Friday 21 April 2006
Beyond Nuclear Initiative

Environment groups in Alice Springs, Darwin and Katherine are asking Senator Scullion to clarify why the Federal Government is wasting taxpayer money to assess the three proposed nuclear waste dump sites when he is convinced it will be located elsewhere.

The NT News yesterday reported Senator Scullion as saying the Northern Land Council (NLC) was in talks with the Federal Government over selecting other sites for assessment, and that he is "working to ensure the dump is not built at any of the three sites" that have been proposed by the Government for assessment.

"So far no communities represented by the NLC have put their hand up to welcome the dump, and assessments are set to go ahead for the three Department of Defense sites", said Nat Wasley, from the Arid Lands Environment Centre Beyond Nuclear Initiative (Alice Springs).

"If Senator Scullion is willing to bet beers that it won't be at Harts Range, then he must have information that is not being shared with local communities, environment groups and the NT government, all of whom are actively trying to engage with the process surrounding the waste dump proposal. Will he bet a beer to every Territorian who does not want Commonwealth waste dumped in the NT ?"

Peter Robertson from the Environment Centre of the Northern Territory (ECNT) stated "It seems a bit strange that Senator Scullion is so confident about ruling out Harts Range when site assessments have not even begun. The Katherine flood should have wiped the Fisher's Ridge site off the list, yet the Government is saying it will still assess that site. Will these secret other sites be revealed before the assessments commence? "

"Senator Scullion suggested that Harts Range is safe because of community opposition. We hope that Senator Scullion recognises the opposition throughout the whole Territory to the threat of a Commonwealth 'dump in the desert', added Vina Hornsby from the Katherine No Dump Action Group.