SA premier wades into states’ feud over AUKUS nuclear waste dump

The federal government will make the choice, as the waste facility will be sited on defence-owned land. But they can expect pushback from parochial premiers.

McGowan, Andrews point to SA

West Australian Premier Mark McGowan on Thursday ruled out hosting a waste repository in his state, and suggested the Woomera testing range in South Australia was the “logical” location.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews also called on South Australia to host the facility, saying it was the state benefiting the most from the AUKUS deal.

“I think the waste can go where all the jobs are going,” Mr Andrews said. “I don’t think that’s unreasonable, is it?”

Mr Malinauskas said Mr Andrews’ comment “implies that this isn’t somehow a national endeavour”.

“This isn’t about the nation doing South Australia favour. It’s about South Australia contributing to our nation’s security. And that’s something we should all be collectively grateful for and proud of,” he said.

While not ruling out a waste facility in SA, he said the decision “demands a mature, considered approach from all concerned, including politicians in roles such as mine”.

‘A relatively simple proposition’

“It should be free of domestic political concerns from respective states. The test that should be applied to where the nuclear waste is stored in Australia should be: where’s the safest place to store in the nation’s interests?,” he said.

“I think that’s a relatively simple proposition. And to the extent that at home, we can remove domestic political considerations and focus on the science about what serves the nation best, that would be in everybody’s interest.”

Asked about divisions within the Labor Party over nuclear waste, and the AUKUS program more generally – following former prime minister Paul Keating’s incendiary intervention this week – Mr Malinauskas took the diplomatic route.

“It’s a demonstration of the fact that we live in a diverse liberal democracy that encourages freedom of thought and opinion,” he said.

“But within our liberal democracy, I think it’s important to acknowledge that we now have a bipartisan position on a nation-building, intergenerational exercise. And for as long as that is there, this is a program that they’re looking to invest in, and young people can build their careers around.”