Two Petitions, No Courage

One can only marvel at the duplicity of the current Member for Gilmore’s announcement that she is starting a petition AGAINST the construction of a nuclear reactor in Gilmore given that the most likely site, Murray’s Beach, is not in Gilmore at all but adjacent to it, in ACT territory and the fact that her website, www.joannagash.com.au has two petitions available for download- one FOR and one AGAINST a reactor in Gilmore.

It seems that she lacks the courage to make a decision and stick to it, for fear of losing votes in what is shaping as an unexpectedly unsafe seat for the Government.

Those who will eventually make the decision on the locations of Australia’s proposed 25 nuclear reactors will not take seriously any petition against a nuclear reactor, in any electorate, for two very good reasons.

Firstly, a decision on locations is 7 to 8 years away. Government Ministers have confirmed this timeframe. Both her petitions will be gathering dust by then.

Secondly, at the first hint of a nuclear reactor being proposed in their electorate every other Member of Parliament will be organizing their own petition against their electorate being chosen, as will numerous community groups. The Gilmore petition(s) will be just two of a crowd.

The only real way to prevent the possibility of a nuclear reactor being built in, or near, the electorate of Gilmore is to make sure the Government does not impose a nuclear industry on this country and its citizens, their children and grandchildren.

Given the fact that Ms Gash and her Government are determined to do exactly that, the only certain way to negate the threat for the electorate of Gilmore is to make the coming Federal election a referendum on the issue.

The choice is clear: Vote for the current member for Gilmore for a nuclear industry and the possibility of a nuclear reactor in the Shoalhaven.

Vote for a genuine anti-nuclear candidate to elect someone who will work against the establishment of a nuclear industry and for the development of alternative energy strategies to combat Climate Change and Global Warming.