Business SA advocates nuclear industry for South Australia

SOUTH Australia should actively develop a nuclear energy industry and investigate the storage of nuclear waste in the Outback, says Business SA.

The industry would take advantage of the state's world-leading uranium resources and make SA a major contributor in the global fight against climate change, it says in a major environmental statement launched today.

"Any serious response to the challenges of climate change and energy security must include nuclear energy," Business SA chief executive Peter Vaughan said.

"A nuclear energy industry in SA would ensure that economic development is environmentally sustainable, by providing the energy needed to drive economic growth while not increasing greenhouse gas emissions."

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While Mr Vaughan previously has floated his own support of nuclear power, the environmental statement raises the issue to a higher level as official policy of Business SA.

The statement - A Greenprint for the Future, creating a sustainable SA - also maps out principles on how to achieve a nuclear industry and other goals by making 59 recommendations.

"Environmental issues at the state and national level present both a challenge and an opportunity," Business SA president Robert Atkins said.

"Business SA believes it is possible for SA to have a vibrant society and strong economic growth that is not detrimental to the environment. This society will have a low carbon footprint, use energy and water efficiently and reuse many of the resources it consumes."

The 59 recommendations include measures to address issues of water, climate change, energy markets and waste.

It says SA should: "Investigate ways to overcome the barriers to developing a nuclear energy industry, such as negative community and media attitudes, the lack of a legislative and regulatory framework, the lack of a skilled and trained workforce and technical and cost-competitiveness issues."

On water, recommendations include allowing third party access to distribution networks to promote competition in supply.

It also calls for greater trading rights between states and between urban water retailers and industrial and commercial users.

On waste, Business SA wants a broader and more consistent policy on producers having to take responsibility for waste streams beyond the consumer. It notes the success of SA's container deposit scheme on drink bottles and cartons and the current debate on extending this to electronic goods such as TVs.

Concerned about the added costs to producers, it calls for schemes to be limited to products that either generate hazardous waste (such as those which contain mercury) or which can be recycled.

"A set of policy principles for extended producer responsibility schemes needs to be developed to ensure consistent implementation of such schemes and without undue cost impacts on businesses and without the need for separate legislation for each scheme," it recommends.

With Copenhagen mere days away, Business SA says its supports a global emissions trading scheme.

It warns of dangers of countries going it alone on an ETS but says groups of countries working co-operatively may be an answer to overcome the low likelihood of global agreement.