Minister refuses to debate nuclear dump
Thursday, 1 November, 2007
by Tara Ravens
The Age
Community Services Minister Nigel Scullion was invited by the Environment Centre of the NT (ECNT) to attend a senate candidate forum with NT Labor Senator Trish Crossin to answer questions about the proposal, and why he reneged on a promise to fight it.
But Natalie Wasley from the Arid Lands Environment Centre accused Senator Scullion of being evasive, saying he had refused last week to participate in the debate on the dump and uranium mining.
"It seems he has employed a tactic of duck and cover," she said.
"His refusal to participate in public discourse on this important issue is extremely disappointing, and indicative of his evasive attitude to community concerns."
The federal government chose the NT, where it can override territory laws, after it abandoned an outback South Australian site in the face of political opposition.
A bill enabling the facility to go ahead passed the Senate in 2005 when Senator Scullion, along with other coalition colleagues, secured late amendments and voted for the dump.
The Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Legislation Amendment Bill 2006 was passed the following year.
The NT Senator had earlier promised his constituents he would not back a territory dump.
ECNT coordinator Charles Roche said the senator should explain why his change of heart.
"People are very keen to hear Scullion explain why he reneged on his promise to cross the floor and stop the legislation forcing the dump on the Territory," he said.
"The ECNT offered to run the forum at a date convenient to the senator, but Scullion indicated he would not be willing to participate at all."
Federal Labor has committed to overturning the Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Act if elected, said Senator Crossin.
"The election period is a time for us to be accountable to the people who put us into office," she said.
"One of the most contentious issues over the last three years has been the process for a nuclear waste facility and it is time for Nigel to step up to the mark and explain why they should vote for him again given that he turned on them."
Senator Crossin said Labor supported a facility that was built in a community "with consultation and agreement and where the science backs it up".
Muckaty Station, about 120km north of Tennant Creek, has been nominated by the Northern Land Council for consideration by the federal government for the national facility.
The proposed 1.5sq km site is expected to be considered along with three commonwealth defence sites, including Harts Range and Mount Everard near Alice Springs and Fishers Ridge near Katherine.
A spokeswoman for Senator Scullion later said he had spoken "extensively" on the issue of a waste dump for the territory and did not want to engage in a forum moderated by the green group.
"We have little faith the Environment Centre would run a fair and balanced debate," she said.
"It is important people get the right information and not the misinformation campaign that the Labor Party has run."
The spokeswoman said the senator would be happy to take part in a "properly moderated debate" with Senator Crossin, in a venue such as the ABC studios in Darwin.