FED: Nuclear waste dump idea won t go away, says Pangea

AAP General News (Australia)
04-19-1999
FED: Nuclear waste dump idea won t go away, says Pangea

CANBERRA, April 19 AAP - A company proposing to build an international nuclear waste dump
in outback Australia today vowed to press ahead with its proposal despite federal government
opposition.

US-based Pangea Resources wants to establish the waste facility in Western Australia and
has enlisted prominent Australians to support its campaign.

Federal Resources Minister Nick Minchin has firmly rejected the plan and said the
government's refusal was final.

But Pangea chairman David Pentz said tonight Australia should seriously consider the plan
in a rational way.

"We at least, and I think you will find others in the world, believe that Australia has an
incredible opportunity to help the world," he told the ABC's Four Corners program.

Asked why Pangea refused to give up despite government rejection, he said: "Because the
idea of an international repository and the benefits it will bring the world is real.

"We think we have begun to see how we can put the genie back into the bottle.

"And ideas of this size, don't go away."

Four Corners said Pangea had spent $250,000 on polling by Liberal Party pollster Mark
Textor who reported that most Australians were ill-informed and afraid of nuclear issues.

But his report also said: "As long as people's safety concerns can be satisfied, and we
cannot over-emphasise the importance and the magnitude of this task, people could see the
benefits of a nuclear waste dump."

Senator Minchin rejected the finding and reaffirmed the commonwealth's opposition to the
plan even if there was support from the Western Australian government.

"The only way this could advance is if a state government decided that it would like to
entertain this proposition and grant the relevant state approvals for such a project to
proceed," he told Four Corners.

"But it's not going to go anywhere without the commonwealth authorising the importation of
the materials."

AAP sc/bm/de

KEYWORD: NUCLEAR PANGEA (CARRIED EARLIER)

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