressed an interest in the nuclear repository.
With the approval of the council, chief executive Jim Epis wrote to Mr Macfarlane in October with the Shire’s support for a nationwide search.
Shire of Leonora chief executive Jim Epis said the anti-nuclear petition showed there was healthy debate in the community.
“We still understand Kado and others’ reasoning, and they’re entitled to their opinion,” Mr Epis said.
“I reckon it’s good to have these people around, it brings healthy debate.”
Mr Epis said if the Shire were to be identified as an area of interest after the nationwide search, it would consult with all community stakeholders.
“When the time comes, we’ll consult with Aboriginal people, along with other stakeholders in the region — mining tenement holders, pastoralists,” he said.
Another proposal to host the facility in the Ngaanyatjarra Lands has also been the subject of community criticism.
Glenn Cooke, an Aboriginal elder from Warburton, said this week there was little support among people for the plan of Lands for Kanpa Community representative Preston Thomas to host the facility near the remote community.
