Senator XENOPHON (3:50 PM) —Mr Deputy President, I seek leave to make a brief explanation.

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT —Leave is granted for two minutes.

Senator XENOPHON —I indicate that I cannot support the motion in its current form, although I am very sympathetic to it. I have had an opportunity to discuss this with Senator Ludlam. I share many of Senator Ludlam’s concerns in relation to the process by which Muckaty Station was chosen as a nuclear waste dump. I have real concerns about that and I look forward to the bill being debated in this chamber, because I have many questions in relation to that.

I do have a concern about part (a)(iv) of the motion, which relates to the storage of radioactive waste at or near the site of origin. I have discussed that with Senator Ludlam. There is an issue there as to whether it is more appropriate to refer to the site of production of that waste. My concern is that there could be seen to be some ambiguity in relation to that. So I have a concern with respect to that, but I do share the concerns of Senator Ludlam in relation to the whole issue of the approval process for storing nuclear waste at Muckaty Station.