NSW: Protesters commemorate Chernobyl outside Lucas Heights

AAP General News (Australia)
04-26-2001
NSW: Protesters commemorate Chernobyl outside Lucas Heights

SYDNEY, April 26 AAP - About 30 anti-nuclear protesters have commemorated the Chernobyl
disaster by dumping imitation nuclear waste in front of Australia's only nuclear reactor.

The group of community members, environmental activists and local council representatives
marched up the driveway of the Lucas Heights reactor site south of Sydney, waving placards
and demanding the site be closed down.

Today marks the 15th anniversary of the Chernobyl reactor meltdown.

Protest organiser Tim O'Connor said it was ludicrous that the government was considering
a second reactor.

"We don't need a new reactor, we don't want another 250,000 years of waste that's going
to be produced by a new reactor, and we certainly don't want nuclear waste being transported
through our suburbs for the next 50 years," Mr O'Connor said.

The group was stopped at the gates by a handful of police and security guards, but
Mr O'Connor said the protesters were satisfied they had got their point across.

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KEYWORD: NUCLEAR

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