Senator plans to take Hill End nuclear dump site mismanagement to Senate Estimates

Greens NSW Senator Lee Rhiannon will question officials from the Department of Science and Industry at the February Senate Budget Estimates hearing on their latest serious mismanagement of the location for the proposed nuclear waste dump at Hill End.

"The Department has caused more distress and concern among local residents by giving an inaccurate location for the proposed dump and then taking more than eight weeks to publicly disclose the actual location they are targeting," Senator Rhiannon said.

"The failure of the Department to show due diligence in managing the process for a nuclear waste facility further undermines public confidence.

"Locals have asked me if the Department can't even get the address correct in the Government Gazette why should anyone believe their promises.

"The Greens recognise the need to safely store nuclear waste but the process to determine the site and the botched handling of the Hill End location shows the Department need to go back to the drawing board.

"The Department has not been accountable and transparent on the proposed nuclear dump at Hill End. I will ask questions at the upcoming Senate Estimates.

"The proposal for a Hill End dump site has been imposed on the small rural community who do not want it. They know it would put at risk their safety, livelihoods and community cohesion.

"If the dump was located at Hill End it would most likely become the storage centre for ten thousand drums of radioactive soil currently at Woomera in South Australia and the dangerous reprocessed fuel rod waste just returned from France.

"I congratulate the local community for speaking out in opposition to this proposed site and the way the Department is going about finding a dump site.

"My office is still being asked to print posters against the dump and we are happy to respond to these requests from the Hill End and Bathurst community.

"My staff and I will continue to support this campaign. We will continue to attend the community meetings, deliver requested posters and help organise the events to support Hill End and the region.

"All levels of government would do well to listen to the voices of the communities in and around Hill End," Senator Rhiannon added.

Contact: Brami Jegan 0433054712