OMAN-AMA landholder Gordon Donovan has no qualms about volunteering some of his land located about 35km east of Inglewood for a proposed nuclear waste facility.
“It’s a no brainer as far as I am concerned,” Mr Donovan said. “The storage facility is absolutely safe and the piece of land we are offering seems ideally suited to this kind of facility.”
Mr Donovan and his wife Laurelle volunteered a 518-hectare property for the project. The facility is expected to require about 100ha of the actual property.
“The site is isolated and being located on top of a flat-topped hill it is not affected by inflows of water. It is also alongside a major highway which and cannot be seen by passing traffic.
“At this stage there is no certainty that this property will be selected.
“We’re only one of six around Australia that have been shortlisted as potentially suitable sites.
“If the community really doesn’t want it, the facility won’t be located here. I think that would be a great shame considering what it has to offer.”
Mr Donovan, who was diagnosed with a virulent cancer seven years ago and ultimately cured through nuclear medicine, said he also felt compelled to offer a solution to Australia’s long running issue surrounding where to store nuclear medical waste.
“Everyone who has ever had an X-ray at a hospital or the dentist or especially like me has been treated for cancer has contributed to this issue,” he said.
“This has to be a lot better than continuing to store this material in temporary facilities at about 100 universities and hospitals around Australia.”
Mr Donovan first learnt of the opportunity after spotting an advertisement in Queensland Country Life.
“I’m surprised more people didn’t know about it,” he said.
“People have a right to be concerned until they are informed. But I think as people understand what is actually involved they will really see the facility as a benefit to the community.
“It could create 15 to 30 jobs and there is a $10 million package which will provided to support the community.”
Mr Donovan said it was unclear how much compensation would be paid if the property was ultimately selected.
However, the Federal Government’s Department of Industry, Innovation and Science says the base formula is four times market value.
The site which is ultimately selected will be used to store the waste material which will be processed at the existing Lucas Heights facility in Sydney. Further community meetings are expected to held in Inglewood in both December and January.
