CLP inquiry into Uranium enrichment
Friday, 24 August, 2007
by Julia Christensen
ABC Darwin
TIME: 8.30AM
DATE: Friday 24th August 2007
REPORTER: JULIA CHRISTENSEN
INTERVIEWEE: DAVE TOLLNER
RE: CLP INQUIRY INTO URANIUM ENRICHMENT
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As the Federal election draws near, there’s plenty of interesting topics being thrown around including a lot of discussion on the future of a nuclear power industry in Australia and of course that always makes us think about the disposal of nuclear waste. Yesterday I was talking with Labor Senator, Trish
Crossin who wants the Federal Government to offer a plebiscite to the Northern
Territory over the positioning of a nuclear waste disposal facility here.
Senator Crossin is also calling for the Country Liberal Party’s report on
uranium enrichment to be released. Remember it was about a year ago that I
think the CLP announced an inquiry into uranium enrichment, an inquiry that was
supported by the Member for Solomon, Dave Tollner. Dave Tollner, good morning.
TOLLNER Good morning to you Julia.
REPTR What happened to the report?
TOLLNER Well nothing’s happened with the report yet Julia, it just hasn’t
been done unfortunately.
REPTR Why not?
TOLLNER Don’t ask me Julia, I can’t quite tell you. I don’t know why it
hasn’t been done, but I’m keen to see it done.
REPTR Well I rang Jodeen Carney about this yesterday and she said the same thing
and said, ask Dave Tollner.
TOLLNER Well I can’t explain why it hasn’t been done. It’s a job for the
party policy committee and it’s still pending.
REPTR Was it a bit of a stunt?
TOLLNER No, it wasn’t a bit of a stunt. We’re very serious about finding
out, you know, the science behind nuclear enrichment, finding out what it means
environmentally, what it may mean commercially and if people want it.
REPTR But you’ve put a lot of effort into informing yourself about the whole
nuclear issue. Have you not been briefed by experts in Canberra on this Dave?
TOLLNER Well I’ve, as you rightly say, I have put a lot of effort in
understanding energy in general and I have my own views on that. But I’d like
the party to come to a position as well.
REPTR Alright, well what about the idea of a plebiscite for a nuclear waste
facility given that John Howard yesterday said there would be a plebiscite for
communities on whether they wanted a nuclear power facility in their areas.
TOLLNER Well I don’t know whether it’s a plebiscite is what’s called for in
that regard, given the fact that there has been extensive consultations in
relation to the Muckaty Station site that the NLC proposed. They did a
wide-ranging consultation, spoke to all of their TO’s and this has been on the
table for quite some time and people have had an adequate opportunity to put
their views forward and…
REPTR …but it’s something that’s going to affect the whole Territory isn’t it
with nuclear waste being transported through the Territory. Shouldn’t the whole
community be allowed to have a plebiscite?
TOLLNER Well the fact is Julia, whether it’s in the Northern Territory or
the whole of Australia, nuclear waste and nuclear products are transported every
day on our main roads, on our railways, on our airlines. It’s something that
happens commonly right around the country and you know, in the Northern
Territory here, every gram of uranium goes over our port from South Australia to
Ranger uranium, it all goes over the port of Darwin here and I don’t notice that
the Territory Government suggested we should have a plebiscite to decide on
whether that occurs. In relation to the nuclear waste facility, it is a very
sort of localised issue and it’s an issue for those people near the site to be
involved in. But you know, whether blow ins from all over the country should
have a say on it, I don’t know whether that’s appropriate.
REPTR Dave Tollner, thanks for your time.
TOLLNER My pleasure Julia.