Friday, 20 July, 2007

ABC News

Opposition environment spokesman Peter Garrett says the policy record of the Government shows it is considering accepting nuclear waste.

Mr Garrett says the policy record of the Government shows it is considering accepting nuclear waste.

The Opposition has questioned the Federal Government's credibility on nuclear waste, after the Government revealed it is negotiating with the United States about a nuclear cooperation agreement.

Prime Minister John Howard has dismissed fears that the move to update a 1982 nuclear cooperation agreement will result in Australia becoming an international nuclear dumping ground.

Opposition environment spokesman Peter Garrett says the Government's policy record shows it is considering accepting nuclear waste.

"The Liberal Party Federal Council in June this year unanimously called on Australia to embrace worldwide nuclear waste storage, including for remote areas that Australia has to offer," he said.

"[Trade] Minister [Mark] Vaile has said we need to be open-minded about it, and with discussions under way between America and Australia that we knew nothing about, I think all roads lead to Rome."

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer says negotiations with the US will include safeguards and research and development, but not membership of the Bush administration's Global Nuclear Energy Partnership.

The Democrats and environmentalists, such as Alec Marr from the Wilderness Society, have warned that the Americans have a clear agenda.

"They are all desperate to have somewhere to dump their high-level radioactive waste," he said.

Mr Howard has again ruled that out.

"We've made that clear - we're not taking other people's waste," he said.

Mr Howard has reiterated his support of nuclear power as a "very clean" energy source.