By Melanie Bull
and Liam Mitchell
SYDNEY — In protest at the federal government's decisions to mine uranium at Jabiluka and construct a new nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights, 70 people attended a public meeting on October 20 at the Resistance Centre organised by 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly.
Michael Priceman from Sutherland Shire Environment Centre described the 20-year struggle against the proposed nuclear reactor. In a recent ballot held by the Sutherland Council, 88% of local residents voted against the reactor.
Nuclear waste storage is a major concern. Highly radioactive spent fuel rods have been buried across the road from the facility. Water has leaked into some of the containers, and there is no more room for spent rods in the dump.
The government proposes to ship the majority of the 1600 fuel rods to Scotland for reprocessing. The waste will be returned within 10 years, with increased volume and retaining 90% of its radioactivity, to be stored "temporarily".
Emissions of radioactive argon gas from storage site at Lucas Heights have been recorded well over the allowed limit. There is no safe long-term storage or disposal method for radioactive waste, Priceman said.
Activists will hold an action outside the Sutherland Shire Council meeting on November 10.
Jim Green, 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly contributor and a member of the Democratic Socialist Party, recently completed a PhD thesis on Lucas Heights.
While the government's justifications include manufacturing radioisotopes for nuclear medicine, Green pointed out that safer alternatives exist. These methods currently produce around 20% of Australia's nuclear medicine needs.
Chris Doran, from the Wilderness Society, spoke about the campaign against the Jabiluka uranium mine. The mine will produce 20 million tonnes of radioactive waste.
The Gundjehmi Aboriginal Corporation, representing the Mirrar people, has launched a court challenge to the validity of the mining lease. If the challenge wins on December 16, then the issue will go to the Senate, which recently passed a motion opposing the Jabiluka mine.
This does not mean that the campaign is relying on the Senate to save Jabiluka, Doran told the meeting. The campaign has a three-pronged campaign of lobbying, direct action (a blockade of the mine is planned) and mass action.
Doran said the Jabiluka campaign was "the line in the sand" for the environment movement. "If we win this one, there is no stopping what we can achieve ... if done properly, we won't have to come back in 10 years time and do it all again."
Activists at the meeting urged mass street protests in the cities to coincide with the blockade and warned of cooption by Labor Party politicians.