❓ Hon Robin Chapple questions the Minister for Mines and Petroleum regarding the potential return of thorium waste from Lynas Corporation's Malaysian refinery to WA, and the Minister reaffirms WA's refusal to accept the waste due to Commonwealth legislation.
AnsweredQoN 116Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
THORIUM WASTE
116. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the Minister for Mines and
Petroleum:
My question without notice is to the Minister for Mines and
Petroleum and one would hope that we might get an answer relevant to the
question!
I refer to the minister's previous answer to question
without notice 222 of Tuesday, 5 April 2011 and further to the proposal by the
Malaysian Atomic Energy Licensing Board—AELB—and Lynas
Corporation that waste material be shipped back to the source, Mount Weld, WA,
should a suitable disposal site not be found in Malaysia. I also refer to a
newspaper article.
(1) Given
that AELB director general Raja Abdul Aziz Raja Adnan said that the waste from
the Gebeng refinery would not be radioactive once it was treated, does the
minister stand by his original view that WA would not accept the waste?
(2) Does the
minister agree with the AELB director general—I will not repeat his
name—that the waste material from the Gebeng refinery would not be
radioactive?
(3) If no to
(2), why not?
116. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the Minister for Mines and
Petroleum:
My question without notice is to the Minister for Mines and
Petroleum and one would hope that we might get an answer relevant to the
question!
I refer to the minister's previous answer to question
without notice 222 of Tuesday, 5 April 2011 and further to the proposal by the
Malaysian Atomic Energy Licensing Board—AELB—and Lynas
Corporation that waste material be shipped back to the source, Mount Weld, WA,
should a suitable disposal site not be found in Malaysia. I also refer to a
newspaper article.
(1) Given
that AELB director general Raja Abdul Aziz Raja Adnan said that the waste from
the Gebeng refinery would not be radioactive once it was treated, does the
minister stand by his original view that WA would not accept the waste?
(2) Does the
minister agree with the AELB director general—I will not repeat his
name—that the waste material from the Gebeng refinery would not be
radioactive?
(3) If no to
(2), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member
for some notice of this question.
(1) Yes, as commonwealth legislation
prohibits the importation by Australia of any waste product produced from
offshore processing of any mineral resources purchased here.
(2) Not relevant.
(3) Not applicable.
The member might do the Malaysians a favour
by confining his political activities to Western Australia!
for some notice of this question.
(1) Yes, as commonwealth legislation
prohibits the importation by Australia of any waste product produced from
offshore processing of any mineral resources purchased here.
(2) Not relevant.
(3) Not applicable.
The member might do the Malaysians a favour
by confining his political activities to Western Australia!
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