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Monday, 27 February 2012
Page: 765

Senator CHRIS EVANS (Western Australia—Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (13:14): Thank you, Senator Ludlam; I will not have to spend my time reading the report now, given that you have read large chunks of it to me. But I am advised that, yes, we are very much aware of the blue ribbon commission process, and we understand that the United States is grappling with some similar issues to us. Equally, it is true to say that they are addressing the question of disposing of high-level waste in the United States and, of course, we are dealing with the management of low- and intermediate-level waste, so there are obvious differences in addition to the different legal and societal contexts. But I think it is fair to say that much of what you refer to reflects the same sort of approach we are taking here, which is a volunteerism approach. The report talked about encouraging communities to volunteer to be considered as part of its recommendations as well and, as I say, that is consistent with the sort of view we are taking here. I do not necessarily agree with the way you seek to use the commission report as though it somehow undermines the appropriateness of what we are seeking to do here. I think it is broadly consistent. As I say, that is to try to get communities to volunteer and to work with them to bring all that to a successful conclusion.

If this is a ram raid, it is the slowest ram raid in the history of the nation; the bill has been with us since February 2010. I know you are used to the deliberative processes of the Senate, but I would not describe this as a ram raid. If this were a ram raid, certainly the culprits would have been caught long before they left the scene of the crime. One might suggest that the Greens might be pursuing a policy of trying to prevent the bill coming to a head and that they might be contributing to this, given the leisurely way we are approaching this legislation today and the way we approached it earlier. It is very clear what the position of the Greens is, and that is a perfectly appropriate decision for them to take. I think there is support around the Senate for the approach contained in this bill, and we would do well to get on and use our time wisely to debate it.

I have obtained a copy of the UN Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, dated 14 October 2011, which contains an inventory of the waste currently held in Australia.

Although publicly available, I table the report as it has the most recent calculations.