Concerns highlighted by MP
The idea, which was suggested by the Howard Government, was mooted by the Rudd Government earlier this week.
Mrs Fardell, “always a strong opponent” of transporting nuclear waste, said there were many issues to consider before adopting the plan.
She disagreed with Mayor Greg Matthews’ statement that the extra 170 trucks needed to carry the waste would not be noticed on Dubbo’s transport corridor.
Mrs Fardell said the proposal shouldn’t be contemplated until New South Wales has better road infrastructure.
The MP highlighted concerns about storing and managing the nuclear waste, the social impacts, risks, choice of site and method of transport, and said they were issues for which she needed answers before she would make up her mind.
“Like a second airport the decision can’t be taken lightly,” she said.
Mrs Fardell said improvements to road infrastructure were a must.
“An extra 170 trucks would make a hell of a lot of difference to our road infrastructure,” she said.
“Why would we contemplate sending 170 more truckloads of anything over the goat track of the Blue Mountains?”
When asked if she was surprised that the issue had reappeared under a Labor Government, Mrs Fardell said she was not.
“It’s the same bureaucrats, I’m not at all surprised it’s resurfaced,” she said.
“They try again when a new government gets in. I don’t recall it being on the Labor Party’s agenda before the election.”
The push to fast-track the decision on a nuclear waste dumping site comes after resources and energy minister Martin Ferguson said a site needed to be found and confirmed before the next election.
The Rudd Government has committed $1.4 million in the budget for an environmental impact assessment in 2008-09, with $2.4 million to complete it in 2009-10.
Councillor Matthews told the Daily Liberal on Monday that he had no problems with the proposal, or with trucks passing through the city.
“I have no issue with it at all,” he said.
“It seems to be safer than some of the stuff we have in our houses.”