South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill on Monday called for a referendum to determine the future of nuclear waste storage in the state.
In May, the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission issued a report supporting a proposed facility that could store tens of thousands of tons of nuclear waste shipped in from other countries starting in the 2020s. Ultimately, the site could deliver $100 billion (AUS) in profit over 120 years, according to the report.
A statewide consultation process after the report was issued involved more than 50,000 people and two citizens’ juries, Weatherill said in a statement.
The second citizens’ jury earlier this month came out strongly against the facility, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported. The opposition Liberal Party also pulled its support before the consideration process had been completed, Weatherill said.
“The State Government has decided that discussion should continue on a proposed nuclear waste facility in South Australia,” Weatherill stated. “The Government has also concluded the only path forward is the restoration of bipartisanship and broad social consent secured through a State-wide referendum.”
However, the Labor Party politician separately acknowledged there was no political consensus that would allow a referendum to proceed, the Adelaide Advertiser reported. “Obviously we’d have no chance of success at the moment,” Weatherill said. Opposition party leaders confirmed the absence of such agreement, according to news reports.
In the event that a referendum supported the nuclear waste site, Aboriginal people in South Australia would still have final say on the project if it would affect their lands, the premier said.
Weatherill said his government would on Tuesday present to the state Parliament its comprehensive response to the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission report.
