The Australian Greens National Council, meeting in Alice Springs, today condemned the federal government's imposition of a national nuclear waste dump on the Northern Territory.

Australian Greens energy spokesperson Senator Christine Milne said Greens delegates from across the country expressed disgust at the Howard government's determination to impose a nuclear waste dump on the NT.*

Senator Milne and Greens spokesperson on Aboriginal Affairs Senator Rachel Siewert will visit one of the three possible sites of a national nuclear waste dump, at Mt Everard near Alice Springs, tomorrow at the invitation of the community and the Central Land Council.

Senator Milne said the struggle of Indigenous communities opposed to the national nuclear waste dump was a sign of things to come if the federal government succeeded in its goal of turning Australia into a global nuclear waste dump.

"Prime Minister John Howard's nuclear review is designed to take Australia down the nuclear road - enriching uranium for export, leasing nuclear fuel and taking back the radioactive waste," Senator Milne said.

"Communities across the country will be faced with the prospect of high-risk transportation of nuclear materials, while the government is likely to again target Indigenous communities in the NT for the nuclear activities it has in mind.

"The opposition of the state and territory governments to nuclear power, expressed at last Friday's meeting of the Environment Protection and Heritage Council, mean the federal government will have to impose its plans.

"Instead of insulting opponents of the nuclear option as being stuck with '1970s ideological obsessions against nuclear', federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell should be pointing out the myriad environmental risks of a nuclear industry."

The resolution passed by the Australian Greens National Council meeting in Alice Springs

Given that nuclear energy is dangerous, expensive, produces hazardous waste and is not a solution to climate change, the Australian Greens national council:

1. Rejects the federal government's moves to override the Northern Territory by imposing a national nuclear waste dump contrary to the wishes of the Northern Territory government and people;
2. Calls for a cessation of all uranium mining;
3. Opposes nuclear reactors and the enrichment, export, arms manufacture and leasing of uranium;
4. Rejects new nuclear waste dumps in Australia as well as the transport of radioactive waste;
5. Supports the Indigenous communities who are resisting the federal government's attempt to impose a national nuclear waste dump on them; and
6. Supports greater energy efficiency and more investment in and stimulation of renewable energy.