antinuclear

Anti-nuclear bill in parliament

20th June 2007, 14:30 WST

Anyone who tries to build or operate a nuclear power plant in Western Australia will face a fine of $500,000 under a new bill introduced to state parliament today.

Energy Minister Francis Logan says the anti-nuclear legislation would ensure WA remained free of nuclear power.

Mr Logan said WA’s Labor government did not believe the solution to the state’s energy requirements lay with nuclear energy.

We have already passed legislation to ban the storage and transport of nuclear waste," Mr Logan said.

To date it has not been necessary to ban nuclear power.

But a new threat has emerged.

The Howard government in its attempt to play catch up in the climate change debate is using nuclear power as its solution to global warming.

This could mean action by the Commonwealth government to impose nuclear power in WA."

Mr Logan said the new legislation would prohibit the construction or operation of a nuclear facility in WA.

It will also prohibit the transportation of certain material to a nuclear facility site, and prohibit connecting nuclear generation works to an electricity transmission or distribution system.

Companies or individuals who attempt to build or operate a nuclear power plant in WA will face fines of $500,000, he said.

The new laws will include a referendum trigger if the Commonwealth tries to override the new state laws.

AAP