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MEDIA RELEASE

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The Hon. John Moore, MP

Minister for Industry, Science & Tourism

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Friday 31 July 1998

271/98

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Labor Puts Politics Ahead Of The National Interest

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The Minister for Industry, Science and Tourism, John Moore, today 
condemned comments made by  Labor Deputy Leader, Gareth Evans, 
regarding a replacement scientific reactor proposed for Lucas Heights 
in New South Wales.

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“Yet again, Labor have shown that they are prepared 
to sell-out the national interest for the sake of their own political 
gain,” Mr Moore said.

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The Minister for Science was responding to revelations 
today that Mr Evans had written to the   Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation  (ANSTO), 
apologising for Labor’s opposition to oppose the Government’s decision 
to replace the present Lucas Heights reactor.

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“It appears that Gareth Evans made it clear in his 
letter that even though he and other senior Labor ministers had previously 
supported an upgrade of the scientific research facility at Lucas Heights, 
Labor would now try to shoot it down for purely political reasons,”Mr 
Moore said.

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Reports today indicate that Mr Evans wrote in his 
letter:

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“I am afraid that the realities of politics in an 
election year, and, in particular our [Labor’s] need to win Hughes, 
have led us to a position of opposing a new reactor at the Lucas Heights 
site,   as difficult as that may be to justify in objective, safety-focussed 
terms .”

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“This display of raw, political cynicism shows just 
how unfit he and the Labor Party are to govern. Labor is increasingly 
desperate to claw its way into power,” Mr Moore said.

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“The Federal Government, on the other hand, has 
acted responsibly and decisively with regard to replacing the existing 
reactor in 2005. It is a national facility essential for ongoing, leading-edge 
scientific and medical research. For example, work carried out at Lucas 
Heights contributes in a very significant way to the fight against cancer. 
Labor knows that, which makes this cheap, political stunt even more 
distasteful.”

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In an attempt to hose down the latest Gareth Evans 
gaffe, Labor’s Shadow Minister for Science, Martyn Evans, today released 
a Shadow Ministry Discussion Paper on the Lucas Heights replacement 
reactor. It contains evidence that is very supportive for the Federal 
Government’s position:

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*Â “The reactor 
[gives Australia] a voice in the international atomic energy and non-proliferation 
debate...which allows Australia to have a credible position on nuclear 
issues”;

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*Â “The Lucas 
Heights facility also employs many hundreds of people,  most of 
whom also live in the area, and the relevant unions (AMWU & CPSU) 
are strongly supportive of the replacement reactor”; and

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*Â “The science 
community is also supportive...and there are a wide range of university 
and other interest groups who wish to  see the facility replaced 
with a state-of-the-art research reactor. The mining industry and the 
materials science sector also support the reactor proposal”.

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The Shadow Ministry was also advised that relocating the substantial, 
existing Lucas Heights infr astructure to a new location would 
cost the community up to $200 million more, destroying the credibility 
of Gareth Evans’ suggestion today that he opposed the Government’s 
decision because the replacement reactor should be built somewhere else.

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“The fact of the matter is, replacing the existing 
facility at Lucas Heights is a sensible plan. The new reactor will be 
even safer than the current infrastructure, which itself has passed 
the most stringent, independent safety tests,” said Mr Moore.

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“I call on Gareth Evans and Kim Beazley to put an 
end to their political posturing and support a project that is very 
clearly in the national interest."

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Contact:

Chris Wordsworth, Media Adviser, 02 62777580; 0419 
982482

Fax: 02 62734104

Email: word@dist.gov.au

Web  site: http://www.dist.gov.au

CMR1243

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