Nuclear reactor ready to roll at Jervis Bay
“The Federal government has begun construction of Australia's first
nuclear reactor at Jervis Bay,” Byron Bay activist Gareth Smith told 200
people attending the release of a new film by Helen Caldicott last
night.
"The site works completed at Jervis Bay in 2005 went hand in hand with the
environmental studies prior to recommending the site. The government has
delayed any decision to press ahead until the political heat goes out of
the debate. It is up to us to make sure that political heat is turned up,"
said Greens candidate, Giovanni Ebono.
Caldicott said, “This is the most important election in recent history. The Global Nuclear Energy Partnership which makes Australia the dump for the world's nuclear waste was signed in Vienna in September, but has not been ratified by Parliament. Deciding whether to become the world's waste dump will be one of the first decisions taken by the government we elect on Saturday.”
Yesterday, Nationals candidate Sue Page denied all knowledge of the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership, announced by Prime Minister Howard on the steps of Canada's Parliament in May 2006. “I wasn't there when the decision was made. I've not read any of the information about it,” she said while debating Greens candidate, Giovanni Ebono on community radio station, Bay FM yesterday.
Mr Ebono said that he has been reporting on the issue since May 2006. “Regardless of the outcome of the election, I am totally opposed to the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership and will continue to actively work against it,” he told listeners.
Labor candidate, Justine Elliot, voted in favour of expanding uranium mining at the ALP conference on April 24th. Kevin Rudd has so far remained silent on the GNEP, attempting to limit the nuclear debate to the placement of nuclear reactors.
“Residents of Ballina and Terra Nora should be very afraid. The geography of those locations is eeerily similar to the site of the reactor under construction in Jervis Bay,” Mr Ebono said. "The only thing standing between them and a nuclear reactor is the State Labor government and Howard's pledge to hold a plebiscite before building a nuclear reactor in any electorate. Voters will have to decide how much faith they put in those safeguards."
The Jervis Bay site is part of the ACT, so does not require State Government approval to go ahead.
Helen Caldicott won 23.3 per cent of the primary vote in Richmond when she stood as an anti-nuclear candidate fifteen years ago. A poll published in the Australian Financial Review,12 March 2007) shows strong public opposition to nuclear power and nuclear waste.
More than 50 per cent of all Australians, including 60 per cent of women and 53 per cent of 18-34 year olds, did not “support the construction of nuclear reactors for electricity production in Australia”. Only 16 per cent of women supported nuclear electricity. A May 2006 Newspoll showed 66 per cent of Australians believe there should be no new uranium mines opened in Australia.
