Desert Dump is no answer to nuclear weapons problem
Monday, 2 July, 2007
by Nat Wasley
Arid Lands Environment Centre
The call follows reports in the Australian newspaper (2/7/07) that former US ambassador Robert Gallucci is advocating Australia as a potential global radioactive waste dump to address proliferation concerns.
“The best way to ensure nuclear materials do not end up in weapons is by stopping the mining and exporting of uranium and getting serious about nuclear disarmament,” said Natalie Wasley, the Beyond Nuclear Initiative campaigner at ALEC.
“A desert dump cannot be touted as the answer to securing nuclear weapons material when Australia is still exporting uranium to countries not complying with their disarmament obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty”.
Ms Wasley says any plans for an international dump would be met with strong resistance around the country. “The plan for a federal dump in the Territory is strongly opposed by targeted communities, the NT Government, national environment groups and many citizens”.
“The current waste dump plan is already failing due process in the search to secure a site and there is little confidence that any international waste dump would be based on community consultation or have any regard for environmental, social and cultural concerns.
"Despite the rhetoric of Australia being the most geologically suitable location for a dump one of the proposed sites , Muckaty station north of Tennant Creek, is within a seismically active zone”.
“From the outset, the communities targeted for the Federal dump were concerned that an NT dump would be expanded to host high level international materials,” said Ms Wasley. “It is time for the government to come clean on its full plans for radioactive waste.”
Opposition from Australian states to the federal radioactive dump means it is highly unlikely they would welcome an international one. “Once again it would be remote and indigenous communities in the Territory who are forced to take the toxic waste – this time from around the world. The federal government’s plan is the thin edge of a radioactive wedge and we will not sit back and let this happen”.