RESOURCES and Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg will not attend a public meeting at Hill End on Saturday, however, he has promised to send a senior representative.
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The meeting will be held to inform the community of the latest developments in the campaign against the short listing of Hill End as a possible site for a proposed permanent nuclear waste dump.
Organiser Robyn Rayner said Mr Frydenberg was personally invited to attend Saturday’s meeting, along with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, NSW Premier Mike Baird, and NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley.
The meeting will take place at the Royal Hall in Hill End from 10am this Saturday.
Ms Rayner said when Minister Frydenberg spoke with Ray Hadley on radio this week he said extensive reports had been completed for the Hill End site.
However, when departmental representative Bruce Wilson spoke to the people of Hill End he stated very clearly that no reports have been done and they would not be done until the next round of short listing.
“So who is telling porkies?” Ms Rayner asked.
“We have lots of questions still and just want some straight answers.
“The minister said on national radio that the councils were right behind it and that’s false – it hasn’t even gone before Bathurst Regional Council and Mudgee [Mid Western] council has already voted against it.
“The Bathurst Business Chamber has said they don’t want it.
“The community of Hill End doesn’t want it.
“How much more do we have to prove to them that no one wants?”
Ms Rayner said departmental representatives will be in Bathurst tomorrow to meet with mayor Gary Rush and other council representatives.
“However, when the mayor asked about a meeting involving the residents of Bathurst, he was told they didn’t have time for that,” Ms Rayner said.
“They are denying the people of Bathurst the chance to have their say.
“Every time I walk down the street in Bathurst people ask me when we are going to have a meeting there. That’s really frustrating,”
The issue will be raised in a Mayoral Minute at the February meeting of Bathurst Regional Council.
Public comments on the national waste facility proposal are due by 5pm on March 11.
They can be lodged by going to https://consult.industry.gov.au/radioactive-waste/national-radioactive-waste-management-project-2, by sending your comments via email to radioactivewaste@industry.gov.au or by writing to The Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, National Radioactive Waste Section, GPO Box 9839, Canberra ACT 2601.