The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (16:36): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before addressing a question to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development on the nuclear waste dump near Kimba.
Leave granted.
The Hon. T.A. FRANKS: As we know, the federal government has acquired over 200 hectares of land near Kimba on Eyre Peninsula to build a nuclear waste storage facility and looks set to treat South Australia as a nuclear waste dumping ground. Our rural communities have not been properly consulted, and this move does require an inquiry under a particular act of the state, the Nuclear Waste Storage Facility (Prohibition) Act 2000.
I note that the Bungala people are seeking a judicial review. I note that not all people that will be affected in our regions by this facility were consulted. I also note that the people of South Australia more broadly were not consulted and yet this will affect our regions and that region in particular and has been deeply divisive.
My question to the minister is: what will she do to ensure that regional people are properly consulted, that the Bungala people are respected, that their 100 per cent vote no to this facility is heard and that, through the inquiry process that is required to effect this federal initiative, South Australia is not treated as a dumping ground for nuclear waste?
The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (16:37): I thank the honourable member for her question. The bulk of her question falls under the responsibility of my colleague in the other place. I will seek some information from him and return to the council with that information.
The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (16:38): Supplementary: which colleague in the other place is responsible for hearing the voices on regional South Australians in this debate?
The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (16:38): The question related to the nuclear waste dump, so I will refer that to the relevant minister in the other place.