Friday, 28 September, 2007

by Emma King
ECNT

The Federal Government has made it clear that they will push ahead with their nuclear plans for the Northern Territory if re-elected.

 “On Thursday 28^th September, Federal Science Minister Julie Bishop confirmed that she has no problems with imposing a nuclear dump on the NT,” Environment Centre of the NT Beyond Nuclear campaigner Emma King said.

“On Friday morning we hear Federal Resources Minister Ian McFarlane confirm that if re-elected the Coalition would move to allow the development of uranium enrichment and nuclear power in Australia.

“The Federal Government has spent 10 years trying to find a site to store nuclear waste and have moved their sights to the NT because it is easier to force a dump on us than on a state.

“This decision is not based on science or community consent – it is being imposed by coercive legislation which removes the community’s rights to object or appeal.

While it is unlikely that a nuclear power plant would be built in the NT given our small population, any expansion of the nuclear industry in Australia is likely to see more uranium mining and more high level nuclear waste imposed here.

“The risk to the Territory’s environment from the nuclear industry was highlighted with Energy Resources of Australia confirmation yesterday of the expansion of Ranger mine in World Heritage listed Kakadu National Park,” Ms King said.

“The expansion of Ranger mine will increase the environmental impacts of uranium mining on Kakadu National Park, exacerbating water and tailings management problems at the mine site.

“In the context of the Federal government signing on to the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership, a plan which hopes to create nuclear supplier nations to mine enrich and take back high-level waste, there is a real danger of the NT become a nuclear quarry and dump.

The ECNT will continue to work to prevent the development of the NT into the uranium quarry and nuclear waste dump for the world, and advocate for the protection of the Territory environment from radioactive contamination.