Deal proposed on radioactive waste

Deal proposed on radioactive waste

A leaked letter from South Australian Premier Dean Brown to Prime Minister Paul Keating reveals that the SA government is attempting to trade its opposition to a radioactive waste repository at Woomera for a Commonwealth agreement to scrap World Heritage listing for the Lake Eyre Basin.

"The South Australian government believes a prerequisite to establishing radioactive waste storage sites or repositories in the Woomera region is that the adjacent Lake Eyre region should not be considered for listing", Brown states in his letter.

Kevin Parker, national campaign coordinator for the Wilderness Society, said that Woomera should not have to house radioactive waste. "There is already a push on by the state Liberal government to open up national parks for mining", said Parker, who went on to criticise Brown for "squandering" the opportunity for Lake Eyre Basin to be protected.

From GLW issue 183