Wednesday, 7 March, 2007

by Leon Compton
ABC 8DDD Morning Program

Now along the topic of rumour in the corridors of power and more recently, the subject of very public demonstrations. The potential nuclear waste site at Muckety Station is again dominating the airwave with another meeting of traditional owners at the site. The Federal Government says, rather the Federal Opposition says a decision is imminent, but again, as has been the case all along, the real negotiations continue to be conducted behind closed doors and far from the public gaze. Julie Bishop is the Federal Minister for Education, Science and Training. Julie Bishop, good morning to you.

BISHOP Good morning Leon.

REPTR How soon do you expect to make a decision on a site for nuclear
waste in the Territory?

BISHOP Well there are some steps still to be undertaken. Back in 2005, we released an indicative schedule and that set out that site investigations would take place, that nominations would be received, that studies would be undertaken. I'm not expecting to receive a report from the specialist contractor who's undertaking detailed site studies of the three defence sites until the end of this month, perhaps early April and if another site is nominated, well then that will mean there's other studies will have to be undertaken. So I would think by mid year which is on schedule, I would be looking at nominating a site and then there are a number of steps that must be taken thereafter.

REPTR The Opposition say they're expecting you to make a decision in the next 48 hours.

BISHOP Well I don't know where they're getting that from, it certainly hasn't come from the Government, it's just scaremongering and as the
next 48 hours passes, it'll be proven to be false.

REPTR Is Muckety Station one of the options for nuclear waste in the Territory?

BISHOP It hasn't been put to me formally. The three sites are defence sites, they are currently listed for assessment for my consideration. But the Act, the Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Act does provide the
opportunity for the Northern Territory Government or an aboriginal land council to nominate additional sites.

REPTR Julie Bishop, your science department told us a fortnight ago that
Muckety station was being considered.

BISHOP Well I have not received a formal nomination. Now I don't work on rumour or hearsay, I work on what's actually put before me and I haven't
received a formal nomination.

REPTR Are you aware that Muckety Station, that there's a lot of discussion going
on about that being a potential site at the moment?

BISHOP Yes, I listen to the radio, I read newspapers.

REPTR Okay, can you explain for us why it is that we had Muckety Station
confirmed as a site a fortnight ago, but it took half a dozen requests from the ABC over six months. I mean, why haven't the negotiations happening there been
more transparent?

BISHOP Well it's being laid out in debates in Parliament, in senate estimates on the public record, that the Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Act provides the opportunity for an aboriginal land council to
nominate additional sites. The Department has met with officers of the Northern
Land Council and the Central Land Council and local indigenous communities to provide information about the facility, there's nothing secret about that.

REPTR But if places are being considered, shouldn't Territorians know about it?

BISHOP Well the nomination is a matter for the Northern Land Council, the
Central Land Council, the local indigenous communities. Now the Northern Land
Council's indicated there is interest in volunteering land for the facility from
a number of communities within its area of responsibility. They've indicated
there's interest from groups of traditional owners on Muckety Station and
elsewhere who are considering the issues relevant to potentially nominating a
site. But until such time as negotiations are concluded, it's just speculation.
So I'm not responding to speculation. I will wait until I've received a nomination.

REPTR You say when negotiations are concluded, does that mean that the first
Northern Territorians beyond the traditional owners on indigenous land will know about this decision making process is when the decision is announced?

BISHOP No, but if a site is nominated, then there is a very detailed
process that I must go through before that site becomes the recommended site. So what happens if, say the Northern Land Council, say they nominated a site, then I would, say they did, they haven't but say they did, I would then seek advice from the Department about the nomination including the material provided in support of it. The Department will then undertake a due diligence of the
technical characteristics of the site to ensure that there were no matters that
would preclude it from being further considered. The Department may well seek
advice from other agencies such as indigenous affairs about the information in
the nomination. Then there's no time limit placed on me in making a decision on
a nomination...

REPTR ...and that'll all happen publicly?

BISHOP Yes of course it does and then any decision to approve a nomination
is required to be published in the Government Gazette and then any nominated
site would then undergo detailed technical site investigations to determine
whether it is in fact suitable for the establishment of a facility and then I
would decide which of the sites under investigation, that is, any nominated site
or one of the three defence sites would be declared as the preferred site to
undergo full environmental and regulatory approval processes. So it's a long
and detailed process and it's public and every step of the way, I'm required to
publish decisions in the gazette, I'm required to announce which site would be
declared as the preferred site and then of the three defence sites or any
nominated site, it then undergoes full environmental and regulatory approval
processes.

REPTR Julie Bishop, you mentioned that there are three defence sites, you also
acknowledge that you're aware that Muckety station is one of the areas being
talked about as a potential site for nuclear waste. What other sites in the
Territory that aren't on those defence lands are being talked about with your
office at the moment?

BISHOP The only ones I'm aware of are the three defence sites. I am aware
that there is interest from groups of traditional owners on Muckety Station. I
am aware that there's been interest expressed by others, but I'm not aware of...

REPTR ...can you tell us where those others are?

BISHOP No, I'm not aware of that. I mean, these are negotiations in
relation to Muckety Station that are well known, but I'm not aware whether one
traditional owner from another area has made contact with the Department or not.
I will become aware of the detail of these when it comes to me formally for
consideration and as I said, once I receive a nomination, then there are many
steps that must be undertaken to determine the suitability of that site before
it goes for further consideration.

REPTR Julie Bishop, appreciate you joining us this morning.

BISHOP My pleasure.