The federal government is seeking to employ a highly skilled PR team to manage likely outrage over possible sites for a nuclear waste dump.
In new documents, released quietly on the federal tender site, the Albanese government has called for urgent expressions of interest in public relations services as it continues "high outrage" plans to build a secure nuclear waste storage facility.
A major government approach to market uncovered by The Canberra Times reveals a nuclear-specific crisis management team is now being sought to bid for a two-year contract to help manage public discussion of nuclear waste in Australia.
It comes six months after the government abandoned plans for a low-level nuclear waste facility in remote South Australia amid community division including opposition from the area's traditional owners, the Barngarla people.
It also comes as Australia, like AUKUS partners the United States and the United Kingdom, continues to be without a long-term solution for radioactive waste disposal.
The approach to market, posted on March 26, reveals the Department of Industry, Science and Resources seeking "nuclear-specific" public relations and professional communications services to work with staff from the Australian Radioactive Waste Agency (ARWA) to support the public's "comprehensive understanding of the nation's radioactive waste inventory, origins and need for safe management."
"This is a highly specialised high-outrage area and there are times of uplift where urgent assistance is required and additional industry-relevant specialist support is needed, including upskilling staff to undertake these activities in a high outrage environment," the document reads.
"The contract procurement is being undertaken at this time as these skills are especially relevant during the early stages of a new radioactive waste management approach being identified (i.e the first three-five years for a 100-year radioactive waste management project)."
Last August, the federal government scrapped plans to build the nation's first radioactive waste storage facility on farmland near Kimba in South Australia.
There was high criticism of the way the site at Napandee, a 211-hectare property at the top of the Eyre Peninsula, was announced in 2021 and then argued as needed.
The Barngarla people had earlier won a Federal Court case, successfully arguing that they were not properly consulted by the Morrison government over the site's selection. However, some other Kimba residents were disappointed that the nuclear waste facility plans were dumped.
The Albanese government said, in scrapping the Kimba plans, that it respected the court's decision to set aside the 2021 site declaration.
The new approach to market refers to a need to engage with "impacted communities" and hold "stringent preparation for technical and challenging questions from the public to ensure ARWA can answer questions and address concerns transparently."
"Services will include nuclear-specific stakeholder engagement, often in person, with impacted communities, nuclear industry stakeholders and the broader public - to support a comprehensive understanding of the nation's radioactive waste inventory, origins and need for safe management," the documents read.
The new approach to market asks that the successful suppliers be able to obtain baseline security clearance and demonstrate experience and understanding of the nuclear and radioactive industry.
According to the documents, the contract for services, which potential suppliers have to bid for over the next two weeks, would be from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2026, with a possibility of extension. It is advised that the contract would not be fixed price irrespective of the hours spent by personnel. "Intensive" short notice work is required combined with some intrastate and interstate travel.
The documents describe activities for the successful supplier, including engagement with the public and capability to "advise on emerging best practice for high outrage management and crisis communication and upskill APS (Australian Public Service) staff to deliver."
They also ask that the successful supplier assist in preparing "factually correct nuclear technology and radioactive waste engagement materials ahead of in-person stakeholder engagement and upskilling APS staff."
The Canberra Times sought comment from Resources Minister Madeleine King over the approach to market.
"Federal Resources Minister Madeleine King has instructed her department to develop policy options for managing Commonwealth radioactive waste into the future and this work is ongoing," a spokesperson for Ms King said in a statement.
"The government has been firm in the need for the Commonwealth to safely manage its own radioactive waste."
Karen Barlow
Karen Barlow is ACM's Chief Political Correspondent. Working in the federal press gallery, she investigates and writes about federal politics and government. She has an interest in integrity, leadership and social equity. She has covered two Olympics and been to Antarctica twice. Contact her on karen.barlow@canberratimes.com.au
Karen Barlow is ACM's Chief Political Correspondent. Working in the federal press gallery, she investigates and writes about federal politics and government. She has an interest in integrity, leadership and social equity. She has covered two Olympics and been to Antarctica twice. Contact her on karen.barlow@canberratimes.com.au
