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SA backs expanded uranium mining

The South Australian government has backed expanded uranium mining as debate stalls over the future of a high-level nuclear waste dump.

The South Australian government has backed an expansion of uranium mining and other recommendations related to nuclear power in its full response to the nuclear fuel cycle royal commission.

As it seeks to continue community debate on the question of building a high-level nuclear waste dump, the government has backed eight other recommendations in its response presented to state parliament on Tuesday.

That includes support for simplified approvals for mining uranium, backing for more surveys to find new deposits along with a recommendation to develop new commercial opportunities for nuclear medicine.

The government will also collaborate with the development of a national energy policy to enable all technologies, including nuclear power, but won't pursue a change to current provisions within federal Labor which prohibit nuclear power generation.

Premier Jay Weatherill said the royal commission's report was about embracing a high-tech future for South Australia that would generate jobs and prosperity for decades to come.

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"The report made a substantial contribution to our state and opened the doors to a wide range of possible nuclear, resource and energy options for all South Australians to consider," Mr Weatherill said.

On Monday, the premier said the government believed the debate over the idea of building a nuclear waste dump should continue and flagged the possibility of putting the question to a statewide referendum.

But he said that would depend on first restoring bipartisan support for such a move, something Opposition Leader Steven Marshall has rejected.


2 min read

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Source: AAP



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