Thursday, 23 August, 2007

ABC NT Local News

Northern Territory Chief Minister Claire Martin says the Federal Government should hold a vote on whether a nuclear waste dump should be built in the Territory.

Prime Minister John Howard has announced there will be binding local plebiscites in communities where nuclear power stations are proposed.

But Ms Martin says she wants Territorians to have a say on whether a proposed low and intermediate level nuclear waste facility goes ahead.

"Before the last election John Howard said 'No, we won't have a nuclear waste facility in the Territory'," she said.

"Go past the election, he's said 'Got you on that one, we're going to do it and we're going to do it regardless of how Territorians feel'.

"So I say to John Howard, if you're talking about nuclear, you have a plebiscite here in the Territory about a nuclear waste facility."

Anti-nuclear campaigners say they agree Mr Howard is hypocritical for supporting plebiscites on whether communities want nuclear power plants in their area but not nuclear waste dumps.

Coordinator for the Alice Springs-based Beyond Nuclear Campaign, Natalie Wasley, says Mr Howard is employing double standards.

"John Howard's stepping up and saying communities should be given the opportunity to have a say on nuclear development and facilities in their area," she said.

"Given that the nuclear waste dump in the Northern Territory - or the proposal for one - has been imposed on the communities that are living nearby, it's been imposed on the Northern Territory community as a whole and also overriding the wishes of the Northern Territory Government."