The state’s peak environment body has strongly welcomed Premier Peter Malinauskas’s public backing of the fight by the Barngarla Traditional Owners to stop a radioactive waste dump on their land.

MEDIA RELEASE 

16 September 2022

Premier right to insist on Barngarla Veto for Nuke Waste Dump

The state’s peak environment body has strongly welcomed Premier Peter Malinauskas’s public backing of the fight by the Barngarla Traditional Owners to stop a radioactive waste dump on their land.

“At the March state election, the Malinauskas Government made a clear election commitment to back a veto for the Barngarla people,” said Conservation SA Chief Executive Craig Wilkins.

“It’s great to see the Premier keep faith with that commitment and back it strongly.

“The lack of respect shown to Traditional Owners by the previous Morrison Federal Government in their stubborn pursuit of a dump on SA’s Eyre Peninsula in the face of overwhelming community opposition was simply disgraceful.

“We hope this high-profile intervention by the Premier will send a clear message to the new Federal Government that a new approach that respects the rights of the Barngarla Traditional Owners is required – particularly in the context of Voice and Treaty,” Mr Wilkins said.

In November 2019, the Barngarla Traditional Owners were deliberately excluded from a community ballot.  When the Barngarla conducted their own independent poll, not a single Traditional Owner voted in favour.

The proposed facility contravenes Australia’s international obligations.  The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (Article 29) maintains “States shall take effective measures to ensure that no storage or disposal of hazardous materials shall take place in the lands or territories of indigenous peoples without their free, prior and informed consent”  

In response to the former Morrison Government’s appalling process, the Barngarla Determination Aboriginal Corporation (BDAC) have taken their fight to the Federal Court.

“It is crystal clear the Barngarla Traditional Owners strongly and consistently oppose the former Federal Government’s proposed facility.  The dump is also opposed by the SA Government, many local farmers, SA Unions, medical experts and environment groups. 

“And no wonder. The proposed Kimba dump is not consistent with international best practice, with Australia’s most dangerous radioactive waste to be placed in temporary above ground storage on prime agricultural land in SA while the authorities try to work out where to permanently bury it.

“Meanwhile, $60m is being spent to extend the current secure storage facilities at Lucas Heights in Sydney.  Leaving it there while a long-term solution is finalised is a safer, smarter and cheaper option.

“And whether the Kimba dump proceeds or not will not affect in any way the provision of nuclear medicine to the Australian people.

“It’s now time for this sorry saga to be abandoned and a new, respectful, transparent and evidence-based approach commenced to manage Australia’s long lived radioactive waste,” he said.

For further background: https://www.conservationsa.org.au/kimba_report