STATE Opposition Leader and Southern Downs MP Lawrence Springborg on Friday welcomed the Federal Government’s decision not to build a nuclear waste facility in the region, at Omanama.
Mr Springborg said the government had listened to local concerns and noted there was not broad enough support for the facility to be built at the short-listed site.
“I thank the Federal LNP Government for adhering to their promise of proper consultation and respect for community attitudes in identifying the final site for the essential and overdue national storage and disposal facility for low to medium level radioactive waste,” Mr Springborg said.
“In relation to the consideration of Omanama as a possible site, Minister Frydenberg constantly reassured me that broad community support was the most critical element before any decision could be made to locate a facility in the area.
I therefore had complete confidence in relaying that commitment to my local community.
“While there was significant support within sections of the local community for the facility, it clearly did not meet the critical requirement of broad community acceptance,” he said.
“I know there will be many local people either disappointed or happy with this decision. Regardless of peoples’ personal views, it is important that those different local opinions be respected in response to this announcement.”
A remote station near Hawker in South Australia was earmarked by the Commonealth as the preferred site last Thursday.
