For all his posturing about being a Premier for the western suburbs, Premier Barry O’Farrell is showing his true colours over a radioactive problem.

His role as the local MP for the northern suburbs seat of Ku-ring-Gai appears to have taken precedence over his position as the Minister for Western Sydney with suggestions contaminated waste from a radioactive site in Hunters Hill  will be buried at Kemps Creek in the city's west.

CFMEU State Secretary Mal Tulloch says it is a “bit rich” to move the radioactive waste from  the waterfront at Hunters Hill and dump it in western Sydney’s backyard.

“If Mr O’Farrell needs a back yard to dump it in, perhaps he should look at his own,” Tulloch says.

The CFMEU will support community protest against the move, he said.

The Liberal NSW Government conceded at a budget estimates hearing this week that Kemps Creek was the only viable option if 5800 tonnes of mildly radioactive dirt and rock were to be removed from the site of a former uranium-processing plant.

The waste cannot be taken overseas or interstate, but Penrith City Council remains firmly opposed to the plan.

Minister for Finance and Services, Greg Pearce, conceded in the budget estimates hearing that Kemps Creek was the only remaining option if the toxic dirt could not be remediated on site, while being questioned by Labor's environment spokesman, Luke Foley.

''Minister, you've told us in the last three minutes [that] international disposal is off the agenda, interstate disposal is off the agenda and there is no alternate waste site in NSW - so that narrows it somewhat to Kemps Creek,'' Mr Foley said.

''Well, it does,'' Mr Pearce replied. Mr Pearce said no decision had been made yet on whether the waste could be treated on site in Hunters Hill.


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/uranium-plant-waste-unwelcome-in-western-suburbs-20111025-1mi4y.html#ixzz1bqjNBDpF