SA Establishes Royal Commission for Nuclear Power
Tuesday 10 February 2015 @ 1.25 p.m. | Legal Research
South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill on Sunday (8 February 2015) announced a formal inquiry into the future role of the state in the nuclear fuel cycle, which will be tasked with considering options across the full gamut of mining, enrichment, energy and storage.
Background to the Royal Commission
Premier Jay Weatherill said South Australians should be given the opportunity to consider the practical, financial and ethical issues raised by a deeper involvement in the nuclear industries:
“We are home to one of the largest uranium deposits in the world and after more than 25 years of uranium production, it is now time to engage in a mature and robust conversation about South Australia’s future role in the nuclear industry."
He said the royal commission was the first of its kind in Australia, as they usually looked backwards at things that had gone wrong:
“The Royal Commission will be the first of its kind in the nation and will explore the opportunities and risks of South Australia’s involvement in the mining, enrichment, energy and storage phases for the peaceful use of nuclear energy...Royal Commissions are a trusted and reliable means to establish the facts with which the people of South Australia can engage in this important debate. "
Reactions from Stakeholders and the Public
Liberal leader Steven Marshall said the premier’s announcement was a distraction, although the opposition supported the inquiry which was in line with its stated position before last year’s SA election.
Business SA also welcomed the royal commission, saying the organisation had previously called for a “mature debate” of the nuclear energy industry in SA.
As the Conversation points out:
"While boosting South Australia’s uranium industry, a bold initiative like this would also deliver urgently needed cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, improvements in air-quality and sparing land for biodiviersity preservation and food security from coal mining, hydro dams and biofuels.
As the world then transitions to the next-generation fast reactors (and probably other advanced nuclear fission technologies), we will already be leaders in this new global standard in nuclear, ready to re-sell material that we have recycled into new metal fast-reactor fuel...
A Royal Commission will provide South Australians with the foundation we need to move forward to greater prosperity in confidence and collaboration, and with the potential to take a leadership role in displacing fossil fuels worldwide."
Greens supporters are said to be against the decision to form the Royal Commission.
Terms of Reference Yet to be Set
The Premier said consultation would start in the coming days on the terms of reference.
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