Sunday 18 December 2005
NT News
by Paul Dyer

A GROUP of Territory cattle station owners want the national nuclear waste storage facility to be built on their land, they said.

But the NT Government will block the move, saying pastoral land should be considered -- but only in other states.

The Sunday Territorian has learned several NT station owners would be happy to host the facility if this land is suitable.

NT Cattlemen's Association executive director Stuart Kenny said: "There are certainly guys who have shown some interest in investigating it."

John Armstrong, owner of the 1800sq km Gilnockie Station, said he "wouldn't mind" having the storage facility on his land -- for the right incentives.

"There are a quite a few people who would like it if they could get a guarantee of a beautiful sealed road to lead past it -- and to the house as well," he said.

Mr Armstrong said his station, 265km south of Katherine, was probably too far from the railway and a major town to be a suitable site for the unit.

But he said he was aware of other landholders who were interested.

Federal Government sources told the Sunday Territorian the three identified NT sites -- one near Katherine and two near Alice Springs -- are not final and other alternatives will be considered.

But it is unlikely the Howard Government will consider sites outside the NT because the political damage is less in the sparsely populated areas.

A spokesman for Federal Science Minister Brendan Nelson said no offers from indigenous groups or private landholders had yet been received.

"There are the three that have been selected at this stage -- and that is where we are at," he said.

The three sites -- all on defence land -- have attracted criticism from residents, business and councils in the areas.

But Federal Government sources said the sites were just "starting points".

Some Aboriginal groups have expressed an interest in hosting the facility on their land, while other have rallied against it.

The Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Bill gives the Federal Government the power to override any State or Territory law that would stop the facility being built.

It also lets the NT Chief Minister nominate alternative sites and for Aboriginal land councils to identify suitable indigenous-owned land.

Solomon MHR David Tollner urged any Territory landholders with an interest in hosting the dump to approach the Territory Government.