Tuesday 9 May 2006
NT News
by Jasmin Afianos

THE building of a nuclear waste facility on an indigenous-owned cattle station near Tennant Creek moved a step closer yesterday.

The Northern Land Council met in the town to discuss the proposal.

Traditional owners of the Warlmanpa Land Trust have been asked to allow the waste depository to be built on Muckaty Station, 120km north of Tennant.

An area close to the Bootu Creek rail access road has been suggested.

The station was not on the original short list of three sites drawn up by the Federal Government.

But under amendments to the law introduced by Territory Senator Nigel Scullion, traditional owners could ask for the facility to be built on their land.

Muckaty community leaders have been to Sydney to tour the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor.

One traditional owner said: ``I was asked if I'd go to a meeting a couple of weeks ago, so I did, but I'm not really sure what they were talking about.

``Then they asked if I'd like to go to Sydney and I said `yes'. I can't really talk about it because I don't know anything yet.''

Another woman said: ``Last month we went up to Muckaty for a meeting but I don't know what they were talking about - I didn't understand them.''

A man who is known to be involved in the land trust, and who was seen at two of the meetings, denied all knowledge of the meetings and of the trip to Sydney.

``I don't know what you're talking about,'' he said.

``It's got nothing to do with me.''

Senator Scullion could not be contacted yesterday