Submitted by Sheldon Rampton on
After years of trying to build an unpopular nuclear waste dump in South Australia, Prime Minister John Howard has reversed himself and abandoned the project, fearing a voter backlash. "As he pressed the flesh in four key marginal seats, Mr. Howard became acutely aware of the resentment in the community over a nuclear dump being forced on the state and the potential electoral fallout," report Paul Starick and Leanne Craig. "Having declared repeatedly that his government is only eight seats from oblivion, Mr. Howard needed to shake off the dump as an electoral liability. ... It has been estimated that $620,000 was spent on public relations and marketing consultants to try and win support for the dump," plus another $10 million for an environmental impact statement. A senator for the South Australia's opposit Labor Party called the money wasted on the dump a "disgrace," adding, "For the cost of the EIS
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