Friday, 28 September, 2007

SBS World News

Federal Science Minister Julie Bishop says Canberra's looking at a fourth possible site for a radioactive waste dump in the Northern Territory to see if it's suitable.

The Federal Government's already examined three possible sites for the storage of low-to medium-grade nuclear waste in the Territory, at Harts Range, Mount Everard and Fishers Ridge.

In May the Northern Land Council offered up part of Muckaty Station, 120 kilometres north of Tennant Creek in exchange for 12 million dollars from the government.

Ms Bishop says the Government has formally accepted the council's nomination of land for the nuclear facility.

She says she's satisfied the council's decision is in agreement with the wishes of the traditional Aboriginal owners of that land.

However any nuclear waste site in the territory remains a contentious issue with environmentalists the Northern Territory Government and some traditional owners opposing it.