Citizens’ Jury to guide nuclear agenda

At the weekend, Premier Jay Weatherill officially “opened” the Citizens’ Jury, which consists of 50 randomly selected members, who are representative of the broader SA population.

The Jury is being conducted by democracyCo, and open jury sessions will be live-streamed through the YourSAy website.

Citizens Jury One will be held across two weekends (June 25-26 and July 9-10), with the Jury providing a report to government which will further guide the community discussion on the topic.

In October, a second Citizens’ Jury of about 350 people, including the original members of the first Jury, will be convened to evaluate the feedback from the state-wide consultation and weigh up the choices and options on the important issues raised by the Royal Commission.

In November, this second Jury will produce a report summarising the community’s position for the government to consider in its response to the Royal Commission’s Report by the end of the year.

The Royal Commission into the Nuclear Fuel Cycle identified that SA could safely increase its participation in the nuclear fuel cycle to deliver significant economic benefits to the state.

Premier Jay Weatherill said rather than the government setting the agenda, the Jury would have the important job of framing the discussion for all South Australians.

“This jury will help bring clarity and precision to the statewide consultation phase, ensuring it can be carried out with confidence, integrity and effectiveness,” he said.

“The Citizens’ Jury process is not simply about getting people into a room and taking a vote, it is about hearing from experts, exploring issues in depth, asking questions and putting forward the community’s view.

“Ultimately the decision will be made by the state government, but this decision will be informed by this important discussion involving all South Australians.”