Nuclear Waste

The Hon. M.C. PARNELL (14:46): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation a question about a proposed nuclear waste dump in South Australia.

Leave granted.

The Hon. M.C. PARNELL: As members know, the commonwealth government's search for a site for a proposed radioactive waste dump has been narrowed to six sites, three of which are in South Australia. Two of the sites are near Kimba and one site, Barndioota, is north of Port Augusta. In relation to the Barndioota site, there has been some commentary in the media around the interest in the property of former Liberal Senator Grant Chapman. However, Mr Chapman does not own the land. The land is actually owned by the state and is the responsibility of the minister. It is apparently leased to a company that is part owned by Mr Chapman.

According to a Lands Titles Office search, the land in question is a perpetual crown lease under the Crown Land Management Act 2009. This means that it is owned by the state and merely leased to the current occupiers. The rental is a massive $111 per year for 6,280 hectares.

Despite the existence of a perpetual crown lease, the minister has the ability under section 38 to resume the land (or part of the land) at any time provided he gives three months' notice and pays compensation to the affected leaseholder. The minister has ultimate control over how this land is used.

Under the South Australian Nuclear Waste Storage Facility (Prohibition) Act 2000, the construction of a nuclear waste storage facility is against the law. It is also illegal under section 13 of that act for any public money to be appropriated, expended or advanced to any person for the purpose of encouraging or financing any activity associated with the construction or operation of a nuclear waste storage facility in the state. My questions of the minister are:

1. Does he support state government owned land being put forward by lessees for a nuclear waste dump in contravention of his party's policies and in contravention of the South Australian Nuclear Waste Storage Facility (Prohibition) Act 2000?

2. What action will the minister now take to prevent this crown land being used for a radioactive waste dump?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (14:49): I thank the honourable member for his most important questions. The Australian government established the National Radioactive Waste Management Facility project in 2014 to implement Australia's radioactive waste management policy. Earlier this year, landholders in all states and territories were invited, I am advised, to voluntarily nominate for this facility to be built to dispose of Australia's low level waste on their land. I understand the Australian government received 28 nominations between March and May 2015.

On 13 November 2015, the Australian government announced that six potentially suitable sites would be part of a community consultation process to determine a short list of two or three sites. The six sites are: Sally's Flat in New South Wales, Hale in the Northern Territory, Cortlinye in South Australia, Pinkawillinie in South Australia (I think that is on the Eyre Peninsula), Barndioota in South Australia and Oman Ama in Queensland.

I understand that over the next 120 days, the commonwealth Department of Industry, Innovation and Science will be consulting with local stakeholders with an interest in these sites. I also understand the federal government expects a final site being identified before the end of 2016. I am advised that the sites at Cortlinye and Pinkawillinie (near Kimba) are privately owned freehold land, but the third site (situated at Barndioota, outside of Hawker) is a perpetual crown lease (Crown Lease Volume 1215 Folio 28). I understand the lease is for agriculture and personal residence and consists of 6,280 hectares.

The royal commission currently underway in South Australia will look at the opportunities and risks associated with the nuclear sector. We want all South Australians to be able to explore this complex and often emotive question, to look at the practical, financial and ethical issues raised by the prospect of greater engagement in this sector in the state. There will be a wide range of views and evidence taken as part of this process, that is fairly obvious, and many are deeply held, of course, but this process will allow everyone to have their say and to have evidence assessed to inform the public debate. That is important. I think public debate is at the heart of this matter.

There are significant factors to take into account, including of course the current legislative provisions of the Nuclear Waste Storage Facility (Prohibition) Act 2000. Those provisions would mean that the use of crown land, I am advised, would be prevented at this stage. I am confident that the royal commission will allow the facts to be presented in a way which enables all to engage in what is an important debate for our state's future. I encourage all honourable members and, indeed, members of the community who have a strongly held view on these matters, to ventilate them with the royal commission so that we can all be a part of this very important and informed discussion.