The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the plan to build a new nuclear reactor in the southern Sydney suburb of Lucas Heights was released on August 17.

The EIS was prepared by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), and thus it came as no surprise that the EIS uncritically supports the reactor plan.

After a 12 week "viewing" period, there will be another round of paper shuffling between ANSTO, ANSTO's sub-contractors, and federal government departments. Then the minister for the environment will "recommend" to the science minister that the project proceed. Even if the environment minister recommended otherwise, the science minister would be under no obligation to accept that recommondation.

Already several million dollars have been wasted on this expensive farce, with no funding for opponents. In yet another slap in the face to the residents of the Sutherland Shire, the EIS is being sold for $50. However an Overview is available for free by ringing 1800 243 220.

The People Against a Nuclear Reactor campaign group decided some months ago to boycott the sham EIS process. Campaigners will focus on building the political campaign against the reactor.

Nor will PANR succumb to the temptation to become a cheer-squad for the ALP in the run-up to the federal election. In fact the convenor of PANR, Genevieve Rankin, has recently quit the ALP after being a member for 21 years.

The final straw for Rankin was a letter from ALP deputy leader Gareth Evans to ANSTO, in which he said the ALP's opposition to the reactor plan is based on "the realities of politics in an election year, and in particular our need to win the (federal seat of) Hughes" rather than "objective safety-focused concerns".

Rankin said, "Evans has made the totally false and ignorant assertion that there are no safety problems with the current site - after ANSTO has just failed four out of the seven criteria in their most recent international risk assessment. The worst failure being the lack of adequate procedures for a meltdown."

Rankin also criticised the state ALP goverment, saying, "The state Labor government has refused to act on its constitutional responsibilities to the citizens of NSW in the areas of emergency planning, heath and safety, and urban planning at Lucas Heights."

For more details contact PANR on (02) 9545 3077.