Glowing pains

By Stephen Robson

PERTH -- In the bizarre world of capitalism, lobbying for more nuclear waste is portrayed as rational. The Court government is pushing to establish a national nuclear waste dump in Western Australia's Goldfields region.

Linked to this is a campaign to shift the Lucas Heights nuclear research facility from Sydney to WA. Presently, around 3500 cubic metres of radioactive waste, accumulated over the past 50 years, are located at 30 sites around Australia.

State rights manage to get an airing: “we” won't take the waste from other states unless “we” get Lucas Heights.

The campaign is an attempt to pressure Senator Peter Cook, the federal minister for industry, science and technology. Cook is considering a report on future projections for Lucas Heights.

Former state Labor leader Ian Taylor echoed the Liberal-National position.

A discussion paper prepared for energy minister Senator Bob Collins estimated that the radioactive material would take around 300 years before it decayed to insignificant levels. Collins has responsibility for deciding on the location of a national waste dump.

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