Australian Parliament inquiry hears warnings that Aukus deal could turn Australia into a dumping ground for international nuclear waste, despite government assurances

Australia faces the risk of becoming an international repository for radioactive waste due to new legislative proposals linked to the Aukus pact, a recent parliamentary inquiry into nuclear safety legislation has revealed. Under the shadow of the Aukus agreement, which aims to bolster Australia’s defence capabilities through nuclear-powered submarines, there is growing apprehension that the US and UK might exploit the deal to offload their nuclear waste onto Australian shores.

The Australian government’s introduction of the naval nuclear power safety bill last November and a subsequent bill for regulatory licensing has sparked a heated debate. These pieces of legislation are intended to establish a nuclear safety watchdog and authorize the creation of facilities for the storage or disposal of radioactive waste from Aukus submarines, potentially including waste from the US and UK.

Critics of the proposal, such as the Australian Conservation Foundation’s Dave Sweeney, have expressed serious concerns about Australia becoming “a radioactive terra nullius” for its Aukus partners. This controversy is further compounded by the longstanding issues surrounding the disposal of domestic intermediate-level waste and the evident struggles of the US and UK to manage their naval waste effectively.

Defense Minister Richard Marles has previously dismissed such apprehensions as “fearmongering,” asserting that the government has no intention of accepting foreign nuclear waste. Nonetheless, the legislative language does allow for the creation of facilities to handle waste from Aukus submarines, explicitly including those from the US and UK, sparking fears of Australia being used as a nuclear waste dump.

This development comes amidst global challenges in managing nuclear waste, with both the UK and US grappling with the absence of long-term, high-level waste facilities. The inquiry heard from experts like Robin Townsend, who emphasized the nascent state of technology for safely storing nuclear waste and the need for early and careful planning to address this daunting task.

The debate over Australia’s role in the Aukus pact and its implications for nuclear waste management highlights the complex intersection of international diplomacy, national security, and environmental stewardship. As the Senate inquiry continues, the Australian public and the international community keenly await its findings, hoping for clarity and reassurance on an issue that resonates far beyond Australia’s borders.