Under international standards that radius is classified as an “ingestion exposure pathway” in which people may be exposed to radiation through contaminated food, milk and water after a nuclear leak.
“Based on international practice, farmers would need to take expensive steps during a nuclear leak and would need to inform their customers that they operate within the fallout zone,” Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said in a statement.
Agriculture Minister Murray Watt told the Australian Global Food Forum on Wednesday that nuclear power needs more water than coal-fired energy and renewables. Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas
“It’s bizarre that the Nationals and Liberals are putting at risk our prime agricultural land like this, especially without the decency to explain it to farmers and consumers how they’d mitigate all the potential impacts.”
But Nationals leader David Littleproud said the comments were “scaremongering” and “hypocrisy”.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton announced the nuclear strategy a month ago, flagging nuclear reactors at coal power stations that have closed or are winding down.
Loy Yang Power Station in Victoria’s Gippsland region, Callide and Tarong in Queensland, Port Augusta in South Australia, Collie in Western Australia, and Mount Piper and Liddell in NSW have all been earmarked.
The ministers last met in March to confirm national priorities in biosecurity, drought, workforce, climate change, First Nations agriculture, trade and animal welfare.