Nuclear Waste

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (14:47): Whilst I am on my feet, I would like to give a response to a supplementary question asked by the Hon. Mark Parnell yesterday in relation to the proposed commonwealth intermediate low-level nuclear waste facility at Barndioota in the Flinders Ranges. I told him I would make inquiries to his question which was: is the commonwealth now in discussion with the South Australian government over the siting of intermediate and low-level radioactive waste on crown land in South Australia?

I can advise the chamber that I have sought the advice of the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources and the answer to the honourable member's question is no. The National Radioactive Waste Management Act 2012 regulates the process for the nomination, short-listing a selection of nuclear storage sites. Section 7 of the act allows the holder of a lease granted by, or on behalf of, the Crown to nominate the land for a potential site.

While the lessee is eligible to nominate the site, there is no provision, I am advised, for myself as the responsible minister for crown lands to consider a nomination. The commonwealth has selected Barndioota to progress to the next phase for the establishment of a national radioactive waste management facility for domestic low and intermediate-level waste for industry, research and medicine purposes.

I am advised that the nominated site, Barndioota, is currently held under a Perpetual Crown Lease for Agricultural Purposes (CL1215/28) and is approximately 30 kilometres from Hawker. In this case, I am advised the lessee put forward the nomination; however, no approach was made to myself or the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources to seek consent to nominate the site. It is not known to me whether, if selected as a storage site, the required land will be the whole or only part of the lease.

I am also advised that Barndioota's further progression does not amount to final site selection but the commencement of further assessments and further community consultation. I would expect the commonwealth to engage with the community in relation to this matter before making any further determinations.

I would reiterate that neither myself nor my agency, DEWNR, has had discussions with the federal government over a possible commonwealth radioactive waste management facility at Barndioota, that neither myself nor DEWNR has given any assurances to the federal government, and that to my knowledge no contracts, memoranda of understanding or other documents have been prepared in relation to this proposed site for a radioactive waste management facility.