By Kirsty Ross
HOBSONS Bay City Council will write to the country’s higher powers to pledge its “unequivocal” opposition to building a nuclear power plant in the area.
Newport was earmarked by a national think tank, The Australia Institute, as a potential site for a nuclear reactor in a January research paper on the topic.
The idea was met with fierce opposition from local MPs, community groups and individuals.
Councillor Bill Baarini was called on to publicly state the council’s stance during last Tuesday’s council meeting.
“It shows contempt and complete disregard for the community,” Cr Baarini said.
“This is not an issue as to the debate about nuclear power – we’re not entering or engaging in the debate – it’s about the site being listed in Hobsons Bay.”
Cr Baarini, a Labor Party member, said the suggestion to build a nuclear plant in Newport reflected the “level of arrogance” covering Canberra.
Council will write to the Federal Government, the Prime Minister, relevant ministers and the Australia Institute, recording its objections.
“Council strongly and unequivocally rejects Newport, or any other Hobsons Bay suburb or site, being listed as a potential site by the Australian Institute in their report into alternative energy resources submitted to the Federal Government,” Cr Baarini said.
Council will seek a meeting with the Minister for Energy to discuss its objections and request that Newport be deleted from the list.
It will also seek assurances from the Federal Government that no other site in Hobsons Bay be included in future lists of potential sites.
Council will keep all local, state and federal parliamentarians in the loop by providing copies of correspondence.
Sites in Werribee and Avalon were also listed on the research paper.
Concerned Altona resident, Bruce McCubbery, said he was worried that Hobsons Bay did not previously have a nuclear-free policy.
Mr McCubbery said he would only be satisfied that the council was nuclear free when the Federal Government confirmed the council’s request.
“We don’t want it around here … but if there is a council in Victoria who said ‘No, No, we’d love to have one’, well they can have it.”
