Nuke reaction

By Melissa Meehan
CASEY residents have lodged a response to the City of Casey’s Nuclear Report, urging the mayor Colin Butler and councillors to make the municipality nuclear free.
Organised by Westernport Action Group president Mary Madigan, the submission contained information about the lasting effects that any nuclear reactor or materials passing through the city would cause.
The submission includes 12 reasons why Ms Madigan and the Westernport Action Group believe that Casey should remain nuclear free.
Their submission is in response to the September council report which recommended against a nuclear reactor in Casey.
Ms Madigan said many unhappy residents have contacted her since councillor Rob Wilson asked the council to test whether the municipality was suitable for nuclear power.
“The council asked the community for feedback and we think that this submission makes it absolutely clear that Casey residents are opposed to nuclear power of any kind being brought to the area,” Ms Madigan said.
“The residents and ratepayers of the city of Casey do not want a nuclear reactor in the municipality nor do they want nuclear materials transported through the city,” Ms Madigan said.
Ms Madigan said that making Casey nuclear free was an important issue because even if a nuclear power plant was not built in the municipality, transporting nuclear material by road or rail from another area through Casey could also have a detrimental effect on local residents.
“Hypothetically one or two pounds of plutonium evenly distributed throughout the world could kill most people on Earth with lung cancer.
“We don’t want to increase the chances of people getting sick,” Ms Madigan said.
“We request that the City of Casey is proclaimed a nuclear free zone and that the council vigorously oppose all aspects of the nuclear cycle for environmental, economic, political, moral and social reasons,” Ms Madigan said.
The Westernport Action Group believes that natural energy resources such as the sun and the wind are a much more feasible choice for Casey.
“I don’t understand why people have the idea that old technology such as nuclear power is a better choice than wind, water and solar power.
“Maybe because they are a free source and they want to charge us for it?” Ms Madigan said.
Greens candidate and secretary for the Westernport Action Group Lynette Keleher agreed that nuclear energy was not a feasible form of energy.
“Nuclear power is not the answer,” Ms Keleher said.
“Let’s move forward for our children’s sake and the future of this planet.”