WA: Opposition calls for legislation to ban nuclear dump

AAP General News (Australia)
08-22-1999
WA: Opposition calls for legislation to ban nuclear dump

PERTH, Aug 22 AAP - West Australian opposition leader Geoff Gallop yesterday called on the
Court Government to support legislation to ban the establishment of a nuclear waste dump in
the state.

The call came as American company Pangea Resources outlined its plans to spend $15 million
in the next two years on a feasibility study for a high level nuclear waste dump in outback
Australia.

A spokesman for Pangea said the company which would open an office in Perth next month
would start on the feasibility study "in the near future".

Pangea outlined its plans for the controversial dump at a weekend conference organised
by the University of Western Australia.

Dr Gallop said only legislation to outlaw the dump would convince Pangea that the
people of WA did not want a nuclear waste dump in their state.

"Labor's Nuclear Waste Storage Facility (Prohibition) Bill 1999 will be debated when
State Parliament resumes next month after a two week break", Dr Gallop said.

"The bill is a direct response to the proposal by Pangea Resources to establish an
international nuclear waste dump in the north-eastern Goldfields."

A spokesman for Pangea said the outback waste dump would take 12 years to research
and build.

"The Pangea proposal is scientifically simple and logical but understandably, the
general public will need to be convinced it is both safe and environmentally friendly," a
statement by the company said.

"A worldwide search has found that the optimal combination of geology, topography and
climatic conditions exists in only four locations - Australia, Argentina, southern Africa
and China. The further considerations of political, social and infrastructure factors make
Australia the most favourable site."

AAP/jrh/arb

KEYWORD: PANGEA

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