[Greens-Media] Scott Ludlam - Greens shocked at NT nuclear dump anger

[Kelly, Russell (Sen B. Brown)]

17 November 2008

Greens shocked at NT nuclear dump anger
'Martin Ferguson wouldn't build a nuclear dump in Batman'

Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam has challenged Resources and
Energy Minister Martin Ferguson to visit the site of a proposed nuclear
dump at Muckaty Station in the Northern Territory before giving the
go-ahead.

Speaking before a protest rally in Alice Springs today ahead of a Senate
Inquiry investigating whether the nuclear dump proposal should be
stopped, Senator Ludlam said he was shocked at the extent to which
traditional owners were being ignored by Minister Ferguson.

Senator Ludlam said a protest by traditional owners and Territorians
outside the Inquiry showed feeling was running high against the nuclear
dump proposal at Muckaty Station, north of Tennant Creek.

"Once again we have Minister Ferguson continuing the Howard policy of
pushing nuclear waste from the cities onto Indigenous  communities."

"We need to re-think the whole nuclear waste strategy to find
alternatives to remote dumps."

"It is last-century thinking and an echo of the worst nuclear
colonialism from Australia's past."

"Martin Ferguson quite rightly would never build a nuclear dump in his
electorate of Batman - so why target Muckaty?"

Senator Ludlam is calling on the federal government to uphold its
election commitment to repeal laws for managing radioactive waste that
allow the Northern Territory to become the repository of waste from the
Lucas Heights reactor in Sydney.

The inquiry has been called into a Greens' Bill to repeal the
Commonwealth Radio Active Waste Management Act. The Act passed in 2005
by the Howard government, earmarked a series of sites for nuclear waste
dumps. 

Territorians will protest against the laws at the Alice Springs Crown
Plaza hotel, venue of the Inquiry, at 12pm today (Central). The Inquiry
opens at 1pm (Central) and continues tomorrow.

For more information call Russell Kelly 0438376082 ends