JOBKEEPER SAVINGS WELCOME
Errors or mistakes are always greeted with much derision and any remedial advice or response is given with the benefit of hindsight.
The criticism heaped by many on the $60-billion shortfall in the JobKeeper payment total highlights an error, but its intensity beggars belief when you consider that it is actually a significant saving for Australian taxpayers.
The costs of funding Australia's excellent and highly successful response to the coronavirus pandemic have been warranted and accepted as being totally necessary.
But this rare opportunity to achieve such a significant saving, which does not impact negatively on this response, should be grasped.
Government expenditure is usually hallmarked by huge overspends and unlimited wastage, so fiscal responsibility is needed more than ever.
Ian Macgowan,
Ceduna.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT VITAL
I write in response to Barry Wakelin's letter to the Stock Journal on April 16 ('The final chance').
Firstly, the process to site the National Radioactive Waste Management Facility required land to be voluntarily nominated by a landowner.
The Australian government also maintained that the facility would not be imposed on an unwilling community.
A community ballot showed a clear level of support for the proposal among eligible participants in Kimba, with 61.58 per cent voting in support of the facility.
In addition, 59.3pc of surveyed local businesses and 59.8pc of local submission writers supported the proposal.
And 60pc of neighbours within five kilometres of Napandee, and 100pc of direct neighbours that share a boundary with the site at Napandee, supported the facility proceeding.
While the facility has broad support in Kimba, I acknowledge there remains opposition, particularly among the Barngarla people. We will continue to seek to engage with the Barngarla people to protect culture and heritage, including opportunities to maximise the social and economic benefits provided by the facility.
It is also important to remember that it is not the government's intention to extinguish native title rights or interests in the process of developing the facility, and legislative amendments may be considered to make this clear. Importantly, native title does not exist on the Napandee site.
As Mr Wakelin has been briefed, this facility will dispose of Australia's low-level waste and temporarily store intermediate level waste. Separately, work is already under way to examine long-term disposal options for intermediate-level waste, but it is likely that this process will take decades, and we have been completely open with the community about that time frame.
This critical piece of national infrastructure will bring together Australia's radioactive waste streams in a safe, purpose-built facility, consistent with international obligations and domestic regulatory requirements.
Importantly, a facility will not be established unless it meets relevant environmental and regulatory approvals.
About 80pc of Australia's radioactive waste stream is associated with the production of nuclear medicine which, on average, two in three Australians will need during their lifetime. Australia cannot indefinitely produce the vital nuclear medicine that it needs, including the radioactive waste which is associated with that production, without responsibly and safely managing the radioactive waste by-product.
Delivering this facility in a community that broadly supports it is in accordance with our international obligations, Australian regulatory requirements, and good practice overall.
Kathleen O'Kane,
NRWMF Taskforce acting general manager.
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