Nuclear Fuel Cycle Citizens' Jury

In reply to the Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (19 October 2016).

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Employment, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Science and Information Economy): The Premier has provided the following advice:

Juror recruitment was managed by the newDemocracy Foundation, an independent research organisation, who advised on the community engagement strategy and design.

Using Australia Post's database, newDemocracy Foundation created a random sample of 25,000 addresses for the first jury and 10,000 for the second. Invitations were sent to these addresses, inviting the occupants to register their interest. Of the 1,500 registrations of interest, newDemocracy selected 52 jurors for the first jury and a further 300 for the second jury, matching participants to the census profile of the state based on gender, age, location and home ownership.

Jurors were not asked to state whether they identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.

The jury was independently conducted by new DemocracyCo, who invited Aboriginal perspectives throughout the six days of deliberation. This included a session to hear Indigenous community perspectives, with around 20 Aboriginal people, many travelling to Adelaide from rural South Australia to share their experiences with the jury.

The South Australian Government's Response to the Royal Commission recognised the need for a bigger conversation about how Aboriginal people want to be seen, valued and recognised, and on 'unfinished business' from the past.

It also states that if broad social consent were to be achieved on a proposed nuclear waste facility, a local Aboriginal community would be given a final right of veto on any future facility on their lands.